Facials are most often the preferred finishing style for men in the porn industry. Now, it is being adopted by society in spas and during sexual intercourse with partners.
According to a survey by Bad Girls Bible, ejaculating on your partner’s face—commonly known as facials—is the most popular option for men who are about to reach orgasm. The research shows that 16 per cent of ejaculations done outside the vagina were facials and young adults—aged 18 to 24—were the group most likely to adopt this method.
Unsurprisingly, of all the individuals surveyed, 64 per cent of men and 40 per cent of women who practiced facials confessed to being influenced by porn—like those in British bukkake. However, over a quarter of the respondents noted that they found facials embarrassing and degrading to women.
This begs the question, how often do people actually engage in facials during sex in ‘real life’? In an interview with Cosmopolitan, three anonymous women in their 20s, explains what the whole experience is like.
Of the three women aged 21, 22 and 23, two identify as straight while one identified as bisexual. When quizzed if they enoyed facials or not, the younger women noted that they were quite uncertain about it. The both women expressed fears of going blind due to the semen getting too close to their eyes and according to the 21-year-old, facials are a turn on only because her partner enjoys it.
Katy Zvolerin, director of public relations and sexologist at Adam & Eve, advises that women who practice facials should always close their eyes because semen contains heavy salt content that can cause huge irritation if it gets into the eyes.There’s also the risk of STD transmission with this method, she added.
However, for the 23-year-old, facials can be a great skin therapy as she remarked to having tighter and smoother skin due to its antioxidant effect. Nonetheless, she admits that while she enjoys the activity, it can be a degrading act.
“The real reason I enjoy it is beyond cosmetic; it’s a real turn-on! I love masculine energy, so semen is just so sexy to me. It’s a bit degrading, which is also a turn-on for me,” she said.
There are quite a number of people who still believe that semen is good for their skin and engage in facials for this purpose, but there is no known benefit of it to the skin—irrespective of its protein components. Anyone who still holds that belief that semen can have a positive effective on the skin is basically misinformed, said Dr. Will Kirby, a dermatologist.
When asked what they enjoyed about facials, the women all had different reasons. The 21-year old said that due to their portrayal in porn, a lot of men have fantasies of it and the thought of being a source of a guy’s fantasy is a turn on. While the 22-year-old noted that she doesn’t enjoy the act, the oldest woman said the degradation alongside the taste and feel of semen, makes facials a turn on.
In the interview, the younger women said they’d rather have their partners ejaculate anywhere else rather than their face, considering the risk of it getting into their eyes, ruining their makeup and messing up their hair. However, the oldest amongst them—and apparently the most sexually adventurous—said she prefers facials every time.
Love for facials isn’t exclusive to just men as some women also get turned on by it. Relationship expert and sexologist, Nikki Goldstein said the act of giving someone a facial can make the man feel dominant and the other partner on the receiving end appear submissive. Therefore, for couples who enjoy role play—especially those involving dominance—facials can be a great cosplay. Regardless of how degrading it might appear, it really is a matter of preference, says Goldstein.
The women said their partners enjoyed the experience and that turns them on, but facials are typically a spur of the moment decision.
“Spur of the moment! That’s the best part about sex, is you have no idea what’s gonna happen,” said the 23-year-old.
To ensure that your partner is comfortable, it is great to provide a warning prior to orgasm, said Zvolerin. This gives the receiving partner ample time to anticipate the semen and prepare to close their eyes. Nonetheless, the act of facials can be quite complicated, thus, it is advisable to always aim for her mouth or cheeks and keep a wipe nearby to help clean up afterwards, added Zvolerin.
All the women except the 23-year-old noted that they preferred facials that involved less semen since too much semen can be “gross” and messy. Furthermore, when asked what myth they’d like to dispel about facials, the 21-year-old said not all women enjoy the act, therefore it is necessary to seek content from your partner. Other myths such as improving one’s skin and providing pleasure to the women were equally supported by them.
Facials still remain a delicate sexual activity that can be enjoyable by both partners,but this depends on the woman’s willingness to accept it.