When I do a blindfold in a scene, try using a long soft cotton cloth, like a bandana or a material-like belt. It will go around the head a few times, and you can cover the nose up without restricting breathing, although this is possible as well, if doing breath play.   Advantages are that if you use a black cloth, it blocks out about 95%
of the light, and 100% of the sight. he prefers it to the store-bought ones, since they tend to fit better around the eyes.

Also, try using a black light, or lower wattage light bulbs. I can't use candles too much in My house, since the forced air heater tends to make a mess out of My candles on the walls (onto the hardwood floor of the house I'm renting, etc, etc...). Low wattage bulbs will give you a similar effect as candle light, and tends to be safer, too. (I miss using candles, though)

 Has anyone got any advice on hoods, [which, I take it, will further  isolate  my slave]?

Yep... a real easy hood (and easy to keep safe) is to use a clear plastic bag & duct tape. If she's not into breath play, get her to hold her breath when you tape around her neck. Place the bag over her head, and depending on breathplay & if she likes the feel of plastic, tape the entire head except for the mouth & nose (nose is optional, in our play). Do the chin as well, and around the neck. Not too tight, but just fitting & snug. Once this is done, and especially if her nose is in the bag, kiss her full on the mouth, covering her completely... it's a natural response for many of us to breathe thru our nose when we kiss. *grin*

Make sure the plastic is thick enough to adhere to the duct tape (available in many pretty colours now, at places like dollar stores & such), and do NOT pull the tape hard when winding. Pull strips of tape off before wrapping, because the sound of tape being pulled off the roll is gawdawful, and is a very bad pain in the ears. I use about a 25-ft roll of tape for the head... sometimes less, sometimes more. Then just use medical scissors (blunt on one end) to get out of the hood. We've never tried to recycle the hoods, since it usually costs us just over a dollar to do it.

ACQ