STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — LELO, a leading designer of intimate lifestyle products, has announced it is partnering with intimacy expert Shan Boodram to discuss how to confidently reenter dating as the world slowly reopens and people are more comfortable venturing out on dates.
LELO wants to highlight conversations related to self-care and pleasure, making partnering with Boodram a natural. She has spent the past 15 years discussing sex, relationships, and attachment, has a Youtube channel where she discusses relationships, is a best-selling author and was a host and Executive Producer of Quibi’s dating show “Sexology.”
Where to start? Tip number one is to feel body confident. Invest into yourself; this can be getting new underwear, putting on moisturizer daily head to toe, making your favorite body part visible to you all day long or practicing positive self-talk. Masturbation may lend itself well here as knowing what you like can make you more confident in the bedroom.
According to LELO and SWNS’ 2021 Masturbation Survey, 71% of participants credited masturbation for helping them communicate with partners about their preferences in the bedroom. Plus, pleasuring yourself prior to going on a date can help with issues like premature ejaculation in addition to helping calm your nerves. For people with vulvas, LELO said its SILA is an ideal choice because the wider mouth and extra-soft silicone is made to accommodate a range of body types while providing slow, gentle stimulation. For people with penises, Boodram recommends LELO’s newest product F1SV2 which uses customizable sensonic technology for an intense finish.
Next? “The talk” - in 2019, the talk consisted of making sure there is consent, mutual intent and then asking someone for their sexual health information before engaging in sexual acts. In 2021 it's important to know that, their COVID vaccination status, social distancing practices and risk factors of contracting COVID-19.
Make it fun! After a year of heavy news and fear what people are most looking out of dating right now is someone to smile, laugh and be light with. Avoid the heavy small talk topics (like asking someone how their pandemic experiences were) and instead discuss guilty pleasures: food, vacations, financial splurges, fantasy and of course sex.
Bring up sex. If you are single, Boodram recommends using this line, "did you know that during the pandemic over half of sexually active Americans tried something new sexually? Which half are you apart of?" If someone is uncomfortable with the topic they will say they’re a part of the population who didn’t do anything different and then they might switch the topic. If they are comfortable they will tell you what new thing they did, which allows you to easily transition into asking what new things they’d like to do.
Prioritize novelty. 2021 is a year where people are craving new experiences. After a year of heavy restrictions, many people want to feel alive, free and adventurous again (but also they want to feel safe which is why The Talk 2.0 is so important). So try to lean into creating first times even with first-time sexual partners. Remote-controlled couples play can be an exciting way to tease your partner in both private and public, which can pave the way for a steamy encounter later on. For this, Shan recommends LELO’s prostate massager, HUGO, and the whisper-quiet clip-on vibrator, Tiani 3, which are both Bluetooth enabled with a range of up to 20 meters. The creative possibilities for exploration are endless.
For more information on LELO and to explore the full roster of pleasure products visit lelo.com. To learn more about Shan visit shanboodram.com.
