6 Simple Ways to Make Safer Sex Super Hot

So you want to be careful and safer in your romantic life by incorporating safer sex, or maybe to continue what you’ve been doing, but are worried about losing out on the fun, pleasure, and excitement of the whole sexual experience. Understandable! Mixing pleasure and safety can feel like a contradiction sometimes. Fortunately, you can reduce much of the risk of unwanted consequences and still have a fantastic sex life!

Allow yourself time to experiment, practice, and figure out what works well for you and your partner.

Whether you are in a new relationship or an ongoing romance, it’s never too late to start practicing safer sex! It can only benefit your health and relieve any concerns you may be having. Here are some helpful ideas to get you started:

Go Shopping

Choosing the right safer sex tools, including condoms and lube for you and your partner’s comfort and personal taste, will definitely improve your enjoyment of safer sex!

Find a good quality adult toy/erotica shop: one with lots of lighting and a large selection. I recommend a female-friendly sex toy and media shop, because they usually have a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, a higher quality of erotic media, and friendly knowledgeable staff that can answer questions and help you find what you’re looking for. And these aren’t just for women – straight and gay men will find plenty of fun goodies there too.

These shops sell a wide variety of individual condoms and small packets of lubrication to try out. Put together a sampler of various brands and types of condoms and lubes that seem interesting. Take a dab of different lubes from the tester containers and massage some onto the back of your hand (it can double as hand lotion) to figure out which texture you like.

Read: Be a Sexy Safer Sex Superhero in 6 Steps

Talk with the shop clerks to learn about all of the advantages and features of different condoms and lubes, or look for reviews online. For example, condoms with a wider, roomier tip move more freely on the head of the penis, which provides greater stimulation. If you have a latex allergy or sensitivity, you can buy non-latex male and female FC2 condoms, which offer the same protection as latex condoms. Flavored condoms are generally for oral sex (check the label).

Don’t forget to check out various toys, such as cock rings that vibrate and fit at the base of a condom, and other supplies that help keep it fun – even when you’re playing it safe! Best of all, you can make a romantic or quirky date out of the shopping experience; no joke! You might even surprise each other with special gifts that show your enthusiasm to use those supplies with your partner.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can try collecting various condoms and lube packets from pregnancy and STD testing clinics, health departments, your doctor’s office, school-based health clinics, or other local non-profit organizations. While we’re on the subject of clinics, you can even make a date with your partner to get tested for STDs together. Some clinics provide testing for free or low cost.

If you’re feeling shy, live too far away from shops and clinics, or don’t like going to stores, you can shop online.

Be Ready

At home, in the tree-house or your grandma’s den – whereever! Stash your new goodies (condoms, dams, lube, toys etc.) where you’re most likely to need them, so they’re on-hand whenever you’re in the mood for lovin’.

If you live with roommates or family, you can designate a special box or compartment for them. This requires a little organizing, but it’s worth it. Fumbling around in the dark, or needing to hunt down your safer sex goodies while things are getting hot, can interrupt the flow and passionate mood.

Being ready helps make it a fun and positive memory!

Oh, and speaking of which… for hetero couples, you can insert a female condom in the vagina up to a couple hours before having sex, so that it feels more spontaneous. For all couples, you can roll a male condom on with the first erection for a similar reason – it’ll already be on his penis when you’re in the heat of the moment and want to start.

Read: 9 Things You Didn't Know About Putting on a Condom

Cars, wallets, pockets and purses are not a good place to store condoms for longer than an hour or so, because extreme temperatures and/or friction will ruin latex without noticeable signs.

Lube It

Lubrication reduces friction, and that can make a world of difference as far as safety and enjoyment goes!

Even though most condoms are pre-lubricated, latex rubbers can dry out or get tacky and cause irritation after a while, especially during marathon sessions. FYI, keeping a condom lubricated lowers the chance of it breaking.

Try different water or silicone-based lubes to figure out which texture and brand works best and doesn’t bother your skin. Small packets of lube are cheap and you may be able to get free samples sent from the company.

Caution: Using oils, lotions, or Vaseline may cause your latex barriers to break!

Lubes can be very slippery and long lasting, cushiony, tasty, or more natural in texture. Anal sex lubes are designed for that purpose and are usually thicker. Natural and organic brands with few or no synthetic chemicals are available too.

Putting a drop of lube inside the tip of a male condom makes the condom roll around on the head of the penis, which is more pleasurable. You can also add lube to the inside of a female condom, or on the side of a dental dam which goes up against your partner’s vagina or anus for increased sensitivity and pleasure.

Spice It Up

Variety matters!