How To Air Kiss

Air kisses are an excellent way to greet friends and acquaintances with a minimum of fuss or connection. This non-touching kiss is also helpful if you just applied lipstick and don’t want to smudge or leave a print. Follow these tips and you can air kiss just like the celebrities.

1. Know the situation and culture. Air kissing is appropriate in a few instances and you want to be sure before you get too familiar. Air kisses are for people you know on a personal level but not well enough to kiss on the cheek directly. Social events such as weddings, celebrity events or formal marketing events are the most common areas where air kissing is appropriate. Pay attention to the other guests or people at the party to see how boisterous the air kissing is. Some formal cultures will keep the air kissing quiet and subtle, while others will involve much jubilation when two friends meet.
2. Lean in. This is not a slow, romantic lean but a practical and quick lean. Watch for body language to make sure the other person is thinking along the same lines.
3. Lay your hands lightly on their arms or hands. This helps both parties be sure they are on the same page. If you lean in and lightly place your hand on the other person’s arm, they should know you are headed for an air kiss. If they pull away or dodge, you have misread the situation.
4. Place your cheek close. Depending upon your familiarity with the other person you may touch cheeks or just brush a few inches away.
5. Kiss the air. Pucker your lips and kiss the air to the side of the other person. Sound effects are optional at this point. If your air kiss is directed toward someone you really don’t like but have to feign interest in, a kissing sound may emphasize your disdain for the other party while with a good friend it can be a shared joke. Be sure you know the situation before adding sounds to your air kiss.
6. Smile and back away. Once you have kissed the air, lean back. Make sure you have a smile on your face. Air kisses are friendly and quick. If you aren’t smiling and lighthearted, you will confuse the other person.

Remember an air kiss is a quick hello. It may be a single air kiss on one side of the cheek or a double, depending upon how well you know the other party.