Foreplay is a pleasurable and exciting part of a sexual experience and includes adding different foreplay techniques to your sex-life. It's a great way to heighten sexual arousal, intimacy and pleasure between you and your partner. There are so many ways to incorporate foreplay into your sex-life; not only through techniques but also by adding in sex-toys and products into your experience. 

With this in mind, let’s explore everything we need to know about foreplay as well as learning foreplay tips on how to increase pleasure and foreplay into your sex-life.

What is foreplay? 

Foreplay is a type of sexual activity that typically occurs before sexual intercourse. Foreplay helps to increase sexual arousal and excitement leading to more satisfying orgasms and increased intimacy. Foreplay includes techniques such as mutual masturbation, oral sex, caressing each other's bodies whilst paying particular attention to the erogenous zones to discover sensations that you and your partner find pleasurable. 

Why is foreplay important? 

Foreplay is important because it increases sexual arousal and prepares the body for sexual intercourse. Adding foreplay to intimate moments causes the body to send more blood flow to the genitals which activates the release of sexual hormones that lubricate the genitals and increase desire. 

Adding foreplay techniques to your sex-life also creates a safe space for you and your partner to build on intimacy and discover new sexual sensations that you may or may not have experienced before. Not only does it increase emotional intimacy, it also increases physical pleasure, creating longer-lasting and more intense orgasms.

Here are four reasons why foreplay benefits your sex-life; 

Increases emotional connection 

Foreplay is a great way of increasing emotional bonding with your partner. Being able to share sexual desires, inner fantasies and interest in various sex-toys encourages us to be vulnerable and communicate openly with our partners which in turn increases trust and intimacy. 

Increased arousal 

Another benefit to adding foreplay into your sex-life is it allows the body to prepare for intercourse. When we experience foreplay, blood flow increases to our genital areas, which make our nerve endings more sensitive to touch, leading to heightened sensitivity and enhanced pleasure during sexual intercourse. 

Increased lubrication 

Lubrication is important in making sex feel comfortable and enjoyable - without appropriate lubrication, sex may cause friction leading to discomfort and irritation. When we engage in foreplay, it encourages the genitals to produce natural lubricant, making sex feel more enjoyable and pleasurable.

Reduces stress

Our lives can often feel stressful and fast-paced, so by adding foreplay into our day-to-day life it encourages us to unwind and focus on the moment. Foreplay is a natural stress-reliever, as it releases certain feel-good hormones; oxytocin (known for increasing intimacy and bonding), endorphins (known for increasing euphoria and mood), dopamine (known for pleasure and reward) and serotonin (mood regulation and emotional wellbeing).

Types of foreplay techniques 

Kissing and caressing

Passionate kissing, gentle touches or caressing are an important part of foreplay techniques. Not only do they increase anticipation of what might come next, but they also increase bonding between you and your partner.

Oral stimulation 

Whether that’s through cunnilingus (oral sex of the vagina) or fellatio (oral sex of the penis) - oral sex is another popular foreplay technique to add to your sex-life. Adding oral stimulation to the erogenous zones can help increase intense pleasure and sexual arousal for both partners. 

Sensual massage 

Adding sensual massage to your foreplay is a great way to relieve stress and tension, making you feel more relaxed before sexual intercourse. Also by taking it slow with a sensual massage, it can add to the ambience whilst getting you both in a sensual and intimate mood. 

Role-play and fantasy 

Role-playing and sharing shared fantasies can add excitement and novelty to sexual encounters - increasing the connection between both partners. 

Sex products and Sex Toys that Benefit Foreplay 

With so many enticing sex products and sex-toys on the market, it can often be overwhelming to know which ones to use. Here’s a breakdown of a few different products and toys that have been specifically designed to increase pleasure, enhance intimacy and provide you with more satisfying orgasms.

Lubricants

Using water-based lubricants for foreplay is a great way of making sure your sexual experience is more comfortable and enjoyable. For some people, hormonal changes, stress or medication can often result in lower levels of natural lubrication, causing sexual activity to feel painful or uncomfortable. However, by adding water-based lubricants into your sex-life, it can mimic our own natural lubrication leading to an increase in comfort and pleasure whilst being completely safe to use with sex-toys and condoms. 

Vibrators 

Vibrators come in various shapes and sizes, and help to stimulate genital areas or erogenous zones, causing higher arousal and increased pleasure. Using a vibrator can help add new sensations and stimulations to foreplay, providing different techniques than our hands, fingers or mouths. Vibrators can be used with a partner or on its own, depending on your preference and also helps to increase blood flow to the genitals, creating more intense orgasms. 

Condoms

Condoms are another great product to add into your foreplay experience. Condoms provide a barrier between sexual fluids from being transferred, reducing the risk of unintended pregnancy and contracting sexually transmitted infections. Condoms can be used for oral sex, sexual intercourse or with sex-toys and other products, such as lubricants. They can offer different sensations and experiences, such as ribs and dots, cooling and warming and there’s even condoms to delay ejaculation.

Massage oils 

Another sexual product that can be added into your foreplay experience are massage oils. Not only do they create a more sensual and relaxing experience, they can also help to ease tension, increase intimacy and bonding whilst increasing anticipation of what’s to come. Feeling more relaxed before sexual activity takes place can cause our bodies to relax, increasing heightened arousal leading to more intense orgasms. 

Blindfold

Using a blindfold whilst having foreplay can be a powerful sexual tool that can increase sexual connection and make the act of foreplay more satisfying. When you use blindfolds, the sense of sight becomes restricted, which means other senses (touch, taste, smell) become more enhanced, meaning the slightest touch becomes ultra-sensitive. Not only that, but the element of anticipation is also enhanced, as your partner is not able to predict or fully anticipate what sensations will come next… 

What if I don’t like what my partner is doing? 

Being able to have an open and honest conversation with your partner is crucial for being able to explore foreplay in a safe and fun way. If your partner is doing something that you don’t like, communicate this to them in a non-confrontational and calm way - we all like different things, and although it may be something they enjoy, they may not be aware that you think differently. 

You can also offer guidance to your partner by expressing what feels good or what doesn’t feel good when adding new foreplay techniques to your sex-life. This is why foreplay is a good way of exploring and discovering new things that feel good together. 

Does foreplay always lead to sex?

No. Foreplay doesn’t always lead to sex. It can be a sexually satisfying and pleasurable experience on its own and a good way of increasing sexual arousal. Sexual experiences are different for everyone, and it’s important to recognise that everyone's sexual desires and boundaries may differ. Foreplay can be a good way to connect intimately with your partner, being able to explore each other’s bodies and experiencing a heightened pleasure without the goal of sexual intercourse. It’s important to be mindful of this - that although you may want foreplay with your partner, you don’t have to engage in sexual intercourse afterwards. 

How can I improve foreplay? 

There are many different ways you can improve foreplay in your sex-life but here are just a few of our favourites;

Communication: Have an honest conversation with your partner about your sexual desires, needs, fantasies, boundaries and possible foreplay techniques you would like to add. By discussing what you enjoy and what you don’t, you can create a safe space to explore foreplay together. 

Explore sensual activities: Experiment with different foreplay techniques, such as sensual massage, scented oils, or add in novelty props such as a feather or blindfolds. You can also explore each other’s bodies through touch, discovering what causes the most pleasurable sensations for you both. 

Go slow: Take the time to enjoy the experience. Rushing through foreplay may reduce the sexual pleasure you can endure together. Being able to go slow allows you to build up anticipation and intensify pleasure - it’s a sexual journey you can both take together. 

Add variety: By adding variety in your foreplay encounters , you can enjoy a more heightened pleasurable experience. Whether that’s adding different positions, or adding new elements such as sex toys or role-playing - there are a multitude of different ways to increase excitement and adventure in your role-playing experience.

Use condoms: Using condoms in your foreplay can help reduce the stress or anxiety of unintended pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted infection. If you are feeling more relaxed, your body will increase arousal and natural lubrication causing foreplay to feel more pleasurable. 

Explore erogenous zones: There are other parts of the body that also cause pleasurable sensations, such as the neck, inner thigh or ears. Focusing on other areas of the body, rather than straight for the genitals, can lead to more heightened sensitivity and more intense orgasms.