One of the more intimate ways that we submissives can serve our Dominants is by learning and performing grooming duties usually left to themselves to do. It's not as unusual as you might think. Upper-class men and women of history used to have body servants and grooms to help them with these tasks. In fact there are books dedicated to being this form of service professional. They are a bit antiquated but they have their use.
My Master KnyghtMare enjoys a bit of service on a more ritualistic and special basis and then he has other things that I'm in charge of caring for on a regular basis. I am his barber. I cut his hair. I also groom his genital hair as it's more for my preference than his. He'd like me to learn massage a bit better since the carpal tunnel and my method keeps that to a minimum.
On special occasions, he loves when I bathe him and dry him off. I enjoy when I moisturize his skin and take care to get every part of him. Touching his skin is worship and I get lost in it.
In this essay, I'm going to share what I've learned about being Master's body servant and what you can do to get started in this intimate care of your Dominant.
Bathing
We all do it. We've been washing ourselves since we were old enough to sit in the tub without supervision. But do we really pay attention to what it is we are doing as we run the cloth over our skin, or what soaps we use? If you were to bathe someone else, you'd want to use the best soaps and cleansers and know just how to clean each part of their body.
The next time you are in the shower, pay focused attention on how you bathe. Do you start the same way and wash in the same manner? Are you a more random washer? Do you prefer to have the water really hot so that your skin turns pink or do you like a tepid rinse? How helpful is water temperature to your bathing ritual?
After you are more aware of how you bathe, ask if you can sit in and watch your Dominant bathe. See if they do things similarly. Don't get distracted - this is about learning not play. Figure out if they prefer a soft touch or like to scrub hard in areas. Do they prop their foot up on the side to watch their feet or do they pull them up and balance? You are watching to see how comfortable they are washing so that when you get to do it you don't make them uncomfortable or cause them to fall.
Hair Washing
If you have ever had the hair salon wash your hair you know how luxurious it feels to have someone else wash your hair. Your hair never feels as great the next day as it did when they washed it. Using the best shampoos and conditioners applies the same as with bathing. Make sure you have the best items for the type of hair you are dealing with. You don't want to scratch their scalp so be conscious if you have long nails or rings. Hair is fragile once it's wet.
No one I know has the curves hair washing sinks in their home, so washing the same way may be difficult. You don't have to have them seated and leaning back. You can do just as well with them bent over the sink or in the shower as a part of your bathing routine. The purpose here is not only clean hair but relaxation for the Dominant.
Shaving
I know that KnyghtMare wouldn't let me near his face with a razor unless he had no use of his hands. He's protective of his face, not that I'd do a bad job of it. He does let me near his genitals with a razor so his trust is there. Of course, shaving is an art - especially when you are doing it to someone else. Straight razor shaving is also a skill that many people look into learning much like boot-blacking. It's unique and specialized. In fact, many barber shops don't do it anymore and those that do are few and far between.
Manicures and Pedicures
I'm not sure which is more intimate really... bathing or caring for someone's hands and feet. I've not had the opportunity to do this for Master, but I'm sure some day I will. I've had manicures and pedicures at salons and love it. It feels so nice to have smooth well cared for hands and feet.
Basic Massage
I've done a bit of massage for Master. He loves foot massages and I feel good doing them for him. I used to do them every week before Carpal Tunnel set in. Now he rarely gets them. For me, it was a way to commune with him. Sitting at his feet, rubbing oils into them is just something remarkably spiritual for me. I learned about basic massage from a book and I'm sure you can learn what you need to know from simple sources also.
There is a huge benefit for going to school for massage though, and I know he'd like me to go so that I can learn how to do massage without hurting my wrists.
Concluding this introduction, I have a lot I can still learn. I'm just scraping the surface in this area, but I've already found a love for it. It's possible you can too.
Thoughts to Ponder
What grooming tasks would you like to do for your Dominant?
Do you need to do a lot of research before you find something you can volunteer to do in service of your Dominant?
Resources
