Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes: Erogenous Zones That Aren’t Your Genitals

What body parts turn you on when touched? I mean, besides the obvious clitoris, vagina, anus, penis, and testicles? Humans are sexual creatures. Our bodies have all sorts of places that, when touched, have the ability to get our juices flowing. Erogenous zones are these such areas, and they’re different for everyone! What may feel dreamy to someone may send someone else into a giggle fit from the tickles, or make another cringe in discomfort. Here are just a few of these sexy spots from head to toe!

Ears 

There’s a reason the phrase “nibble your ear” exists. Ears have all sorts of delightfully sensitive nerve endings. Try working your way up from kissing their neck to the earlobes, then to the top where a cartilage piercing might be. Speaking of piercings, be careful not to accidentally munch any jewelry while you’re sucking, nibbling, and kissing.

Lips

Speaking of sucking, nibbling, and kissing, you lips and mouth are a great tool to use for exploring other erogenous zones, since they themselves are a sexy spot. I’m of the opinion that the only way be a bad kisser is by not reading the other person’s body signals. Since everyone has their own special kissing style, two people’s styles might just not line up. If you pair someone who likes a lot of tongue with someone who doesn’t like tongue, neither will be happy, and they’ll probably call the other a bad kisser. Really, the only thing that made those individuals bad kissers is not adapting their kissing style to suit the other person (but when you have completely opposite styles, can you blame them?.

Neck

Perhaps one of the most popular erogenous zones, the neck is often the site of purpleish spotted bruises called hickies. Hickies occur when skin is sucked to the point where blood vessels break under the skin. Some people love them, some hate them, so it’s always important to ask your partner if they’re okay with some souvenirs before you turn them into a vampire victim. Neck makeout sessions don’t have to involve hickies, though. Try licking, kissing, nibbling, using your hand to hold the back of the neck just below the head, or holding just below the chin to tilt the head to yours. Try spots like along the jaw, down to the side of the throat, behind the ear, or the collar bones.

Breasts and Nipples

Did you know that the nipples of some people are so responsive to touch that these folks can orgasm just from nipple stimulation? That’s right, no genital touching needed. While not all of us have this superpower, nipples can still be a great source of pleasure. Make sure not to squeeze too hard at first, some are sensitive! For some extra fun, try using nipple clamps, suckers, or a vibrator on them.

Hips 

Tracing someone’s hips is such a teasy move. Your hands are so close yet so far. It’s a good opportunity to trace circles around the hip bones or run a finger along the band of their pants. Hips (and belt loops) are also a heavenly place to pull someone closer for a kiss.

Inner thighs

Even more teasy than the hips are the inner thighs. Your face is right there, perfectly prepped for oral, but instead of roaming the genitals, you’re kissing and sucking right around them in a torturous but delicious way. Try tracing different shapes with your mouth, using different pressure or tongue movements, and see how close to their junk you can get until they grab your head and pull you closer. Even a massage along the thighs makes for some fantastic foreplay. If hickies are a no on the neck, the inner thighs are a great, more secretive place for them, just remember to ask first!

Because everyone will react differently to these touches, it’s important to ask your sex pal if it’s okay to touch these spots. It’s also great to read their reactions. For example, a giggle might mean “ooh yes, that feels good and I’m happy”, or it could mean “That tickles!”. On the flip side, if you know you like a certain spot touched or kiss, ask your partner to go there, or guide them to the spot. Really any part of your body could be an erogenous zone, and it’s up to you to discover them.

By: Sammi
Follow on Twitter @Squeaky_Springs

College Student Sex Hacks

Sex can be awkward no matter who or where you are. Genitals make funny sounds, teeth bump, and sometimes you fall off the bed (No? Just me?). Some issues, however, are particularly applicable to university students. Just try parading down the hallway to the communal bathroom with a lubey dildo in your hand. These tips can help ease some of that awkwardness and send you on your safe and sexy way!

Fix That Awful Dorm Bed

A tiny squeaky rickety twin-sized bed is possibly the furthest thing from an ideal place for sex. To make things a little comfier, pile on mattress toppers, pillows and blankets, and be sure to have multiple sets of sheets in case things get messy. To stop the incessant squeaking, you have three options:
1. Oil the springs (Both vegetable oil and WD-40 are fine. Even silicone lube can work!).
2. Place a flat sheet between the springs and your mattress.
3. Get rid of the whole bed and put the mattress on the floor. Bonus point: loft the bed frame, put your mattress on the floor underneath, and hang sheets around it. Congratulations, you’re now 20 something years old and sleeping in a blanket fort every night. Sexy.
Those beds do have one thing going for them. Usually the frames offer a whole new world of places to tie rope. If you’re interested in bondage, now is a great time to get creative.

Discreetly Wash Your Sex Toys

Cleaning your sex toys is important. Washing away your gunk after playing keeps your toy from growing infection-causing bacteria on it, especially if it’s made of porous materials. Understandably, not everyone wants to walk down their dorm hallway carrying a fluid-covered dildo to wash in the communal bathroom. To keep things a little more discreet, place used toys in your shower caddy and take it with you when you go shower. For extra sneakiness, cut the bottom out of an old shampoo bottle and hide your toy inside to ensure no one sees it.

Get Free Stuff

If there’s a place on earth to get free stuff it’s on a college campus. Besides the T-shirts and can cozies, you can often find sex-related things too. The head of your dorm or the student assistants may have free condoms and dental dams available, and so might your university health services or LGBT center. These locations may also offer free and confidential STI testing, as well as access to support groups for queer and trans students.

Be Safe

If weekend parties are the way you find your sex pals, make sure to keep yourself safe and sound. First, parties are better (and safer!) when you arrive and leave with a friend. Stay safe getting home, too. Most universities have what’s called the “blue light system”. From anywhere you stand on campus you should be able to see a blue light, and from any blue light you should be able to see another one. Pressing the button alerts the police that you feel unsafe and require assistance. Many universities also have student safety officers who monitor the campus on weekends, or who you can call to drive or walk you home.

College is stereotypically a time for sexual exploration and rambunctiousness, but whether you’re out looking for a hookup every weekend or tucked in bed with your favorite sex toy (or doing nothing sexual at all!), make sure to get consent, communicate, and stay safe.

By: Sammi

Follow on Twitter @Squeaky_Springs

Why You Should Care About Sex Toy Materials

Let's establish a few things. Sex toys aren't regulated by an organization such as the FDA. Without regulations, sex toy makers can make less-than-true statements about their products, including what they're made of and how body-friendly those toys are.

Some sex toy makers care more about profit than your health. Companies have sold millions of toys, the quality of which is as low as the price. There are no ramifications if they mislead the customer. And every time you replace a cheap toy, the company pads their pockets even more.

Sadly, it's up to you, the consumer, to know what your sex toys are actually made from and why it matters.

It gives you an idea what using it will feel like

Glass, metal, wood and ceramic are all rigid. Textures feel more pronounced on these toys than softer materials. Silicone can be nearly rigid or soft enough to bend in half. It can also have a slick, shiny texture or a velvety feeling that's more “grabby.”

Glass and metal are especially receptive to temperature change. You can dip them in warm or cool water to change how they feel.

You could have a reaction to your toys

Checking the package allows you to avoid both materials that are known to cause discomfort to others and those materials that you personally have issues with. Say you have a known latex allergy. Any toy made from latex would be on the no-go list. Although latex toys are increasingly less common, some dildos and even strap-on harnesses are made from it. Unknown allergens could also be haunting sex toys.

Sil-A-Gel, for example, is an additive in some Doc Johnson toys. It might sound like it's made from silicone, but those toys contain PVC and often phthalates (the plastic softeners that cause that shower curtain smell). It is advertised as antibacterial, but many people have had reactions. Some even have chemical burns from dildos made with Sil-A-Gel.

Heads up: if you want to test any toy that's labeled as pure silicone, you can do a silicone test. Pure silicone may develop a dark smudge, but it won't melt or burn.