The lead up to the kiss can actually be the most difficult part of
kissing. Figuring out whether your partner is ready to kiss you or not
can be a challenge of its own.
If you see one or a combination of these indicators, there is a good chance that your partner is thinking about kissing you.
- eyes become soft and heavy
- eye contact is made and sustained
- head turns slightly
- lips are licked or bitten
- your
partner makes physical contact with you beyond what seems appropriate
for normal conversation (e.g. he or she brushes your hand, touches you
on the shoulder or leg, or fidgets with an accessory)
- easy conversation comes to a stop, but eye contact is not broken
- your partner smiles in conjunction with any of the above behaviors
To give your partner the cue that you wish to kiss him or her, you can try one or a combination of these things.
- soften your gaze by relaxing the muscles around your eyes, somewhat like smiling but without engaging your mouth
- smile often, though
- make eye contact and allow it to linger for a few moments longer than you normally would
- find ways to subtly (but respectfully) touch your partner
If
you think you are picking up some of these signs, but are still unsure
if the person wants to be kissed then there is nothing wrong with just
simply asking your partner if a kiss would be all right. Granted it
breaks the mood a bit, and sensing the magic is always nicer than asking
if it's there, but better to be sure your partner is on board for the
kiss otherwise you might be heading for an embarrassing situation.
If
you've assessed the situation, and it seems probable that a kiss is
imminent, the next things to think about are timing and approach. The
key to nailing the pre kiss is matching your partner's speed and
intensity. The kiss is the first opportunity to physically connect with
your partner, and so you want to meet him or her halfway.
Here
are some steps you could follow as you go in for the kiss. Keep in mind
that the kiss you share with someone is as unique as your relationship
with that person, so follow your instincts and use the following as a
rough guideline.
1. Establish a physical
connection by placing your hands on your partner's body. Placement
depends on the dynamic between you, you can softly touch the face, the
back of the neck or the shoulders. Be gentle with your touch if this is
the first contact you are making. Stay away from "high risk" zones on
your partners body, as you just want to indicate that you are interested
in kissing them, not give them a full body search.
2.
Establish and maintain eye contact from this point on. The eyes are
often a clear indicator if someone wants to be kissed, or is thinking
about kissing you. Try to look at your partner with a deep, yet soft
gaze. Use your eyes to send them a message that shows how you feel for
your partner, e.g., "I care for you, I am on fire when I look at you, I
want to kiss you."
3. As you lean in, you may
want to tilt your body and head to accommodate your partner's
positioning. One partner will have to make room for the other, or both
partners can just slightly tilt heads in opposite directions. Basically
you are just trying to avoid a nose collision as you get closer, so just
pick a side to turn to and don't give it too much thought.
4.
Gauge how quickly your partner is leaning in and try to meet at the
halfway point between you, so neither person is overextended. Over/under
extension can make one person feel like they are not getting met and
are either too aggressive, or not engaged enough.
If you have
come this far with your partner chances are you are going to kiss, or
you have misread the entire situation and they are just leaning in to
look at something stuck in your teeth.
If the first is true, then read on because it's time to pucker up and get on with THE KISS.
Step 2: Practice the Kiss
Once
you're leaning in, things start to happen quickly. If you are nervous
about the actual kiss, why not practice beforehand to hone your
technique? An arm or mirror could serve as useful tools to self monitor
the feel and look of your kissing style.
Rest assured, THE KISS
is coming, but here it is broken down first, step by step so that you
know whats going on when you see it at full speed with a partner in the
next step.
Here is a head on view of a kiss. I am just practicing
here, so it might look a little funny, but once your partner is sitting
across from you and your lips meet theirs, it's H, O, T hot.
1.
You are in the pre kiss state described in step 1 - your head is
tilted, there is lip activity, your eyes are in a soft deep gaze and
maybe there is some light physical contact.
You could open or
close your eyes, though if you're nervous, closed could help avoid the
deer in headlights look of fear. I like to start with mine open and
close them just before lip contact.
2. Either
you or your partner has shown that they would like to kiss. Start
putting the pieces from step 1 together. Lean in and meet your partner
halfway. Begin to pucker the lips by bringing them together, pushing
them out, and applying just a faint hint of suction on your closed mouth
to bring the cheeks slightly in.
Now is a good time to lick your lips if they aren't already moist.
Keep leaning in, remembering to tilt your head until you make contact with your partner's lips.
Remember
not to forget about hand placement! A gentle touch to the back of the
neck, the shoulders or your partners head is all you need. This can also
help in guiding someone into the kiss if they are lost or are having
trouble meeting you.
3. Your lips come to a full
pucker position. They are soft, but not floppy. They can be fully
formed and firm, but certainly not hard. This is an ambiguous state for
any solid to be in - but these are your lips were talking about here -
they can handle it!
Make contact with your partners lips.
If this is your first kiss, you don't want to linger too long, but you also don't want to just peck them and retreat.
Count
"one-one thousand, two-one thousand" in your head before relaxing the
pucker in your lips and beginning to pull your head away. You can hold
the kiss like this for longer, but after 5 seconds or so should start
think about ending this kiss. If you would like to keep kissing after
that you can always lean in again and follow up the first kiss with a
second, third or fourth kiss.
Remember to breathe through the
kiss. It's all right to hold your breath for a short kiss, but for
longer ones you are going to have to breathe while you are kissing.
Since your mouth is occupied, you are going to have to use your nose.
Just breathe normally and continue on with the kiss.
To end the
kiss begin to lighten the pressure your lips are applying to your
partners' and relax your puckered lips. As your lips relax they will
separate and a small amount of air will be sucked into your mouth. This
will create the kissing noise, or "smack" that is identified with a
kiss.
At this point contact with your partner's lips has ended
and its time to start thinking about giving them a little space and time
to reflect about what just happened.
4. Move
your head back slowly and begin to relax the muscles around your mouth.
You can keep your eyes closed for a bit as you revel in the kiss and
slowly return to your normal un-extended position.
5.
You are now in the post kiss phase and if it was a good kiss, words
won't do the feeling justice. If you and your partner liked what just
happened you can follow up with more, or just enjoy what the two of you
shared. If it was a bad kiss, you can try to make changes and give the
kiss another go. If things can't be salvaged at that particular moment,
don't force it - take a break and talk about it with your partner and
try again after a few minutes or another day.
Ok,
it's time for THE KISS. Take all the elements from steps 1 and 2 and
put them together. It's good to be methodical while practicing to kiss,
but when it's time to do the real thing it should flow smoothly and come
naturally.
You can also touch your tongue to your partners lips
ever so slightly. (This is not a French Kiss - just one method of
placing the tongue towards the front of your mouth so you can just
lightly brush your partner's lips upon contact.)