Is it Okay to Kiss on Your First Date? (Complete Guide!)
First dates can be intimidating!
You are nervous, self-conscious, thinking of all the things you want to tell your date about yourself while being your best version. Too much on the plate already!
And then there is this biggest confusion that freaks you out.
Is it okay to kiss on the first date or not?
You try searching it on Google, and you will get millions of answers:
- “You shouldn’t kiss on your first date, or you will show too much.”
- “You should kiss on your first date, or they will think you are not interested.”
- “You shouldn’t kiss at the start of the date or when you are meeting someone through an app.”
- “You should kiss on your first date, but it shouldn’t be a full-on makeout session that lasts for minutes!”
And the list is never-ending.
Is it ok to Kiss on Your First Date?
But then, I think of it differently. It’s your date.
Of course, it is ok to kiss and do whatever you want. As long as you are comfortable and so is your potential partner, it is ok to kiss on your first date.
But who am I to tell if it is ok to kiss on your first date or not? Who knows that the really cute guy you found on a dating app turns out to be your long lost preschool friend? Or your first date goes really well, and you two decide to take it a step forward? And it’s equally likely that your date turns out to be a shock instead of a surprise! Does your potential partner try to impress you to the extent that it puts you off? What next?
So I think you should decide if it is ok to kiss on your first date and I will help you make that decision. Let’s consider all the pros and cons of kissing on the first date so only YOU can decide whether it is ok to kiss on your first date.
Pros of Kissing on Your First Date
1. You Know How They Feel
A kiss often turns out to be a reflection of your personality. It shows how it feels to be around that person. A soft, tender kiss tells about your shy, genuine, and kind nature. A wild, passionate kiss may reflect vigor and desire. So if you go for a kiss on your first date, it will give you a good idea of what type of person you are dating.
Use your first date kiss experience to evaluate whether you want to get along with that person or not. If it was playful and exciting (even if it was a little awkward), it is something you would want to continue. But if the kiss on your first date left your potential partner drooling while leaving you wet all the way through your chin, maybe it’s time rethink! True that first date kisses can be awkward, but this is a bit too much!
2. You Get an Idea About Their Self-Care
Self-care! I don’t know how important it is to you, but it should be, especially when it comes to kissing a potential partner.
A kiss on your first date will give you a good idea of their hygiene and self-care practices. Dry, chapped lips, bad breath tells you a lot. And even if your girlfriend-to-be wears a hot-pink or loud crimson lipstick, bad breath can put any man off. The same goes for women. In fact, women have a better sense of smell than men. So go for a kiss and find out more!
3. You Get A Glimpse of Their Passion
Comforts your partner, arouses their senses, and can turn them on. Why not go for a kiss on your first date, so you get a glimpse of their passion? Something you will need for a lasting relationship. While kissing is not always a sign of any serious intentions and shouldn’t be treated like one, especially if it’s your first date, it can surely indicate how passionate a lover your potential partner may be.
If the kiss is more of a deep and playful peck accompanied with a close pull, then watch out! The passion is surely on the higher side.
4. Don’t You Want to Thank the Date?
Kissing is almost always associated with sexual attraction. But it can also be used as a way to express affection and respect. A gentle kiss on the cheek or hand is a simple gesture that counts as a kiss on your first date but is definitely not something sexual. Instead, it is a way to show your appreciation and say, “Thank you for your time.”
5. A Potential Signal for Meeting Again
You concluded your date with a full-on makeout sesh? It might be a potential signal for meeting again. And if this continues to happen on every single date, they may be looking forward to a lasting relationship.
Cons of Kissing on Your First Date
Simply because there are so many pros of kissing on your first date does not mean it comes with any cons. Kissing on your first date may bring its own set of disadvantages. Let’s try and understand them now.
1. You Don’t Know Them Enough Yet
Well, it’s your first date. You found them on a dating app, and you know almost nothing about them. Isn’t it too early to give in to something as romanticized as a kiss? So, why take the risk?
Play safe, get to know more about the person, expected chemistry, and wait for the right moment because a kiss can be complicated. It can give the wrong signals to the wrong person. At the same time, it can hurt and upset someone who was really into you, but you thought of them as an inappropriate match.
2. Are You Sure You Want to Take it Forward?
You gave them a kiss on your first date and made yourself available for one. Are you sure you want to take it forward? So here again, you can end up giving the wrong signals. If a woman is dating a man, know that men would wait for her to initiate, but if he is a one-night stand, she would be safe not giving in a kiss. But if he seems like he is genuinely interested, then she may be good to go. But again, who knows the intentions? It is best to delay a kiss until you are sure you want to take it forward.
3. You May End up Jumping into Acts Before Enjoying Their Company
Like I said above, a kiss is complicated. You may want to use it as a gesture for appreciation and showing respect, but it turns out that they think of it otherwise. What starts as a gentle kiss may end up being a full-on makeout session followed by a night spent in their apartment. A brilliant outcome of your first date! What more can you expect? But is it what you really want? Something that you may regret later?
A kiss on your first date can turn out to be misleading. You likely end up jumping right into the act before knowing each other and enjoying each other’s company. So it’s best to play safe and delay the kiss, especially if it’s your first date. Don’t you think you need to hold back and delay your kiss? Definitely!
4. Can Make You Look Like A Player
You had a fantastic time together, and you don’t want your date to end. It was truly refreshing, and you feel you found the person you deserved. And then there was a kiss which ended up in that passionate spark that you were looking forward to. But then, as soon as the entire episode comes to an end, you go towards your car and they go towards theirs. No words, no exchange of numbers, no commitments of meeting again.
True that a genuine kiss is often the start of a lasting relationship, but the scenario highlighted above is not uncommon. So while it was an amazing date, it ended up making you look like a player!
Ask Yourself Again – Is it ok to Kiss on Your First Date?
Now that you are fully aware of all the pros and cons of kissing on your first date, you are in a position to answer this question:
“Is it ok to kiss on your first date?”
If you are comfortable and enjoyed the date, it may be good to thank them for their time and effort and give a kiss. A gentle kiss and/or beyond if you think that’s fine.
If you are unsure whether you want to take it forward or think that the person you are dating might get the wrong signal, or you are simply uncomfortable, then it’s best to delay your first kiss to your second or third date. It is ok to feel awkward, especially when you don’t know someone, but to end your first date on a positive note, communicate even if you don’t kiss!