An emoji expert has explained what the peach, aubergine and water droplet emojis really mean - and which ones you should avoid when flirting, as they come off "too strong". Editor-in-chief of Emojipedia Keith Broni, says there are certain emojis people should and shouldn't be using when messaging a love interest.
The expert says that while emojis can be used to "inject a sense of playfulness" with flirtatious banter, the red love heart, eggplant and smiley devil face are best avoided. He also warns of using the likes of the eggplant, peach and water droplet emojis too early on in a potential relationship as they may come off too strong - since they have developed sexual connotations.
Keith claims people should also avoid using the fire emoji, anything with red hearts and the disembodied tongue during the initial stages of dating. "Many emojis now have euphemistic meanings. The eggplant and peach are a no go. As are the water droplets." He said.
"The red heart - I would warn against. It can come off strong. The smiley devil face is a little inappropriate and naughty. It's sexually charged. It can come off OTT. Avoid anything overly explicit. Emojis are used alongside words. If you wouldn't put the request in words, you shouldn’t encapsulate it in emojis.”
The editor-in-chief said emojis are popular on dating app profiles, many people using them in their bios to express their hobbies and interests. But he warns to be careful with the emojis chosen due to how they might come across to a potential date.
He said: "People use them to try and ensure that tone of the message is conveyed. The winking face is used when people want to be playful and coy. You should treat emojis in the same you would if chatting to a friend."
The 33-year-old tech whiz adds that the wink and tongue face emoji, plus the disembodied tongue, are "off limits". He explains: "Avoid the wink with tongue out. It can be a little OTT. Avoid the fire emoji - it's used as a compliment but it's very explicit."
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Keith also argued replying with just an emoji can shows the extent you are willing to respond and can be "a stopper" in a conversation. "You're saying this is the extent of the response you're going to get from me." He said. "A single emoji reply can be a conversation stopper."
The emoji etiquette expert said the poo emoji and laughing face are in popular use on dating apps, but warns against an excessive use of emojis: "If you use too many that can be seen as childish. You don't need to punctuate every sentence with an emoji."
Keith said it's appropriate to use emojis with sexual connotations when you are comfortable with someone and in a relationship. "When a relationship is cemented it's safer to use the sexual emojis," he added.
