Despite being stuck at home an awful lot over the past two years, the sex industry is booming. We asked sex experts what the big 2022 sex trends are going to be and how to try them out at home.
According to research by dating app Hinge, half of adults say they want to explore new sexual desires with a partner, and around 80% say it’s important to them that a partner is sexually open and adventurous. Our experts believe that the sex trends that are set to be big in 2022 reflect the growing openness and willingness among couples to experiment with new sex positions and sexual fantasies. "The trends in 2022 demonstrate a shift in attitude to being more flexible and open-minded when it comes to our sex lives," says Kate Moyle, a sex and relationship expert. "We see this reflected in the normalizing of sexual acts, desires, and attitudes which were previously unspoken about or hidden. This approach to sexual wellness being included and recognized as a part of our overall health and wellbeing should be here to stay, and we should expect it to be the foundation from which all future sex trends are stemming."
As well as becoming more comfortable with our sexuality and bodies, many of us want to make sure our sexual habits don't negatively impact the environment, thinking about how we can have a more sustainable sex life. "I've noticed a big shift in my clients switching to environmentally friendly sex toys," says Katie Lasson, sexologist, and relationship advisor. "More and more people are looking to make sustainable changes in every aspect of their life and their sexual play is no exception. My clients are looking for sex toys that can be recharged and are made from body-safe environmentally friendly materials."
1. Outcourse
For many of us, Covid is still at the forefront of our minds, particularly when it comes to sex. According to dating app Hinge, a third of people say they are waiting longer to have sex with new partners because of Covid fears. Outcourse is set to be a solution to this.
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"Engaging in sexual activity, but without intercourse, means different things to different people," says Kate. "Some people see it as everything except penetration, others see it as just dry humping, a massage, perhaps even mutual masturbation. Outercourse is presenting itself as a safe sex alternative as it clearly establishes boundaries and encourages better communication for intimacy and pleasure. Your definition of it depends on your reasons for trying it, and because of this, it may just prove to be the best new sex trend of them all."
2. Sensory sex
In a post-Covid world, fostering connection both with others and ourselves has proven one of the biggest trends when it comes to sexual wellness in the last year. "With mindful masturbation and tantric sex hot trends of 2020 and 2021, the next big wellness trend will be sensory sex," says clinical sexologist, Megwyn White. "Sensory sex is the act of engaging as many senses as you can to help in heightening sexual pleasure and deepening the intimacy with a chosen partner.
"From the visual to the auditory to the tactile, by putting the focus on pleasurable sensations throughout the body, sensory sex can help you let go of the pressures that come with an exclusive focus on the genitals."
One way to explore sensory sex is through music, which ignites the same parts of the brain as food, drugs, and sexual pleasure. "This means that when you pair your favorite sensual playlist with sex, it helps your mind and body embrace pleasure. Plus, it’s not only the ear that hears. The rest of the body also has the capacity to detect sounds through ‘feeling’ them, which is why immersive sound spaces like concerts can feel so intense."
3. Hetroflexibility
If the last two years have taught us anything, it is that life is pretty uncertain. "The understanding of female desire, female masturbation and orgasms are growing phenomena," says Moyle. "Our understanding of sexuality is evolving and it's an important part of a personal relationship with one’s own sensuality and pleasure is to explore various aspects of your sex life.
"So, if you identify as 'mostly straight', but occasionally find yourself attracted to the same gender, romantically or sexually or both, embrace it. Sexuality exists on a spectrum and while some people believe labels aren’t helpful, for others they really can be. Every heteroflexible person is different, and their experiences may look different. What they do have in common is that they help you to make sense of yourself, which is precious and worth exploring."
3. Better foreplay
"With a growing emphasis on female pleasure in recent years and a better understanding of the female body, women have been able to explore their bodies more openly be it solo or with a partner," explains Megwyn. "However, what many women experience are feelings of orgasm anxiety. This can be described as anxiety in relation to performance, eg: performance anxiety or anxiety about the need to orgasm, or otherwise anxiety in the build-up to orgasm.
"For most, sexual anxiety can be eased through a better understanding of foreplay, and learning that sex can allow you to explore more erogenous zones. Focusing on connection and being present is a key element of tantric sex, and the end goal is not to orgasm, but to enjoy the sexual journey, the sensations, and the way it makes us feel mentally, physically, and spiritually."
4. Sex and supplements
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Whether it's mainstream retailers like Hollard & Barratt adding supplements to its Sexual Health shelves, or smaller brands creating blends that aim to balance our hormone during our varied life cycles; we have seen a huge increase in supplements that are scientifically proven to help us through various sexual health symptoms and issues that we can face during our lives, such as lack of sex drive or vaginal dryness.
"There’s a growing acknowledgment that what we eat can affect our sexual health," says sexual expert Dominique Karetsos. "However, we have to be mindful that no supplement is a magic fix. We have to consider our sexual health from the inside out, and no single product is a solution, however, supplements can be just one tool in your armory towards your holistic sexual wellness."
5. Anal edging
"Anal sex may not be for everyone—however, this doesn’t mean that you have to avoid the pleasures of exploring the anal area together," says White. "The anus has thousands of pleasurable nerves and orgasms can be achieved by both women and men.
"Stimulating the perineum as a form of anal edging can also create hugely positive sensations. From finger play to rimming, spanking, or using an accessory like a butt plug or anal beads, it’s important to broaden our definition of anal sex and anal play so that we don’t consider penetration the only pleasurable option."
6. Therapy and sex
"Covid has encouraged more brands to invest in telehealth (or digital healthcare) over and above their standard products," says Karetsos. "Many places are now offering online healthcare around typically taboo medical topics. Though this is a fantastic step forwards, we’re not seeing the same scale and speed in telehealth for our sexual wellness that we’re seeing in other areas of our health and wellbeing.
"Over 2022, I hope that we will see the evolution of sexual digital healthcare via subscriptions that talk to us at every stage of our lives, whether it’s speaking to pre-teens about their menstrual cycle or to menopausal women about how to deal with their symptoms while still having a healthy sex life."
7. Menopause-friendly sex
During menopause, many women suffer from vaginal dryness, which can impact their sex life greatly. "Now the menopause is fast becoming less taboo, a glut of brands has begun creating products that attempt to address menopausal symptoms," says Karetsos.
"However, there’s a lack of education around why someone would need to use any of these products. If a brand offers you 20+ products to consume in one day to target the symptoms of menopause, it’s not necessary nor is it sustainable. Thankfully, on the flip side, there are some great brands whose offerings are specifically tailored to this time in our lives. 2022 will see the rise of brands like Gennev, Tabu, and Womaness, that put education at the forefront of their approach."
w&h thanks Megwyn White, director of education at Satisfyer, certified clinical sexologist, Dominique Karetsos, CEO of The Healthy Pleasure Group, Katie Lasson, sexologist, and relationship advisor, and sex and relationship expert Kate Moyle from sexual wellness brand, LELO for their time and expertise.