Our sense of smell is one of the most closely connected to desire. Sure, looking at something beautiful can stimulate desire, but can anything get your heart aflutter, or your mouth watering, like a scent? It's a powerful aphrodisiac in its own right.

Scent is evocative. Not only are you smelling a particular scent in a given moment, you're calling up memories of ever other time you've smelled that, or something like it. And it's not just flowers and warm gingerbread that can call up simple desire - the most random odors, even strong bodily odors, can make you feel desirous in complex and even sexual ways, even if they aren't conventionally attractive scents. While the idea that human produced pheromones can trigger sexual desire is a largely unproven fallacy, there's no doubt about it that we are drawn to certain scents. That's the special thing—besides being intimately connected with your memories, scents can also reveal deeply personal preferences that you don't even know you have.

There are tons of fun ways to incorporate scent into your sex life. Believe us, a little scent and ritual can go a long, long way toward creating memories, with yourself or others, that can make your toes curl at the mere thought—or whiff!—months later. 

Read on for some of our fave ways to enjoy fragrance...

Oils

Pretty much everyone loves getting a massage, and it's one of the most generous ways you can display physical affection for a partner. Using a massage oil can not only improve the quality of the massage, making your movements smoother, but using a gently scented one can put you both in an even more relaxed and potentially sexy headspace.

Province Apothecary does it again with their aphrodisiac Lover's Oil, a blend of rose, cedar, jasmine, ylang-ylang and other luxe organic essential oils that will get your head spinning in a good way. For external use only, this massage oil is made with a light base of fractionated coconut oil that soaks easily into the skin, making it feel soft, supple and not greasy. If you're flying solo, try rubbing it into your feet—or anywhere, really!—for a relaxing self-massage.

If you're not into massage and still want to treat yourself, we can't recommend Momotaro enough. Their tonic is a soothing blend of Cedarwood, Oregon Grape and Goldenseal, and while it's meant to soothe vaginal irritation it can be applied anywhere on the body. We love putting a few drops into a warm bath for a luxurious soak :) 

Candles

Candles are going through a bit of a renaissance at the moment. Every single shop seems to carry an array of luxury bougies that cost upward of $60 apiece. We love candles in the bath and the bedroom, but who can afford to go through that many expensive candles, especially if you like wax play!?

We've created our own candles, specifically designed to get you in the mood. Night Cap's blend of smoky wood and leather is for cozying up by the fire for a hot night in. Roll in the Hay smells like making out in the grass on a sunny afternoon, after a big summer storm. Each candle is handpoured in Montreal and is free of any unwanted chemicals or paraben. 

Salve

Sometimes, after a steamy night with a partner (or yourself!), you can need a little aftercare. Applying a salve after sex is a great way to slow down, refresh yourself, and the process allows you to take time to reflect on the fun you've just had ;)

Momotaro's salve is designed to soothe vaginal irritation after sex, periods or exercise, but like the tonic, can be used all over the body. With Echinacea, Tea Tree, Goldenseal and Calendula, this salve is soothing and relieving no matter where you apply it! 

What are your favorite scents and ways to enjoy them? Let us know in the comments :~)

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