Dear SHIC,

My partner and I love to give each other head, but sometimes it’s like eating at the D-Hall twice in a night, if you know what I mean. He says he can’t take it anymore, but I can’t help it that I love onion rings! What can we do to make oral sex more sumptuous, or am I “blow-ing” this out of proportion?

Booty & Blowfish

B & B,

Oral sex can be loads of fun—clearly you know! The taste of, and the taste for, any bodily secretion is unique to individuals. Experiment with your diet to see how the taste of your emissions, or its intensity, changes with your food choices. For example, you could try cutting out milk or dairy products, or avoiding cauliflower, broccoli or asparagus, to see if your partner (or you) notices a difference. Additionally, diets high in red meat, fish and especially dairy are also likely to leave your partner with a frown. Garlic and onions, really any plants from the allium genus, produce considerably strong odors and tastes in the nether regions. You may want to consider limiting these items. Regardless, these foods contain important nutrients, so consider your dietary changes carefully. Heavy caffeine, tobacco, cocaine and alcohol use worsen tastes and odors. Consider your level of substance use when making these changes,as well.

There is good news, too! Spice up oral by eating plenty of fruit and staying hydrated. Pineapple, strawberries, watermelon and grapes are all great choices. Despite the clean up, whipped cream and melted chocolate may serve to bypass this palatal issue. Flavored lube may be another area of exploration. Altoids or other menthol candies can be exciting tool for both you and your partner to taste different flavors and experience more pleasurable sensations.

Perhaps, your taste isn’t even the problem. Be sure that both of you are comfortable performing oral sex. The two of you might want to consider this possibility together. Remember to get fully tested before deciding to have unprotected oral sex. As a reminder, infections, which can range from mildly annoying to life-threatening, can be spread via unprotected oral sex. These include herpes, hepatitis B, and yeast infections. In the meantime, we encourage exploring other fun and pleasurable things that you already do together.

Bon(e) appetit,

SHIC

Dear SHIC,

What are the differences between silicone-based and water-based lubricants; furthermore, what—if any—are the advantages of using silicone lube?

Sincerely,

High and Dry

High and Dry,

Using lubricants is an easy way to maximize pleasure during sex whether with a partner or alone. It’s important to find a lubricant that’s right for you, especially since some lubes contain sugars, alcohol and other preservatives that can cause irritation, allergic reactions or even yeast infections. All lubricants can be grouped into three categories: water-based, silicone-based and oil-based.

Water-based lube are for all purposes and are generally the most common type out there. One of their biggest advantages is that they are safe to use with sex toys and latex contraceptives like condoms, diaphragms and sponges. They also require little clean up and are easy to wash off. However, they can dry up quickly, but this can be fixed with the addition of some water or saliva. Flavored, edible water-based lube is also popular (come check out our supply of flavored lube!!).

Silicone-based lube is less likely to dry out than water-based lube. However, these CANNOT be used on sex toys because of silicone-on-silicone reactions, but you can use them with latex contraceptives and sex toys not made of silicone. Also keep in mind that women are more likely to experience irritation from silicone-based lube than from water-based lube. Finally, silicone-based lubricants are harder to wash off bedding and clothing and are more expensive than water-based ones.

Many people also use oil-based lubricants such as Vaseline and vitamin E oil. While these may be great for giving a hand job or going at it alone, they are NOT considered safe for use with latex products (condoms) or rubber toys, as they can break down the latex. They also are very messy and hard to clean up because of their texture.

Now that you know the basics, go ahead and test out different types and find the best one for you!

Play Away,

SHIC