An expert in the field gives us his top tips.

What actually makes a good kiss, and how do you know if you’re a good at it? Perhaps you don’t think about your skills at all. Which is fine, and probably wise, especially if you’re a natural. But what if you’re simply insensitive, or ignorant to your repellent flaws? Nobody wants to be the guy who has a reputation for having a mouth like a washing machine. So, to remove any anxiety, we tracked down a man who apparently has the answers. We’re not sure exactly what qualifies somebody as a kissing expert, but Mr William Cane, author of international bestseller The Art of Kissing, is about as close as we’re going to get. We asked him to share some of his expertise (via an interview, we hasten to add) and distilled what we learned into five key tips, below.

Let’s jump straight in, because apparently, that’s what men like to do: “According to the women who replied to an international survey I took of 100,000 people in 23 countries, the biggest mistake guys make is being too aggressive with their tongue, going too far toward the back of the throat,” said Mr Cane. “Men, on the other hand, said that the biggest mistake women made was failing to open their mouth wide enough. So, clearly, there is a difference of opinion on this issue.” If you find yourself identifying with either of these comments, take a long, hard look in the mirror.

Much like archery or glassblowing, when kissing, overthinking things can be a killer. “Some people do overthink their kissing technique, especially young people and first-time kissers,” says Mr Cane. Conversely, though, he says that if we don’t think about it enough, we’ll also be missing out: “Even more people fail to explore all the romantic possibilities of kissing, since they put too little thought into technique and have no curiosity about learning different kisses that they could try.” So, experiment, but not too wildly? Who knew this was such a minefield?

If you’re really bad at this, Mr Cane is here to remind you of some basics when it comes to food. A refresher course, if you will. “You don’t need to worry about what you eat if you’re both having the same meal, but if you’re the only one consuming onions or garlic, you’ll probably run into trouble,” he says. “When it comes to morning breath, you can remedy that by having gum on your night table,” he says. For something a little more natural and a little less predictable, though, Mr Cane advises trying fruit: “Biting into an apple can also quickly freshen up your breath.” Would absinthe work too, we wonder?

Before you even get to these heady stages of romance, how do you know whether to go in for a kiss or not? The potential for embarrassment is endless. “There are three signs that someone is ready for a kiss,” says Mr Cane. A thumbs up? Winking? Pursed lips? “First, they’re making consistent eye contact with you. Second, they’re laughing at all your jokes and remarks. And third, they don’t move away when you exhibit positive body language, like flicking a piece of lint off their shirt."

Got it. So there we are. Good luck, guys. And thanks, Mr Cane. x