If there's one thing that I can promise you is consistent about my writing content, it's that I'm ever on the quest to have as many people have as much fulfilling sex, on a consistent basis, as absolutely possible. Today, it's all about some little things that can make a really big difference as it directly relates to sexual pleasure. Some are already in your house, some are up the street at your local grocery store and a few you'll have to order online. Just know that if you're willing to add, even five of these tips, you and your partner will be wondering what the hell took you so long to do just that. So, let's make sex even better with the following 15 things, shall we?
1. Pop Rocks
Wanna bring even more excitement to fellatio? When's the last time you put some Pop Rocks into your mouth beforehand? If you haven't thought about them since you were a kid, they're the candies that create a popping/sizzling sensation.
Between that and the flavor of your choice, Pop Rocks can make going down more appealing to your taste buds while offering up a totally indescribable "vibration" for your partner.
Oh, and if you have a hard time finding them at your local store, you can always get some Pop Rocks on its company website here.
2. Listerine
Speaking of creating cool sensations during oral sex, if you like the taste of mint, try gargling some Listerine and then keeping a little bit of it in your mouth before taking him into yours. It creates a cool menthol feel that also can make him go all the way in…if you know what I mean.
3. Ice Cream
While we're on the topic of creating amazing sensations on genital regions, when's the last time that you had some ice cream put onto your labia during oral sex? If it's your man's favorite flavor, he will be sure to eat it up (pun totally intended). Plus, the cool sensation of the ice cream along with the warmth of his mouth will easily have you climbing the walls. Just make sure to put down a towel or prepare to wash your sheets afterwards. This can make a mess, although it's the best kind of one.
4. Clit Pump
I know, right? You learn something new every day. Today, for me, it's clit pumps. If you've never heard of them before, they're basically mini vacuums that you place over your clitoris in order to increase blood circulation to it. The benefit? Well, the more sensitive your clitoris is, the easier it is to climax. Many women sing its praises because the combo of the vacuum and oral action happening simultaneously can create the most intense orgasm ever. Cop one here and then report back. #wink
5. Masturbation Sleeve (or Banana Peels)
Never heard of a masturbation sleeve before? That's OK. I'll break it down. Long story short, it's the kind of sex toy that a man puts his penis into that feels somewhat like a vagina or even a mouth. Some come with lube. Some vibrate. While it might initially sound like the kind of game only one can play, a lot of couples enjoy them because they say it's great when it comes to mutual masturbation or oral sex. Men's Health once did a feature on this entitled, "I Tried 6 Male Masturbation Sleeves, and This One Was Definitely the Best". It might be able to point you into the right direction of which masturbation sleeve to get.
On the other hand, if money is tight or sex gadgets aren't really your thing, some people are all about using banana peels as an alternative. Yep. Literally putting their package in between a peel. Hey, if the grapefruit trick worked, I don't see why a banana peel wouldn't.
6. Delay Spray
Whether your man struggles with premature ejaculation, it takes you a bit longer to "get there" or your stuff is just so good that he sometimes releases before either of you planned, something that he might want to try is Delay Spray. If you've never heard of it before, it's the kind of spray that relaxes the sensitive nerves in his penis so that he can go for a longer period of time. The key is to apply the spray 10-15 minutes prior to intercourse. And if you're wondering — it will not affect your vagina, you can use it even if oral sex is going to happen (after the spray is applied; just wait about 10 minutes) and it can go on a flaccid or erect penis. If it's piqued your interest, you can purchase a bottle by going here.
7. “Honey Oil”
A couple of years ago, when I wrote an article onfall-themed sex, one of the things that I shouted out was cinnamon oil. Chile…chile. It's sweet, it's warm and it's such a non-sticky way to enjoy "tongue-cleaning" — and getting cleaned. Along these same lines, adding a teaspoon of honey to one-third cup of sweet almond oil, zapping it into the microwave for 10 minutes and then applying it to each other's bodies and licking it off can be pure bliss. There's honestly no other way to put it.
8. Cuffies
If low-key bondage is totally your thing but handcuffs are uncomfortable as hell, there are some cool cuffs known as Cuffies. What makes them a standout item is they are super strong yet because they are made out of silicone, they are uber comfortable too.
The real bonus? They're only $18. Definitely worth having in one of your nightstands, if you ask me. If you're interested, you can cop a pair here.
9. Necktie
While you're waiting on your Cuffies to arrive in the mail, a more-than-fair substitute is a necktie. It's soft. It's sexy. And it can double up as a bondage tool or a blindfold. Preferably both.
10. CBD Oil
Last fall, I wrote an article for the platform entitled, "7 Proven Ways Weed Makes Sex So Much Better". One of the things that I shouted out in it is CBD lube; not only does it make things wetter, the properties in CBD can also heighten sensitivity in the genital region. Along these same lines, CBD oil is dope because it helps to relax your body's blood vessels, so that blood flow is able to increase and your orgasms can intensify. Using it as a warm massage oil is the perfect way to up the ante as far as foreplay goes. Not "maybe" — definitely.
11. Partial Clothing
Most of the men I know, when it comes between choosing lingerie or nudity, they are totally doing for Door #2. However, I think there is something that is really sexy about having sex while partially clothed. A dress with no undies underneath. Breasts that are exposed with the bra still on. Panties moved over to the side. To me, it sends the message of, "You're so damn hot that I don't want to waste any more time trying to get all of your clothes off." And sex that is full of that kind of passion? It never misses.
12. “Sex Gratitude”
Out of all of the things on this list, perhaps my favorite one is this particular tip. If you want to have some truly incredible sex, the more dopamine that's surging throughout your body, the better. That's because dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter that sends messages back and forth between your body cells.
On the sex tip, dopamine is great because it plays a significant role in why and how we feel pleasure. Well, keeping this in mind, did you know that something that naturally triggers dopamine in your system is gratitude? When we express it and hear it, our brain releases a bit of dopamine which causes us to feel really good. So, whether it's during the act of foreplay or sex itself, tell your partner what you appreciate about them, especially sexually. I'd be shocked if he didn't return the favor and that the words you both hear won't prove to be the ultimate turn-on.
13. Open Blinds
If you consider yourself to be a closet exhibitionist (you like to be watched) yet you've never been bold enough to do something along the lines of having sex outdoors, a happy medium could be to open up some blinds in a room in your house. Whether it's in the day when the neighbors could actually see what's going on or at night when not a soul is looking, it's a simple way to "scratch the itch" without taking a really big risk.
14. Memory Foam Mattress Cover
Whether you have a squeaky bed or a house full of kids (check out "How To Make Sex Easier (& More Fun) When You've Got Kids"), don't let either stop you from getting as buckwild as you wanna be. A very easy and affordable way to "quiet your bed down" is to put a memory foam mattress cover on top of your mattress. Also, if you've got some box springs or a metal frame, spray some WD-40 on it could get your bed to shut up so that you can turn up as well.
15. “Sex Rewards”
I'm pretty sure you've heard of sex coupons before. Sex rewards are similar in the sense that you literally find fun and creative ways to "reward" for your partner for a job well done. If he makes you cum three times in a row, he gets his favorite meal prepared the following day. If you get into his favorite position, he runs the errands for you that you hate. The objective here isn't to use sex as a form of manipulation so much as an incentive to get excited about things outside of the bedroom. After all, rewarding people is one of the most effective ways to get them to do even more for you — or in the case of sex, to you. And what could possibly be wrong with that? Exactly.
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It's kinda wild that, in 2025, my byline will have appeared on this platform for (what?!) seven years. And yeah, when I'm not waxing poetic on here about sex, relationships and then...more sex and relationships, I am working as a certified marriage life coach, helping to birth babies (as a doula) or penning for other places (oftentimes under pen names).
As some of you know, something that I've been "threatening" to do for a few years now is write another book. Welp, October 2024 was the month that I "gave birth" to my third one: 'Inside of Me 2.0: My Story. With a 20-Year Lens'. It's fitting considering I hit a milestone during the same year.
Beyond that, Pumas and lip gloss are still my faves along with sweatshirts and tees that have a pro-Black message on them. I've also started really getting into big ass unique handbags and I'm always gonna have a signature scent that ain't nobody's business but my own.
As far as where to find me, I continue to be MIA on the social media front and I honestly don't know if that will ever change. Still, if you need to hit me up about something *that has nothing to do with pitching on the site (I'm gonna start ignoring those emails because...boundaries)*, hit me up at missnosipho@gmail.com. I'll do what I can. ;)
Your Guide To Letting Go Of What No Longer Serves You Based On Astrology
Letting go is a gift we are given and a strength that we find throughout our lives. There are times when we want to grab ahold of what we are experiencing and sensing, and times when we need to let go of something that was once everything to us or what we wanted for ourselves. The moment you conclude that you need to let something go in your life is the moment that your brain fights to make that happen for you.
In Astrology, there is an area of your birth chart that is designed for you to understand where you will be letting go a lot in this lifetime, and exactly how to do so. We dive through the birth chart as we seek a deeper understanding of ourselves and let go of what no longer serves us, and there are tools available to help us do so. If you don't know where your South Node is in your birth chart, you can use a free calculator like this one here.
What Does Your South Node Represent in Astrology?
When it comes to what we are destined to let go of or move away from in this lifetime, we look to the South Node. The South Node is the area of your birth chart that has to do with your past lives, karma, lessons, old habits and traits, gifts, and energy you are moving away from in this lifetime.
Your South Node is opposite your North Node, which is your destiny and the energy you want to move towards.
We can learn a lot from our South Node and it’s an area of our life where we tend to gain the most wisdom. By understanding why some patterns in your life tend to play out in the same ways, you can be more conscious of the choices you make in the now and let go of who and what doesn’t serve you in the process.
South Node Insights: Letting Go
The South Node is our natural gifts and talents, but also where we don’t need to focus so much of our energy on, taking us away from where we need to be developing, which is the North Node. So when you are looking to let go of something, gain a new perspective, or feel more trusting in what you are doing right now, you can examine your South Node.
We learn from our South Node by not making the same mistakes over again, letting go of what needs to be let go of, and understanding what we need in order to create space for our new beginning.
Read below for your South Node on how to let go of what no longer serves you.
Aries South Node: Letting Go of Independence for Connection
You are used to being independent and figuring things out on your own. In this lifetime, however, you are being asked to lean on others for support when you need it. You are working on letting go of the ego and focusing more on the heart. By extending your compassion for others, you discover a part of yourself that leads you toward empowerment and allows you to let go of a false sense of safety.
You are meant to experience harmonious, fortunate, and compatible love in this lifetime, and you will do so by opening your heart to others and letting go of people who don’t support you or whom you can’t count on.
Taurus South Node: Releasing Overdependence and Superficiality
With your South Node in Taurus, you are letting go of the need to acquire by focusing on the depth and intention of what you are obtaining. Your relationships tend to have a lot to do with your financial world, and these things can get twisted and distorted if you are not being careful.
In this lifetime, you are working on letting go of what doesn’t serve you by following your heart and your intuition more and focusing more on the feeling you want for yourself rather than the things themselves. You are also working on letting go of overdependence or superficiality in relationships, by connecting with the people whom you have a deep and spiritual bond with.
Gemini South Node: Finding Freedom in Authenticity
For you, letting go means following your freedom. You are meant to do things your own way in this lifetime, and the less you can focus on how you are going to be perceived, the more you can live the life of your dreams. With a South Node in Gemini, you are moving away from the commotion of life. What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is traveling, getting out of your comfort zone, and being in new environments.
In past lives, you may have given too much of your focus on your social successes and business pursuits, and in this lifetime, you are meant to focus on the bigger picture. What helps you let go is understanding that once you do, better is available to you.
Cancer South Node: Trusting Yourself Beyond Emotional Impulses
With a South Node in Cancer, you are learning to trust yourself and your logic more than your emotional world in this lifetime. By letting go of feeling like you have to be the one to nurture and support everyone and allowing people to do that for you, you lead your destiny.
With your South Node in Cancer, you are letting go of emotional impulsiveness or making decisions irrationally before you have thought about them.
In past lives, you were led by your emotional world, and in this lifetime, you are meant to think more about your long-term goals and intentions. What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is knowing that you are more than what you can give to others.
Leo South Node: Prioritizing Community Over Recognition
In this lifetime, you are working on letting go of the need to be seen and recognized and focus more on your need for community and soul companionship. You are moving away from the “I” and moving closer to the “We.” What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is giving your focus to humanity, the progress you want to make in this lifetime, and who you want to make it with.
You are learning how to work with others and let go of the need to figure everything out yourself. The more you connect with the people who make you want to team up and form a relationship, rather than the people who make you want to be alone, the better for you.
Virgo South Node: Embracing Compassion Over Perfection
In this lifetime, you are letting go of the need to do everything yourself and to have everything all together. You can let go of what no longer serves you by thinking more with your heart than you do with your mind and by trusting this gift of yours. By focusing more on your spirituality, emotional connections, and creativity, you let go of a timid side of you that can disrupt your relationships or the bonds you make.
In past lifetimes, you were focused on perfection. In this lifetime, you are meant to focus on compassion. By surrendering more to the flow of things, you can let go of what no longer serves you while remaining open for what does.
Libra South Node: Rediscovering Your Independence
With your South Node in Libra, you are meant to experience the gifts of independence, freedom, and inner clarity in this lifetime. In the past, you may have been more dependent on the people around you and made a lot of your focus on love. However, in this lifetime, you are being reminded to not lose your identity in others. You can let go of what no longer serves you by only moving towards the things that feel authentic to you.
You are meant to feel confident, inspired, and free in your relationships, and if you don’t feel this way, then that is a sign you are around energy that doesn’t serve you. You are meant to do things your own way in this lifetime.
Scorpio South Node: Letting Go of Struggles and Embracing Ease
With your South Node in Scorpio, you have lived many lives and have experienced a lot emotionally. In this lifetime, you are learning how to trust the process more and to understand that not everything has to be difficult or trying for you. You can experience great things with ease, and you’ll know you are in the right place when things are just falling into your lap.
What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is focusing more on the things and people who make you feel safe, stable, and comfortable. Instead of always seeking the rush or the thrill, bring your attention more towards the things that ground you.
Sagittarius South Node: Building Connection Through Learning
Your South Node in Sagittarius urges you towards connection with your community and your immediate environment. In this lifetime, you are letting go of the need to be everywhere at once, rather than with the people who matter most to you. You are moving away from knowing everything and into learning everything.
By looking at life as a place where you will learn, grow, and connect, you can let go of the things that stretch you too thin or don’t serve your heart.
What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is expressing yourself more, meeting new people, and spending time on a cause or creative project that inspires you.
Capricorn South Node: Choosing Home and Foundations Over Status
In this lifetime, you are meant to put more value and effort into your personal life, home, family, and foundations in life. In past lifetimes, a lot of your focus was on your reputation, achievements, and successes, and in this lifetime, you are meant to bring your energy more to the home base, family, and stability in life.
You will know if something is right for you if you want it because it makes you feel safe and nurtured, rather than just something that looks pleasing to the eye. What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is by focusing more on your personal life rather than your public, and what you truly see for yourself here.
Aquarius South Node: Shining in Your Individuality
With an Aquarius South Node, you are meant to shine, be seen, and express yourself in this lifetime. You are letting go of the lone wolf energy you are used to, and working on taking up space. You are able to let go of what no longer serves you by being confident in yourself and the decisions you are making.
If someone doesn’t make you feel like the best thing in the entire world, then they aren’t right for you. In past lifetimes, you gave a lot of your energy to your community and the people around you, and in this lifetime, you are meant to focus on yourself and your path more. It’s all about doing what makes you feel good and trusting that you deserve to.
Pisces South Node: Honoring Logic While Embracing Intuition
Your lesson in this lifetime is that your mind is your gift. In past lives, you were very intuitive, psychic, and spiritual, and in this lifetime, you are learning to trust and honor the logical part of yourself more. You may tend to put your all into your relationships and not get the same energy back, and you are working on taking care of yourself first before you can give to another.
What helps you let go of what no longer serves you is trusting your body and the signals it gives you when you are around certain people or energy that doesn’t serve. Get organized, figure out your needs, boundaries, and wants, and get clear on who you are and what you want for yourself.
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Although many years have passed since the whirlwind that was 2020, I finally feel like I am settling into a state of rest, joy, and relaxation after two and a half years of feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, and overworked. During that time, I wrote the proposal for my book, Owning Our Struggles. It has been a wonderful journey writing, reflecting, and reveling in what it means to own our struggles, pain, and tragedy in order to make room for joy, love, and liberation.
As I was writing, I found myself immersed in the concept of Black joy and cultural healing. I am a first-generation American who identifies as Black-Hispanic and Afro-Latina. My parents are from Colon, Panama, and San Andres, Colombia. As a child, my parents did not understand mental health concepts or disorders like anxiety and depression, but they were strong advocates for healing and ensuring that joy remained at the center of our lives despite the challenges or hardships we faced.
The lessons they taught me came back to me as I wrote Owning Our Strugglesand reflected on the world of hurt, pain, chaos, and tragedy that surrounds me and the feelings of powerlessness that often arise. Being Black in America can be tough, but it also feels beautiful when I see how Black culture continuously moves the needle in society and our role in advancing our communities and liberating ourselves from oppression.
The celebration of Black joy and the process of cultural healing are critical components of the Black community's resilience and survival. Black joy is a radical act, especially given Black people's historical and ongoing oppression and marginalization. It is a way of resisting the negative stereotypes and narratives that have been perpetuated about Black people for centuries. By celebrating Black joy, we claim our humanity and our right to exist fully and joyfully.
Here are six ways to celebrate Black joy and engage in cultural healing:
1.Connect with your roots:
Learn about your cultural heritage and traditions. This can involve exploring your family history, learning about the history of your ancestors, and the cultural traditions that have been passed down through generations. By reconnecting with your roots, you can better understand where you come from and how your cultural identity shapes who you are today.
2.Celebrate cultural events and holidays:
Participate in cultural events and holidays that hold significance for you and your community. Whether it's attending a Juneteenth celebration, a Kwanzaa gathering, or a Black History Month event, these celebrations can provide an opportunity for cultural healing and a sense of community.
3.Engage in creative expression:
Engage in creative activities that allow you to express your emotions and experiences. This can include writing, visual art, music, dance, or spoken word. Creative expression can be a powerful tool for processing emotions, healing from trauma, and celebrating joy.
4.Support Black-owned businesses:
Supporting Black-owned businesses is a way to celebrate Black joy and support economic empowerment within the Black community. Whether buying from a Black-owned restaurant, boutique, or service provider, we can continue supporting our people and communities through financial investments.
5.Build community:
Building community with other Black individuals and allies can be a powerful way to celebrate Black joy and engage in cultural healing. This can involve joining a social group, attending community events, or volunteering with a local organization that supports the Black community.
6.Practice self-care:
Practicing self-care is critical to cultural healing and celebrating Black joy. This can involve taking the time to rest, engaging in activities that bring you joy, prioritizing your mental and physical health, or seeking out support from a therapist or mental health professional.
By embracing Black joy and cultural healing, we resist and disrupt systems of oppression and claim our humanity and right to exist joyfully and fully. Let us continue to give ourselves the life we know we deserve and reclaim the power of community. Order my book, Owning Our Struggles, to gain more tools and exercises on Black joy and liberation.
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Originally published on July 26, 2023