The world might be reeling from the new normal of social distancing and being staunchly against any form of handshake, but that doesn’t mean having sex has to be a distant pipe dream, too. It just means you gotta have the right equipment, if you know what we mean.
Here’s our hot take on the sex essentials everyone should have in their drawer, to stay safe whilst still having fun.
Face mask
No, we’re being serious here. You’ve probably seen the COVID-themed sex memes, but they kind of have a point… Believe it or not, this is something that medical professionals have legitimately recommended.
If you’re living in an area with high rates of community transmission, it’s best to add the trusty face mask as a sex essential in the bedroom if you’re hooking up with people you’re not living with.
Since the virus is known to spread through respiratory droplets, the advice is to avoid kissing sexual partners outside of your household/close contacts bubble and to wear a face mask instead. Oh, and no other position except doggy since face-to-face contact is a no-go, either.
Monitor you and your sexual partner for any symptoms and of course, don’t you dare go f*cking like rabbits if you’re symptomatic.
Lube that’s actually good
When in doubt, add some lube into the mix. It’s surprisingly underrated, but it is an essential that can do wonders for your play, especially if things are getting a bit dry and/or you need some extra stimulation.
This is a product you will want to invest in, though. You’ve probably seen the cheap lubricants collecting dust in the dark corner of your local supermarket – and there’s a reason for it.
There are so many lubricants on the market today, but some of them are bad news for your sex life and your PH levels.
First things first, avoid oil-based ones as they can mess with condoms and aren’t as body-safe. We recommend investing in some high-quality water-based lubricants that are made from organic ingredients to keep your play sexy and body-safe.
Your trusty toy(s)
Who ever said self-love was a bad thing?
Sex toys are a must-have essential in the bedroom that can easily spice things up or get you off if you’re not feeling it – and most people with vaginas can’t orgasm from penetrative sex alone, so facts.
This doesn’t mean you have to get the most kinky-looking and intimidating, double-pronged rabbit vibrator with extra girth. If you don’t wanna spend a fortune and you just want something that isn’t too over the top and does the job, opt for a smaller vibrator that’s ideally made from silicone.
Avoid cheap toys that are made from questionable materials like jelly, rubber or PVC and vinyl, which are considered to be ‘porous’ or even toxic, so yuck, why would you want that in your body, anyway?
If you’re into the kinkier side of things, why not get some Velcro restraints or even a blindfold to keep things exciting?
Unscented wipes
Come on now, do we really need to explain why post-coital wipes are a sex essential?
Condoms!
Unless you’re all partnered up and your pull-out game is strong (not that we condone it), it should be obvious why this one is a sex essential.
There’s more to condoms than preventing unwanted pregnancies and STIs, though.
After all, not all rubbers were made equal. If you’re extra AF, there’s a whole world of exciting flavours and textures to have fun with. Or if you’re more practical, maybe go for the ultra-thin ones. There’s the whole deal with non-latex options too if your sexual partner is allergic to latex.
Don’t take it from us, but we think our three-pack rubbers are pretty cool.
Author: Sylvia Lee
Sylvia is a Sydney-based writer who occasionally shares her unearned wisdom on sex and relationships. In her spare time, she’s a sometime black thumb and cat mum with a spot soft for the ocean.
Photo: Charles Deluvio on Unsplash
