Sex Tips

The term 'self care' has become a bit of a buzzword over the last few years.

And while the two words clearly mean lots of different things to different people (a quick scroll through Instagram posts tagged #selfcare brings up 12 skin care adverts, a lot of gym selfies and a Kermit the Frog meme) at their core is a pretty simple idea:

Actively taking control of your personal wellbeing.

From using mindfulness techniques to help you focus on the moment to Marie Kondo-ing your bedroom, everyone can introduce a little bit of self care into their sex lives, too.

Here's how...

Many of life’s most enjoyable activities require you to work quickly. A game of Boggle, for instance, or eating a 99 in the heat of summer.

Sex is certainly an enjoyable activity; it's up there with board games and ice cream in my books.

But good sex isn’t about sprinting to the finish line. Taking the time to engage in electrifying foreplay is crucial if you want to knock your partner’s socks off.

Here are 5 tried-and-tested foreplay moves that your lucky lady is bound to love.

Picture the scene: the lights are dimmed, the candles are lit - and someone pulls out the silky satin restraints.

If you and your partner have decided to make your BDSM debut, then congratulations are in order! It’s great that you’ve found someone else who is on your wavelength and is up for some sexploration.

What could kill the mood slightly, however, is if you tie up your lover and then stand there staring awkwardly, while your lover lies there and just stares right back at you (also awkward).

Before you whip the handcuffs out, the best thing to do is plan your scene together. Planning will help clarify what sort of play turns you both on, what activities are off the cards, and what your safe word will be.

But exactly how do you plan sex, and keep it sexy? Here's 7 things to do with your partner (ranked from mildest to wildest) now that you've got them tied up.

Here at Lovehoney, we talk about foreplay A LOT (and for a good reason too!).

Much more than just some sexual appetiser that you quickly wolf down before the main course, foreplay is a crucial part of experiencing great sex.

Foreplay gives both your body and mind a chance to become fully aroused. This mounting anticipation means that when it's time for the main event, you'll be champing at the bit!

We hear about general foreplay tips all the time, but we ask you, dear reader – where's all the helpful advice on incredible anal foreplay?

Although it is literally located in the rear, when it comes to foreplay tips, the bum is sometimes being left behind. Well, we won't stand for it, so here are eight of the best anal foreplay tips. Bottoms up!

Generally, foreplay is known as ‘sexual activity during the lead up to sex’ or ‘things that get you in the mood’.

But what is sex and why doesn’t it include the lead up?

When does foreplay end and sex begin?

Foreplay can mean lots of different things to different people, so I’ll be covering what falls into the ‘generic foreplay’ category, how creating different categories of sexual acts can be damaging, my own definition of foreplay and when I think it should happen (hint – it’s not always before!).

Often, when the term 'foreplay' gets thrown around, it's sold as ‘something that comes before "actual" sex’ (i.e. a penis penetrating a vagina – thanks heteronormative school sex-ed). So for a long time, I assumed it to be kissing, cuddling and hands/mouth on genitals.

I know this experience isn't uncommon, and I know that to a lot of people, that's what foreplay is.

The BDSM community are a group who practise Bondage & Discipline, Dominance & Submission, Sadism & Masochism.

If you’re interested in aspects of BDSM and you’re ready to further explore your sexuality – that’s great!

If you have a partner or partners who want to go on this journey with you, then there are exciting times ahead. However, it can be hard to know where to start if you’re single.

Here’s some advice for those of you who are sexy, single and ready to discover the world of BDSM.

Every time I come out as pansexual I have received comments like ‘Pfft, that’s not a real thing’, ‘So… you’re bi?’, ‘PANsexual?! Do you like pots too?’ or ‘What, you’re hot for Peter Pan?’.

Trust me, I’ve heard it all.

Even though I did have a huge crush on Jeremy Sumpter as a child and a non-stick frying pan does make my heart flutter, these remarks make me eye-roll so hard that in the moment, I choose to label myself as bisexual instead.

After talking to some other pan-pals, I know my experience is pretty common.

So, I’m here to shine a light on pansexuality, we’ll explore its definition, how it compares to other sexualities and I’ll give a bit of an insight to what it means for me to be pansexual.

Sometimes, sex just seems to happen. Other times, getting into the right mindspace is a little more difficult - especially after a day of meetings, an hour spent in traffic or a weekend enduring your in-laws.

Creating the right mood and environment, whatever that means to you, can really help, so we've put together a few tips to help you set the scene for sexytime.

It may take a little bit of planning and communication, but when you're basking in that post-bonk glow, you'll be delighted you made the effort.