17 Real Women Share Their Pre-Sex Beauty Routines

By

Published on January 8, 2018

Whether it's shaving, moisturizing, or spritzing on a favorite perfume, most women have at least one special thing they do to prep themselves for a romp in the hay.

A lot of the time, sex just happens. You and your partner share a loving glance and the rest is history. But when you've just invited your Tinder match over or you're planning a romantic bae-cation, you have the luxury of knowing ahead of time that you might experience some bedroom action. Here, 17 women reveal to Health what they do to get their minds, bodies, and vaginas ready for sex.

Smell Like Dessert

"My boyfriend and I are absolutely obsessed with Laura Mercier's Crème Brûlée Soufflé Body Crème. I cover my body in it before sex to make my skin feel softer and smell like caramel. The one time I forgot to put it on, he even asked about it. Totally worth the $60."

Take It All Off

"Before sex, I remove all my makeup. One, because I don't want to get any foundation or lipstick on the sheets and pillows (or lose a lash) and two, my husband likes to kiss all over my face and it hurts my heart to ruin a good contour. I use Ponds Evening Soothe makeover remover wipes. They make my face smell good, relax me and get everything off in one wipe."

Get Juicy

"If I know I'm getting some action, I down a few cups of pineapple juice a couple [of] hours before. I heard it makes your vagina taste better... and I haven't gotten any complaints so far."

[Editor's note: Experts say there's no evidence this urban legend is true, but it won't hurt to try!]

Taking Off Even More

"I shave my legs, arms, and my vagina completely bald and put tea tree oil everywhere to prevent razor bumps."

Smell Great

"My girlfriend loves to go down on me, and I'm pretty self-conscious about my smell. I wash up with a small amount of Johnson's Baby Shampoo before we mess around. It's mild enough to not cause any infection but does the trick."

Keep On the Makeup

"I like to have sex with a full face of makeup and bright red lips. Makes me feel sexier and more confident in bed. I'm loving Rihanna's Fenty Beauty 'Stunna' lip paint."

Create a Sexy Scent

"Always a shower, and if I don't feel like doing the whole body-lotion-and-perfume bit, I'll always opt for this oil by Riddle Oil, which is not only super hydrating but is supposed to work with your pheromones to create your perfect sexy scent. It also leaves my skin looking glowy and feeling soft!"

Clear Your Mind

"Don't judge me, but I like to meditate for a few minutes before a lovemaking session to help me clear my mind of the day's stresses and get in sync with my body."

Wake Up Those Eyes

"Mascara to make me look more awake since there tends to be a lot of eye contact during sex."

Exfoliate and Oil

"Lush exfoliator, lavender body oil, followed by Aveeno calming lavender lotion to be smooth, moisturized, and smelling good!"

Shower and Spritz

"Take a shower, of course! I always spray Victoria's Secret Tease fragrance mist and Victoria's Secret Bombshell Nights all over my body and neck. He's gonna taste this perfume."

Hit the Head

"I am prone to UTIs, so I always try to pee before and after sex. Peeing before sexual activity gets any lingering bacteria out of the bladder and helps me feel more relaxed and free during sex."

Up the Probiotic

"I always shave my entire body a few days before visiting my boyfriend. I also take a daily probiotic (I love RepHresh Pro-B) to keep me fresh and balanced down there."

Butter Up the Rough Spots

"I like to take a shower or do a quick wash-up just to be fresh. I shave and also like to use raw shea butter (African Shea Butter from Amazon) on my arms and rough areas like my knees and elbows."

Scrub and Lotion

"Shower, use Rub Rub Rub Body Scrub from Lush, shave my legs, lotion up with Jergen's lotion that has shea butter in it, and add a tiny bit of grapeseed oil."