If you've ever thought about seeing a Dominatrix, you've likely noticed that it's not a cheap endeavor. With sessions starting in the hundreds, it can be hard to understand from an outside perspective why it's so costly to indulge in a Professional BDSM experience.
There are several reasons for this that come together to make industry tributes what they are.
Skill
Domination is a highly skilled area of sex work. Dominatrixes spend years learning specific techniques for different activities, and honing those skills. Done improperly, some things are extremely dangerous and take years of practice to learn how to do safely. We take classes and workshops, pay for one-on-one training with experts, and put a great deal of Our valuable time into becoming the knowledgeable Dominatrixes We are. Equipment
Have you ever browsed quality BDSM gear? It's not cheap. There's plenty of low quality equipment out there, but those who purchase lower quality gear will likely have to replace it frequently anyway. This is part of why it's so thoughtful when good submissives gift their Dommes with equipment and toys! Beyond floggers, paddles, leather restraints, etc..., dungeon furniture is flat out exorbitantly priced. Some pieces cost several thousand dollars. Those who rent dungeon space are usually working towards the goal of setting up Their Own space and still have to buy Their Own equipment as needed, so this cost still comes into consideration.
Wardrobe
Latex and leather are expensive! Your fantasies of a Domme wearing head-to-toe leather or a rubber catsuit and corset cost thousands of dollars to fulfill. During sessions, these fragile materials get a lot of wear and tear and have to be replaced. Even those who don't wear extravagant latex outfits still spend a great deal on lingerie and stockings, as They can't wear the same outfit for every session. Shoes are a whole other expense that adds up quickly when you need them to be well constructed and comfortable in addition to being mind-numbingly sexy. Grooming
Those razor sharp claws, perfectly coiffed hair, and pedicured toes cost money to maintain. You expect Us as Professionals to look Our best, and that upkeep is not a negligible cost. If you are a man with a short hair cut and spend $40 at the barber once a month, you may not understand this. A hair appointment at a quality salon to maintain style and color can easily be hundreds of dollars. Supplies
Beyond all the fun toys that We amass to tease and torment you in session, there are also expensive medical grade cleaning supplies, condoms and gloves, staples and needles, LUBE, LUBE, and MORE LUBE... get the picture?
Photo Shoots and Advertising
While many of Us post frequent selfies, professional photos are necessary for a large percentage of clients to take Us seriously. Good photography is not cheap, and photo shoots can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars when you factor in everything required for a successful one. Beyond photos, We pay to maintain Our websites and advertise Our services in various venues. Due to legislation like SESTA/FOSTA and the risk placed on those advertising venus, they can be very costly.
Time & Energy
Domination takes a lot of energy. Holding space for someone to explore the depths of their psyche while torturing and teasing and exuding sexual energy is actually very draining! Many of Us cannot do 8 hours of that work a day consistently, so our time is valued at a higher rate than other industries. Beyond that, when you book one hour with a Dominatrix, We put in hours of planning, preparation, makeup and hair styling, dungeon set up and clean up after the session. This all goes into determining Our individual hourly tributes. Risk
Many of the activities We engage in come with some level of risk, whether it be risk of harm to the submissive, or risk of harm to Us. Wielding giant strap-ons while wearing stilettos is hard on the body! The legal/societal climate in the United States is not great to sex workers either, with many of Us unable to cross borders, maintain bank accounts, prove Our income for housing and lending purposes, etc. Those of Us who have these limitations have ultimately decided that being in this industry is worth it to Us, but not knowing what could happen next makes a higher tribute amount reasonable and necessary. We have to plan for a worst case scenario.
When you take all these factors into consideration, a few hundred dollars is really quite a deal for this luxury service. It's easy to imagine Us pocketing everything you hand over, but the reality is that a large portion of Our earnings go to overhead. Not everyone will be able to afford seeing a Professional Dominatrix, but there are valid reasons for tributes to be what they are. This is why We don't respond favorably to attempts to negotiate or lower the cost of a session. It disrespects Us and everything We put into making your session memorable. This is also why you should tip your Domme if you enjoyed yourself!