

If you’re trying to sext your new boo with emojis and they just don’t seem to get the hint, there are a few things you can do. Research from the University of Minnesota shows different people can associate different meanings with the same emoji, which makes sense-they don’t exactly come with definitions, after all. Well, so long as you both attribute the same meanings to emojis.

It’s not always easy to tell a new partner exactly what you want in the bedroom, so why not let emojis do the job? It’s also a safe for work (and commute) way to let them know what you plan to do to them next time you see each other. “It is a way to sexually discover each other outside of the bedroom, and even to talk about fetishes and interests that you may be shy to discuss face to face especially in the early stages of a relationship,” she says. Margarida Rafael, PsyD, resident relationship expert at Adore Passion, loves emojis in texts and highly recommends using them when sexting, especially in a new relationship. Plus, sexting emojis (read: emojis with sexual connotations attached to them) are a fun and creative way to spice up your sexting game. Whether you’re in a brand-new relationship and discovering everything you can about your new boo, or sexting your long-term partner, emojis take on a whole new meaning when sex is on the table. The emojis you send to your group chat suddenly become loaded with new meaning when it comes to texting someone you’re into, am I right? I mean, you’re not going to send an eggplant and peach emoji to the besties and get the same results (you can, but you might get some confused replies).
