What Our Lips Are Telling Us - Part 2

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7. Eskimos don't actually 'kiss' by rubbing noses

Eskimos don’t actually rub noses, the Expet writes. But Canadian Inuits, as well as New Zealand’s Maori people, do use their noses similarly to the way we use our lips: They sniff a loved one’s face hard enough to suction the skin between their nose and upper lip. Though there isn’t enough research to say whether this practice (or licking, sucking or blowing on a lover’s face) produces the same feel-good chemicals as kissing, “It’s fair to say that we’re doing them for same reasons,” the Expert says. “People seem to need to do [them] to connect with someone.”



8. We've been kissing for ages--literally

“The earliest literary evidence we have for kissing dates back 3,500 years to India’s Vedic Sanskrit texts, but given that we see so many similar behaviors in other species, humans have likely been connecting this way as long as we have been here on Earth,” the Expert says. Though there’s no way to say for sure why people do it, kissing may have evolved from the early human practice of pre-chewing food for babies, when moms would pass sustenance to their children with their lips. Pressure and stimulation of the lips releases feel-good hormones such as oxytocin, often called the love or bonding hormone, so we’re primed from infancy to enjoy the sensation, whether it’s from nursing or kissing, the Expert says.



9. Want to make your lips more alluring? wear red

There may be something to women trying to make their lips look like Angelina Jolie’s. A woman’s lips begin to thin with age as her estrogen levels decline, so full lips could signal fertility, the Expert writes. But too much plump could backfire: “If they get too big or out of sync with the rest of your face, there’s a chance of having the opposite effect.” To avoid turning off the very people you want to attract, the Expert suggests playing up your natural assets with bright, red lipstick -- the color is consistently rated the most alluring in research.



10. Kissing can be addictive -- at least initially

Ever kiss someone and can’t get enough? Chalk it up to dopamine. This feel-good brain chemical kicks into high gear during a kiss, making us elated and even obsessed with our partner. While that feeling is similar to addiction, dopamine is more abundant in the early stages of a relationship, and declines as the novelty of our partner wears off. But because dopamine is more plentiful when we’re with a new love, it may play a role in the addictive nature of adultery, the Expert says. “It can be part of the reason why some people stray: The novelty has such a big role in the feelings associated with [the affair],” she says.



11. How we smell matters

On a superficial level, our schnoz tells us whether we’re dealing with Pig Pen or Old Spice Man. But it’s also looking for clues about whether we’re kissing a potential baby-making match -- in the DNA department, opposites attract and our noses seem to discern genetic compatibility from a partner’s natural scent. “Hygiene is important for everyone because it’s the first indicator of whether this is worth pursuing or not,” the Expert says. “Beyond that, scent seems to be an unconscious way someone’s genetics and immunity are expressed.” If you are worried that you’re missing crucial info in your man’s haze of aftershave (or that you’re covering up your own with perfume), fear not, the Expert says: “If you spend enough time with someone, you’ll notice their natural scent over time.”



12. It's an essential ingredient for a long-lasting relationship

If you’re looking for longevity with your honey, make time for kissing. Regular lip-locks signify a healthy relationship and perpetuate affection and attachment, the Expert says. Oxytocin, the same hormone that makes us bond to a new love, also helps keep us attached. “Once the novelty wears off and romance wanes, it’s that commitment that keeps a couple together, it keeps that loving feeling alive,” the Expert  says. “Kissing is such a good way of stimulating oxytocin and can really do the trick.” Among long-term couples, kissing drops off over time, she adds, so make a point of including it your day.




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