When it comes to great sex, your best route to a fireworks-worthy ending is definitely the scenic one. And your ideal stops: these uncommon, often forgotten, even somewhat surprising erogenous zones. It’s no coincidence several of these are also where our bodies hold tension. “Stress is one of the biggest killers of female sex drive,” says Emily Morse, a sexologist and host of the Sex With Emily podcast. “If you isolate and pay attention to these areas, you’ll start to feel sensations that will translate to other parts of your body.” Read on for your roadmap to unlocking brand new pockets of pleasure—in yourself and your partner. Feet Photo by Puhlmann Photography/Getty Images You don’t need us to tell you that a really good foot massage can pretty much wipe out a terrible day. It can also be a huge turn-on for both men and women, as certain pressure points in your feet can trigger arousal. Make the most of this hot zone by dripping some massage oil on stressed out tootsies and start pressing on the pads of the feet, moving your fingers in an upward motion. Then move on to the soles and ankles—where you go from there is up to you. MORE: 11 Things You Should Definitely Put On Your Sex Bucket List Fingertips Photo by Paper Boat Creative/Getty Images You probably reserve your fingertips for touching others, but they’re home to a ton of nerve endings themselves. “They’re the second-most sensitive body part after the tongue,” Morse says. If you just isolate them by rubbing and kneading them, it creates an arousing experience that focuses your mental energy on what’s to come. They’re responsive to lighter touches like the brushing of the tongue or teeth, while the sides and in between can handle a firmer touch. Scalp Your scalp is rich in nerve endings, and being on the receiving end of a great scalp massage can release tension and increase blood flow, thereby flooding your body with feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin. Morse suggests taking advantage of a sensitive scalp while you’re in the shower together. Focus on rubbing the shampoo into the scalp, and pay attention to your partner—you’ll know pretty quickly if you’re on the right track. MORE: 5 Ways To Give Yourself An Aesome Massage Behind the knees Talk about a hot spot you didn’t know you had. “Our body has such potential for pleasure in so many areas like this, and we skip over them,” says Morse. Resist the urge to flinch and let your partner kiss, caress, or gently massage behind the knee. The skin back there is thin, giving you access to more nerve endings. Abs Time to squash that don’t touch my belly! thing we all do: caressing or massaging the stomach is extremely erotic, especially for women. Your ab muscles are connected to your vaginal muscles, and a soft stroke can cause you to contract those muscles from the anticipation, ultimately boosting your arousal and leading to climax, says Morse. Plus, it ups the anticipation that he’s moving further and further south, which is never a bad thing. MORE: 8 Exercises For Better Sex Wrists Photo by laflor/Getty Images Gomez Addams was onto something: nuzzling and nibbling the insides of the wrists can turn on all your senses. “It’s almost the fact that someone even thought to touch you there that’s sexy,” says Morse. If you’re thinking about getting into foreplay, take a new way in by caressing or lightly grazing the wrists with your fingers or tongue. Most partners have probably never delved into this spot, so that extra element of surprise can get things going, too. Mouth and lips When you kiss, it drives dopamine to your brain—all the more reason to lick, nibble, and softly touch your partner’s lips. “Kissing is the first thing that goes in long term relationships,” says Morse (learn how to bust through that rut, plus 7 more common sex ruts). “There’s nothing better than a hot make out session!” Saliva contains plenty of the sex hormone testosterone, so no judgment here if you prefer your kisses on the sloppier side. MORE: 8 Foods Proven To Give Your Libido A Very Happy Boost
