While Tinder is a great place for meeting romantic dates, sometimes you might want to use Tinder for the other side of the dating world: hooking up and meeting friends with benefits. 

And if this is what you want, there is no shame in that. Get it, girl! But how can you use your Tinder profile to show that hooking up is more your cup of tea? And more importantly, how can you stay safe while hooking up with total strangers you meet on Tinder? 

Read on to find out!

Why Tinder is Perfect for Hooking up

Tinder is the perfect app to use for hooking up, probably more so than finding a romantic partner, because it is predominantly based on physical attraction. You quickly scan someone’s photo and decide in one second if you’d like to f*ck them or not. 

Sorry to be blunt, but regardless of whether you’re looking for love or just casual sex, our initial attraction toward someone is usually based on this rule: whether you’d like to get a little closer to them. 

And as casual sex is most likely based on appearance more than getting to know someone’s character, this quick yes/no decision on looks is the perfect way to filter out the people you don’t find attractive, aka, the people you don’t want to f*ck. 

Call it shallow, but you probably already do this when you scan the room in a bar anyway. Be honest. Yes, you do …admit it.

Tinder is also ideal for hooking up because it doesn’t take long to register on the app, and you don’t have to answer hundreds of questions. You don’t even have to fill out your profile bio if you don’t want to. Compared to other apps and online dating sites where your profile has to be verified, etc, Tinder is pretty perfect for scratching your horny itch. Of course, let’s not forget about the communication on the app being based on instant messages. So if you’re looking for a casual hookup, Tinder is as casual as it gets.

How to Tailor Your Profile for Tinder Sex

With a Tinder profile, a lot of your potential casual date’s decision hangs on that primary photo. But some rare species do actually check out your bio too. So let’s talk about how you can tailor your profile to a hookup and not a romantic date. 

• Photos: Your photos don’t have to be any different from a profile looking for love. But perhaps choose photos that show you in a sexy light, not a ‘she’s so cute, I want to cuddle her fully clothed’ light. Choose photos that you think are hot, and you can’t go wrong.
• The Bio: You don’t have to write anything, but a one-liner is enough to make your potential hookup date hot under the collar. Say something flirty and suggestive with a winking emoji. And that’s enough. You can also just be straightforward and say that you are casual dating (casual dating being the PG term for ‘I’m only looking to hook up’). 

How to Have Safe Tinder Sex

Meeting a stranger for a date is risky enough but getting naked alone with a stranger is something else. To keep yourself safe, it’s a good idea not to just meet someone on the day you match. Talk to them for a few days and get to know them the best you can via an app. After this, suggest a video call so you can verify that the person you’re talking to is legit. 

And then when you do meet them, always meet a potential casual date in a public place first, such as a bar or café. If something is off when you meet them in real life, you still have the chance to leave without it being awkward and, most importantly, with witnesses. After this, if you find that you feel safe with this person, feel free to go home with them or take them back to yours. Despite how ‘normal’ you think someone is, you never know, so make sure you text at least one friend what you’re doing, where you’re going, and with whom. You could even choose a code word to text them if you get into a troublesome situation. 

Along with ‘Life or Death’ Safety, Remember your Sexual Safety

You might get carried away with how hot this dude is and how good his kissing skills are, but never lose sight of condoms. Never assume that they will have condoms. If you pack some in your purse, you will never be disappointed or have to risk your sexual health for a hookup date. And if a guy ever tries to peer pressure you into sex without a condom, get the hell outta there. The post-sex-without-a-condom regret is never fun, so do yourself a favor and protect yourself. 

Safe sex is great sex, after all!

Along with condoms, if you’re likely to be staying the night and you take the pill, make sure to pack it with you. It’s the worst having to leave a hot date because you left your pill pack at home. I’ve been there, and it suuucckkss.

Other Things to Consider Before Meeting Up with a Tinder Hookup:

Sex is a very individual thing, so it’s a good idea to find out what kind of sex your date likes. Asking each other what you like can be great online foreplay to build sexual chemistry, and it can easily turn into dirty talk and cybersex. Telling each other what you like and what you want to do to the other person builds sexual tension and arousal, so when you finally meet, it’s likely to be more explosive than if you just met within five minutes of matching with each other. 

The Climax… 

Tinder is the perfect app for meeting a casual hookup. Tinder gives you the opportunity to suss someone out and if you have chemistry with them. Chemistry is 50% of the sexual experience, so it’s key that you are able to find someone with whom you vibe. 

And with the whole premise of the app being based on looks, it’s no wonder that so many people actually use Tinder for casual sex than finding ‘the one’. 

Most people on the planet are genuinely good people. However, you never know who might be a bad egg. So be careful out there. Our main advice would be to keep ahead on your shoulders, tell a friend where you’re going and to have fun. You’re having sex, hurrah!