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26th January 2026
04:30pm GMT
The five tell-tale signs that you’re a bad kisser have been revealed by the sex experts.
According to Annabelle Knight, who is a psychosexual therapist and a couples coach, there are signs that you can know you’re just not doing it the proper way.
After all, kissing is something that you’re either good or terrible at, as it seems there’s no in-between.
Knight, who is a relationship expert for Lovehoney, has spoken to Metro about the ways in which you can find out if you’re good or bad at it.
You’re standing like a penguin
“A kiss should be so much more than two lips meeting; it should involve the closeness of bodies, the holding of one another and hands exploring each other”, Knight revealed.
“If you find yourself in a position where you’re ‘penguin kissing’ – i.e. hands down by the sides – then you’re not doing anyone any favours”, she added.
She says that you should “get a grip of the person”, so it’s up to you if you hold your partner’s face or waist.
Your lips need a little moisturising
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean your lips have to feel dry for your partner.
The expert’s advice is to put some ChapStick on those lips.
“If you’re not taking care of this, then you’re likely not going to be picked as the best kisser”, she says.
You ‘mime’
What she means by this might sound a little unclear to you, but you should make sure you and your partner are perfectly in sync, she says.
But if you’re miming, you’re messing things up by going in the same direction.
She said: “If, when going in for a kiss, it feels like there is a mime opposite you, leaning the same way, then this is going to kill the moment.”
To stop this, she suggests you “take control of the situation to assert yourself as a good kisser, and make sure you’re in sync with your partner.”
You don’t return the favour
If you let your partner make all the moves and you just stand there, then you’re doing it wrong.
“Kissing should be consensual”, Knight argues, and you’re not doing a good job if you feel them starting to pull away.
“Try to match your rhythm and speed to theirs. This might help prevent such a scenario”, the sex expert adds.
An abrupt goodbye
You are probably going to stand there confused if the person you’re kissing wants to up and leave suddenly.
What this might mean, though, is that you’re simply not good at it.
“If either yourself or your partner abruptly pulls away from a kiss, then it’s likely something has gone wrong”, the expert explains.
“Knowing how to maintain contact and chemistry when your lips aren’t touching is a skill of a good kisser, so learn this if you want to remedy your mistake”, she adds.
Other kissing issues
Another sex-pert, Antonia Hall, said she knows a bad kisser when she sees one.
She once told Business Insider that “it’s important to connect lips with just the right amount of pressure and limit saliva exchange.”
“It’s a bad sign when the person you’re kissing puts their hand to their mouth to wipe away saliva or soothe their sore lips after kissing you”, she argued.
And there’s another major no-no, which is bad breath.
Lastly, what you should do is simply follow the lead of the other person, in the hopes that they’re also not bad at it.
Experts suggest that classes are needed if that’s the case.
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