While at heart I like it rough and fast, the sex and relationship world has slowed down both in the bedroom and when it comes to dating, and admittedly I’m more here for it than I thought I would be.
The biggest sex and intimacy trends in 2026 are all about slowing down, dropping the endless digital swipe culture, and focusing on quality over quantity.
Experts and relationship reports (like those from Lovehoney and Superdrug) call this the era of "purposeful pleasure," where sex is less about performance and more about true presence and connection.
Thanks to Gen Z, we have seen the death of the one-night stand. As youngsters aren't drinking as much, they aren't making as risky moves. Back in my late teens and early twenties, it was all about going out, getting twatted, and fucking strangers. Now they approach meeting people very differently.
These days, they are asking for people’s phone numbers again, ditching Tinder, Snapchat, and even Instagram DMs, and exploring more old-fashioned methods.
I took the same approach when I started opening up to dating a few months ago. Instead of downloading dating apps, I took a look at my friends and thought to myself, “Who do I fancy that I love spending time with?”
It was then that me and my now boyfriend started to look at each other in a romantic light after three years of a close and happy friendship.
Another dating trend this year is having “slow sex”. Slow sex is a mindful and deliberate way of making love. It focuses on the journey of physical touch and emotional closeness rather than rushing to reach an orgasm. Think of it like slow food or fine dining compared to a quick fast-food meal.
Now, I like fine dining, so taking my sex life down a more romantic route has been quite thrilling.
These days, there is more eye contact in the sex I’m having; kissing is endless (thankfully, he enjoys it and sees it as a turn-on as much as I do), and the pacing is more relaxed.
Also, this year we have seen more emotional foreplay in the world of sex, where feeling safe, setting clear boundaries, and communicating desires openly are now considered the ultimate turn-ons.
I’m often communicating my desires with my partner, not because he isn’t ticking them off for me, but because the relationship is brand new and I have many, many kinks and fetishes. It’s been exciting having the conversations because they often lead to sex, and very good sex.
Speaking of good sex, the tech world is stepping into the world of sex more and more as the days go by.
Smart sex toys are now a thing. Sex toys are becoming artful, lifestyle-friendly pieces, with some newer tech utilising AI to learn individual preferences and vibration patterns.
I have a few of these toys, and they are truly mind-blowing and an AI trend I’m not willing to give up. Do they replace my partner? Not even slightly, but when he’s not around, they do the job pretty well.
On the topic of AI, it is entering the dating sector at an alarming rate. Youngsters are now using AI chatbots for relationship and sex advice, with many questioning whether this is good or bad.
Personally, I don’t see the harm or the difference from Googling advice - which we have done for decades now. Before that, we went to libraries for self-help books, so as long as the chatbot states clearly that it can get information wrong and is not real, I don’t see the harm in seeking advice; just don’t look at it for wisdom.
I would love to know what dating and sex trends you are loving; let me know on Instagram @sophblackman.
Written by VavaViolet Magazine's Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Sophie Blackman
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