Kissing is an art form. There are good kissers, passionate kissers and just plain woeful kissers. But it turns out that locking lips with someone can teach you way more than whether your guy needs breath freshener or not – it can also help you to discover if you’re right for each other.
Research by Oxford University has found kissing transmits a whole lot of important info about someone, so that we can subconsciously decide whether we want them as our “mate” (read: science-speak). “A kiss transmits tastes, smells, sounds and touch signals that all affect how you both perceive each other afterward – and whether you want a repeat performance,” explains UK Sexpert Tracey Cox.
So it turns out that first kiss is really important.
And if you don’t believe us, a US survey of 1000 college students found that 66 percent of women and 59 percent of men were no longer attracted to their latest crush after they kissed them.. See – told you.
While we totally get that kissing is a pleasant way to run a background check on a potential partner, what if your first kiss sucked but it was a one-time-thing and there is room for, er, pashing growth? What if you’re going to miss out on true love ‘cos of one bad kiss?
According to sex and relationship expert Isiah McKimmie, you should definitely give someone the benefit of the doubt before banishing them to the Island of Bad Kissers. “It’s really important to remember that the person you’re kissing could be really nervous and they could be out of practise. Also, people tend to have distinct kissing styles and it can take a while to get into a groove with each other,” she explains.
So, at the risk of sounding like a 12-year-old girl at a sleepover…how can you make sure that you’re at the top of your lip locking game?
“Firstly, it’s important to go very slowly at first while you get to know what kind of a kisser he is,” explains Isiah. “Once you’ve got to that stage, you can up the tempo. Just remember to really pay attention to the person you’re kissing.”
A study has revealed how many guys you’ll lock lips with before finding Mr Right…
