Happy Orgasm Day to all who celebrate. In honour of the most important day of the year, we’re giving you the rundown of our favourite kinds of orgasms, and our best recs for how to have them. Plus, we’ll tell you about the orgasm you should never have. In no particular order, here are the ‘gasms we’re giving top points to.
First thing first: what is an orgasm?
Orgasms are a blissful few moments when your body releases built-up sexual tension and pressure. Characterised by intense pleasure, and, if we’re being science-y about it, a series of muscle contractions and hormone surges, that result in waves of pleasure. Basically, it’s the feel-great moment after a build-up of feel-good actions.
Clitoral Orgasm
We refer to this one as The OG. Tragically, none of our high school boyfriends ever got to see one in action. But with around 10,000 nerve endings solely dedicated to pleasure, the clitoris isn’t fussy—it loves fingers, mouths, and toys alike. Reaching a clitoral orgasm is just about finding what works for you.
Our recommendation:
Empress 2 Clitoral Vacuum Stimulator
Vaginal Orgasm
Also known as a G-Spot orgasm, and often referred to as a myth (hiss, boo), this orgasm is all about that internal magic. The vaginal orgasm is much more elusive than its clitoral counterpart, with between 70%-90% of people with vaginas unable to achieve orgasm with penetration alone. But who’s to say you’re not one of the lucky ones?
Our recommendation:
Blended Orgasm
If both the clitoral and vaginal orgasm sound like a good time, we’d like you to meet the blended orgasm. A blended orgasm is when you achieve different types of orgasms at the same time. It requires dual attention, with multiple areas of the body being stimulated at once. It’s an experience that’s twice as nice—and world-shatteringly intense, in the best way possible.
The term ‘blended orgasm’ is commonly associated with “female” orgasms, describing when clitoral and penetrative orgasms coincide. But it may also be possible to achieve intense blended orgasms by combining penile and prostate orgasms. We say “may”, because it’s super underresearched—but there are lots of self-reported occurrences that give us hope!
Our recommendation:
Muse Rabbit Vibrator
Penile Orgasm
A classic for a reason, the penile orgasm is all about stimulating the penis until you reach climax. Whilst it might sound straightforward, there’s always room for experimentation. You’re probably familiar with such means as your right hand, someone else's hand, and someone else's mouth. But now there’s a huge range of penis-focused toys ready to make your handjob anything but routine—from strokers and masturbators, to cock rings or the Dune popcorn bucket. No judgement.
Our recommendation:
Prostate Orgasm
You know in movies when they have that jokey sex scene where someone sticks a pinky in and the receiver loses their mind immediately? That’s a P-Spot orgasm. Ta-da! The prostate, also called the P-Spot, is a bundle of nerves similar to the G-Spot, but exclusively for people with penises. Located just below the bladder and about 3 inches inside the bum, these are not your run-of-the-mill orgasms. Often described as fuller and more deeply satisfying, they require either specially designed toys or some clever fingers. Either way—don’t forget the lube!
Our recommendation:
Anal Orgasm
For the adventurous souls out there, anal orgasms are simply peachy (read: life-changing).
The anus is packed with nerve endings just waiting to be explored, although it can require some maintenance work before getting down to business. We recommend showering first, starting slow, and using lots of lube. You may even want to pre-plan and begin playing with plugs before you take the big dive. Getting your bum used to a little stretch can prepare your body for something bigger.
Our recommendation:
Heartbreaker Anal Training Set
Nipple Orgasm
Who knew nipples could be so powerful? Nipple orgasms are a real thing, and they’re proof that pleasure isn’t just confined to the genitals, thank you very much. Nipples have hundreds of nerve endings, and when stimulated, they set off fireworks in the genital sensory cortex (our fave part of the brain, obviously). With the right touch, or even a little help from nipple clamps or a cleverly used vibrator, this unique orgasm could be calling your name. Or vice versa.
Our recommendation:
Exercise Orgasm (AKA Coregasms)
Here’s the thing: they’re still researching exactly how and why these orgasms happen. But with 10% of people reporting it’s happened to them during exercise, we know they’re out there. They can be caused by any activity that engages the core muscles, like crunches or leg raises. If that’s not a reason to go to Pilates, we don’t know what is.
Coregasms are also called ‘expanded orgasms’, and tend to feel different to the gasping, shaking ‘gasm we know and love. Spreading through your lower belly and legs, they can feel incredibly intense, and often happen without the pulsating body contractions. The key tip for Coregasm havers: holding your belly button, and repetition.
Our recommendation:
Hanging leg raises, or an ab workout with boat pose.
Sleep Orgasms
Yep, “wet dreams” get a hit on our list—because adults get them too, despite their puberty-riddled associations. Sleep orgasms are spontaneous orgasms that occur, you guessed it, during sleep. They’re usually a result of a hot dream or unconscious stimulation. There isn’t really a way to try and have a sleep orgasm, but it’s a natural and healthy way for your body to relieve some tension whilst you dream.
Our recommendation:
Watch The Mummy (1999) before bed. There’s something/someone for everyone in that bad boy.
Tantric Orgasms
Ah, the slow-cooked meal of the orgasm world. Tantra isn’t just a sexual practice. It’s an Eastern philosophy that includes several spiritual concepts; an ancient Indian practice that dates back more than 5,000 years. Rooted in these ancient practices, tantric sex focuses on deep breathing, meditation, and an intimate energy exchange between partners. Sure, it’s not for everyone. But, if the aim is sexual, it’s used to stretch out the pleasure and make that final moment absolutely mind-blowing. Tantric lovers use it as a holistic way to connect physically and emotionally. Which sounds really nice, if you have the patience.
Our recommendation:
Know your partner deeply. Try the Connection Challenge Cards before dipping your toes into tantric together.
That rounds out our top 10 favourites, but as a treat, here’s an orgasm you should never EVER have.
Fake Orgasms.
We take our jobs are Orgasm Advocates very seriously here at VUSH. Faking it might seem like an easy way out when someone from Tinder has been rubbing your left flap for 15 minutes, but it does more harm than good. When you fake an orgasm, you’re denying yourself the pleasure you deserve, and you miss the opportunity to improve your sexual encounters.
If what your bed buddy is doing isn’t working, it’s essential to communicate, whether it’s a long-term partner or a one-night stand. It might feel awkward at first, but telling someone what you need, what you like, and what just isn’t doing it for you is simply advocating for yourself. Your satisfaction matters just as much as theirs does.
Our recommendation:
If you’re sleeping over, take a travel toy, or keep one charged and ready to party in your nightstand.
Happy orgasming!