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. A soft, smooth, and slightly moist mouth is ideal for kissing. Before you move in, you should make sure your lips aren't chapped or dry so your partner isn't distracted or put off by the state of your lips. If you want to soften your lips before you go in for the kiss, you should try these quick fixes:  Use chapstick. Swipe some over your lips and press them together. (If you're a girl and you have flavored chapstick, all the better!) The only caveat is that you should apply lip balm or gloss an hour or more before you kiss, so your kissing partner feels your soft lips, not the thick layer of gloss over them. Drink water. Dry lips are a sign of dehydration, so throw back a tall glass of water (or two). You should notice your lips starting to smooth out within 20 to 30 minutes. Lick your lips. If you're really in a pinch and have no time to spare, quickly run your tongue over your lips and press them together. This should moisten them slightly without making them slobbery or slick. You can even lick your lips a bit subtly while making eye contact with your kissing partner. You never want to have bad breath when you are about to kiss someone, whether the kiss is a French kiss or not. Because your mouth will be open in a French kiss, fresh breath is especially important. Practice good dental hygiene. If you know you are about to kiss someone, take a second to brush your teeth or at least rinse out your mouth with water.  Always have breath mints or mint-flavored gum with you if you think there is a chance you might kiss someone while you are out. If you want to be subtle, you can quickly suck on a breath mint or chew gum for a minute in the bathroom, so you don't make it too obvious that you're ready to kiss. Avoid foods that leave an unpleasant aftertaste or residue, particularly garlic, coffee, onions, milk, and corn. If you're on a dinner date before the big kiss, try to eat strategically. A good kiss—especially a first kiss or first French kiss—is the culmination of building tension and growing intimacy. Choose your moment right to make sure you and your partner are both in a mindset to really lose yourselves in the kiss. You should have privacy and should both be feeling romantic instead of stressed or distracted, for one thing. When is the moment right? It depends on your individual situation, but here are a few signs to keep in mind:  You have complete privacy. Whether you're alone on your balcony or sitting on a secluded bench in a park, you're not worried that someone will interrupt you. The other person keeps dropping hints, like locking eyes and looking at your lips, or standing or sitting progressively closer to you. Regardless of your partner's gender, their body language should give you a clue about whether now is the right time to make your move.  You're ending a date that went really well. In the car or on the porch are both good semi-private locations for a goodnight kiss. It just seems right. If you feel overwhelmingly compelled to kiss someone, don't be too afraid to just go for it. (Just be prepared for an awkward or even troubling situation if you discover your intended didn't feel the same way.) Ask. If you aren't sure whether the other person is feeling it, bring up the topic. Better to get permission semi-awkwardly and go ahead with confidence than risk missing out on your chance to kiss that special someone (accidentally kiss someone who isn't interested). Gaze deeply into the other person's eyes. If you want to make your intentions extra clear, slowly move your gaze to their lips, then back up to the eyes. You can even make intense eye contact, break it for a few seconds, and then look back at the person. This is a way of showing the person you want to kiss that you're pleasantly overwhelmed at the sight of them. Girls can even look at a guy, look down, and then look up through their lashes to be extra flirtatious. If you're really excited about the prospect of kissing the other person, show it! A smile keeps the situation light and fun, while helping them feel safe and relaxed. Make sure your smile is soft and genuine, however, and not a forced, too-wide, or overly intense smile. Just slowly and languidly ease your lips into a smile. Show your future kissing partner how happy you are to be in their company. Continue to make eye contact as you do this, or break it for a few seconds before you return it. You can opt for a close-lipped smile instead of smiling while showing your teeth, which might come off more as friendly than alluring or romantic. Just before you make contact, close your eyes. Kissing with your eyes open is generally associated with dishonesty and insincerity, and keeping your eyes closed will help you focus on and enjoy what's happening on your lips. Also, while you may be tempted to open your eyes to see what your kissing partner looks like in the throes of passion, this could actually unexpectedly make you crack up or not feel in the mood to kiss anymore. Closing your eyes can also help you focus on your mouth and to live in the moment, instead of trying to observe everything that's happening at close range. You can slowly open your eyes later, when you pull apart after the kiss. Don't present a stiff pucker, like you would if you went in to kiss your grandma — not only does it communicate non-romantic feelings, but it makes it physically difficult for your partner to initiate a French kiss. On the other hand, keeping your mouth completely loose and still also says that you're not interested. Here's how to hit a happy medium:  Pucker just a little. Push your lips forward slightly, so that you feel the slightest hint of muscle tension around them. Open your mouth slightly. Instead of aggressively going in for a fully open-mouthed kiss at first, keep your lips just barely parted enough that a tongue could slip between them.
Keep your lips soft Freshen your breath. Find the right moment. Make eye contact. Smile. Close your eyes. Keep your mouth in a kissable position.