I adore kissing. I perfected my kissing technique with a Swedish boy in the stairwell of a car park during high school. It felt like we were kissing for hours because it was the only place we could find with some privacy in the busy city center. We couldn’t do anything else, because every so often someone would interrupt us as they used the stairwell.

I love nothing more than a good passionate kissing session and it’s my favourite part of foreplay. Here are some practical tips to improve your kissing game.

Keep it clean

Avoid wearing lipstick if you are planning on kissing someone. It’s a good idea to make sure you have a fresh breath, so avoid eating the common offenders like garlic, raw onion, coffee, and cigarettes (unless you know your partner doesn’t mind or if you are eating the same meal beforehand.) If your lips are dry use a natural lip balm from a health food shop or some coconut oil.

Start the game

The first kiss with a new person is phenomenal and you can’t beat it for suspense. I like surprise kisses and upside down kisses on the couch. If you aren’t sure if the other person is in the mood, it’s fine to start by asking, “Do you want a kiss?” or changing the tone of your voice to being a little demanding with “Kiss me.”

Kiss like you mean it

If you want to kiss someone with feeling, then use a moderate amount of pressure. As things heat up you can alternate between being soft and hard. Mixing up your technique is a good way to add spice. If you want to pull away and tease, this can be fun – although this is best used sparingly. You can play the hot and cold game by saying things like, “I’d love a good snog right now, but I’m so busy with…” You can say sentences without an ending so that you leave them guessing, like “I’d love to…” or “I feel like…” or “Wouldn’t you like to…”

If there is music on in the background, you can use the beat to guide you, but don’t be afraid to change the tempo.

The eyes have it

When kissing, I think peeking is fine, but staring is bad form and a bit creepy. If you catch your partner looking, then lightly smack them on the bottom and pretend to be offended.

Hands up!

I like to use my hands to caress and cuddle my partner. The best advice I can give you is to squeeze them lightly when you like what your partner does. This is an easy way to give immediate feedback and encouragement, especially if you feel a little shy talking about what you like.

More than the mouth

Kissing can involve other parts of the body besides the mouth. I like to nibble on my partner’s ear, suck on his ear lobe and then lick all around the ear. (In my experience men either like this move or hate it.) I’m personally not a fan of receiving this technique because I wear earrings. You can start a kissing session by nibbling on their neck and work your way up to their lips.

The majority of people like to kiss with their head on right side tilt, but feel free to swap your head to a left side tilt and back again.

Tongue technique

You can use your tongue to swirl around their tongue. If you can, catch their tongue and try to suck on it – this can be a huge turn on for some people. Some guys like nibbling on their lips and soft biting as things heat up.

Try to avoid your tongue going over their teeth and gums. It’s best to avoid clashing teeth – if you have ever done this, quickly apologise, check to see that the other person is okay, and then carry on.

Food for thought

If you want to add food to your kissing routine, then chocolate balls and hard lollies work best. If it’s a hot summer’s day, then ice cubes or an ice block can be fun to swap between yourselves. Licking up and down an ice block can be incredibly suggestive and fun. I’m not a fan of bubble gum, chewing gum, or nuts but do whatever works for you and your partner.

Good habits for the next level…

When your relationship starts to get serious, it’s a nice to get in the routine of giving your partner a quick kiss on the lips whenever you meet up and depart. If you are living together then a goodnight kiss and an “I love you” are ways to reassure each other. When one of you stops saying this, then it’s an early warning signal that someone is upset or angry about something.

What you do next is up to you!

If want some kissing inspiration check out this video appropriately called “This Is How A Woman Should Be Kissed.”

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fWHlKPmWIlg

Need extra inspiration? Here are the top fifteen best kisses ever in the movies, for those who learn better by watching than reading.

What are your best kissing tips and techniques? Comment below to give us even more tricks to try out during our next make-out session!