I’m a fragrance expert — these 7 aphrodisiac scents can boost your sex life

Seven sinful scents. With Valentine’s Day getting closer, many people wonder how to amp up romance and intimacy for the lovey dovey holiday. Fragrance expert Lee Howes, a fragrance category lead at Lush, told the Daily Star that it’s as simple as taking a whiff, revealing the seven arousing scents that can set the mood.

Wearing aphrodisiac fragrances can boost your sensual prowess for a long night of wild romance or tender kisses, depending on your chosen scent. The floral scent known as ylang ylang is known to help with relaxation and sexual desire. In Indonesia, newlywed couples can often find their beds decorated in ylang ylang petals to encourage sexual pleasure.

“This powerful fragrance is at the heart of our Sex Bomb range – jump in the tub with the bestselling bath bomb, spritz the body spray and treat your partner to a massage with the massage oil bar for a trio of sultry seduction!” gushed Howes. Although vanilla is typically associated with being bland, the scent of warm vanilla in a bedroom makes things far from boring but very spicy instead.

“Gourmand scents sometimes make us want to cuddle up and get a bit closer, so a vanilla fragrance can be an enticing thing to smell on a partner,” he added. The lingering smell of vanilla is a foreplay for what’s to come next. “For a creamy vanilla blended with edible tonka, Vanillary can really hit the spot,” Howes said.

Another scent Howes encourages people to use is sandalwood because it pairs well with other fragrances. “Sandalwood is a much sought after fragrance material, forming a beautiful base to many fragrances, due to its ability to shift and change depending on the materials it’s paired with,” Howes shared.

“It can be woody, balsamic, warm, sweet or floral – either way, it will help you stand out.” Howes advised that spearmint can make you smell minty, fresh and clean, which is an easy turn on for lovers. “This may seem like an unlikely one, but spearmint could definitely be considered a modern, if unexpected, aphrodisiac! It’s all about smelling fresh, clean and good to go.” The scent signifies to your partner that even though you smell clean you’re ready to get down and dirty.

Strawberries often correlate with a romantic occasion, particularly when exchanging a juicy bite from a chocolate covered strawberry. “[A strawberry] often representing Venus, the goddess of love, strawberries are juicy, fresh and entirely romantic,” Lee explained. Another way to incorporate strawberries into your sex life is by using the scent in your bedroom, whether it’s as a home fragrance or candle melt.

Howes recommends that if you want an alternative to a rose scent, consider a violet perfume. “Violets are often linked to the month of February, making them a perfect match up on Valentine’s Day with a fresh, green profile that can make a nice contrast to typical, blousy, flowery fragrances,” the Lush expert said.

Nothing is more romantic than chocolate, so why not include the smell in your moment of passion? “Synonymous with Valentine’s Day, chocolate can feel luxurious, rich, decadent and warm. A faint aroma of warm chocolate on the skin is extremely inviting, drawing your loved one in,” Howes admired..