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Topics: Sex and Relationships, Life, Dating, Dating trends, Explained, Advice
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Life, Dating, Dating trends, Explained, Advice
Everyone's different when it comes to what they do and don't like between the sheets; the same thing goes for solo play, too.
Whether it be hands-free, AKA syntribation, or via the humble sex toy, there's a whole host of ways to self-pleasure.
However, it would appear as if there are some things that a whole bunch of people enjoy, including the 'rippling' masturbation technique, which 25 million women apparently swear by.
According to a survey from sex education site OMGYES, as many as 73 percent of women admit to using the self-stimulation method to help themselves get off - and you may have been doing it yourself without even realising!
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Now, the reason why rippling is so popular is that it's way more gentle on the clitoris - AKA the female pleasure centre.
Well, it's simply using a vibrator down there but pressing it into an area near your clitoris, like your pubic bone, as opposed to your actual clitoris, which allows the vibrations to 'ripple' through your whole body and, with it, your clitoris.
"A lot of people like it because the clitoris is basically equivalent to the head of the penis, so it’s the most sensitive area," sex expert Gigi Engle told Metro, which reports that the trend is loved by '25 million' women.
"Many people with penises, when they have hand jobs, don’t always like super aggressive touching on the penis head, and the same goes for the clitoris."
She continued: "With rippling, it moves the vibrator away from the most sensitive area, so you’re getting a secondary vibration to that area without directly touching it, which can be intense."
Offering a less full-on experience, this is great for women who don't find direct clitoral stimulation pleasurable.
"Some people may have their clitoral hood retract during arousal, and that acts as a buffer, so when it’s retracted, it exposes nerves which are very sensitive," Gigi explained.
"That’s why having something on the pubic bone or the vaginal opening, labia, or even thighs, can feel really good."
As per the survey, 54 percent of women said that they enjoy pressing a sex toy against their pubic bone, with an OMGYES expert outlining that this nifty little method allows soft vibrations to travel down to the hidden, internal parts of the clitoris, as well as the visible parts.
As for what toy you should use, Gigi advised: "Anything with a more expansive surface area is going to be a better choice, rather than a bullet vibrator, which is very pointed."
As we know, sexual experiences are unique to everyone, so what works for some women may not be what gets you off, but it's always worth a shot if you're down for some experimenting!
If rippling has piqued your interest, then take a look at these sex trends that have taken the internet by storm...
Perhaps one of the most shocking, hamstering is a car-based sex position involving a sunroof, where one partner is positioned outside the vehicle while the other remains inside.
It essentially draws comparisons to a hamster drinking from a bottle, with the person in the car being the thirsty hamster and the second atop the car acting like their penis is the water bottle. An image you won't be forgetting anytime soon...
Shallowing involves light stimulation around the entrance of the vagina, rather than full penetration. It can be enjoyed solo and even has some health benefits, too.
Reportedly dominating the online sphere, JOI stands for ‘jerk off instruction’ and is all about guided pleasure - someone on your screen instructs you on how to masturbate, what to do and when.
Have you ever dreamed of prancing around medieval castles and fighting dragons? Well, the castlecore trend might just be for you - and you're not alone. In 2024, Lovehoney found an increase in customers experimenting with corsets and dildos inspired by fantasy creatures.
Now, cuckolding is certainly not for everyone as it's essentially a form of consensual non-monogamy. It involves one partner watching the other cheating or having sex with another person right in front of them.