A professional sex-pert says we're getting foreplay all wrong -- and the key to happiness is renaming it 'before play' and broadening our definition of sex.

Sarah Riccio, 34, is a sex positive activist and professional sex toy tester who believes that we are all still getting things wrong when we think about sex.

Sarah, from New York, said: "Most still think of sex as just penis-in-vagina penetrative intercourse but the truth is that's just one specific example of sex -- there are so many ways to have sex."

She says one of the most common misconceptions is the idea of foreplay.

"Most adults don't actually know what foreplay is," she said.

"People think it's just mouth and hands before the 'real' sex, but that's actually 'coreplay.'

"True foreplay includes all the non-physical things you do to build arousal before physical play -- they should really call it 'beforeplay.'"

Sarah believes that if an activity can result in an orgasm, it should not be dismissed as mere 'foreplay'.

"If it can result in an orgasm, it's not foreplay -- it's coreplay.

"Foreplay shouldn't be considered a bonus part of sexual play, but an essential part of play that really sets the stage for a fulfilling experience," she said.

Sarah argues that part of this misunderstanding often leads to situations where people, particularly women, find themselves not fully in the mood when intercourse begins.

"They're not naturally lubricated, or penetration hurts, because their arousal hasn't been properly set up."

Sarah was originally a bed tester after spotting a Craigslist advert in 2018 but then transitioned into sex toy testing.

"Thankfully it was legit and that's where I developed my unsuspecting skills for product reviewing," she said.

It was while reviewing beds that Sarah met her future business partner Rose.

Two years later, in 2020, the pair both lost their jobs due to the pandemic and launched a sex toy website - Delicto - in summer 2021 which sells sex toys as well as providing advice and reviews on them.

Sarah said: "I thought the only thing I loved more than sleep was sex - so that's where we headed."

She encourages everyone to open their minds to broader definitions of sex and to engage in conversations that are less shrouded in shame.

Sarah said: "I wish we, as a collective, would feel less shame about talking about sex, whether with ourselves or with each other."

"Most of us are going to experience it in our lifetime, so why all the shame?"

Porn is another area where Sarah has views on.

"Lots of people think porn is bad, no matter what, but in the last decade, the industry has made some great strides," she said.

She highlighted the rise of so-called 'ethical porn', where sex workers and performers start their own businesses, rather than as part of big porn websites.

For Sarah, platforms like OnlyFans have been good for sex positivity.

"It's kind of like the farmers market of porn where young people can learn about kink or anatomy in a healthy, positive way," she said.

On the other hand, she believes mainstream porn often perpetuates harmful ideas about consent, anatomy, and pleasure.

Sarah said: "A lot of women and people with vulvas are convinced that if they don't have tiny labia, something is wrong with them.

While she also says the industry perpetuates the orgasm gap - where the man's orgasm is prioritised over women's.

In her line of work, Sarah provides comprehensive reviews of all the latest sex toys - and has personally tested over 150 different sex toys.

She said: "We provide sex education, and tips and tutorials on how to use them.

"When the business first launched, we had our ups and downs, and one point we thought should we just go back to work for the man?