If you and your partner have a New Years resolution to work on your sex life in 2024, a relationship and dating expert has issued some advice that has left readers staggered.
Apparently, you don't need to invest in the latest high-powered sex toy or purchase whips and chains to spice things up between the sheets.
No, according to fragrance expert Lee Howes, you only need to invest in incorporating a few sensual scents into your home to guarantee an upgraded romp in the hay.
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(Honestly, I cringed as much typing that sentence as you did reading it...)
Anyway, according to Lee - who is fragrance category lead at bath and body retailer Lush - there are seven arousing scents that can be used set the mood, also known as aphrodisiacs.
Either wearing these scents in your daily perfume/cologne or incorporating them into your home decor can boost your bedroom prowess for a long night of loving.
The first scent Lee mentions may be somewhat unknown to you. It is the ylang-ylang, a floral scent that is known for assisting with relaxation and sexual desire.
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In fact, over in Indonesia, newly-married couples often have their beds decorated with the petals of these gorgeous flowers when staying at hotels in order to promote sexual pleasure.
Lee told press: "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!"
Another scent allegedly guaranteed to drive your partner crazy whilst knocking boots will undoubtedly be familiar to readers: vanilla.
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Despite usually dubbed 'bland' in the worlds of cooking and ice-cream, the scent of vanilla can create a far from boring atmosphere in the bedroom.
"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," Lee explained.
"For a creamy vanilla blended with edible tonka, Vanillary can really hit the spot."
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Another scent commonly used to set the mood is sandalwood, being that is it said to be the perfect addition when pairing other fragrances together.
"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," Lee detailed.
"It can be woody, balsamic, warm, sweet or floral – either way, it will help you stand out."
Spearmint is also often underrated when it comes to making your partner tick, as the association with cleanliness can be a huge turn-on.
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Similarly, the smell of strawberries - and their commonplace association with chocolate - can correlate perfectly with a romantic occasion.
"[A strawberry] often representing Venus, the goddess of love, strawberries are juicy, fresh and entirely romantic," Lee explained.
Speaking of sweet treats, chocolate on its own can also turn a mundane evening of sleeping into a guaranteed sex fest.
"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," Lee suggested.
And on the subject of Valentine's-related scents, he also recommends a violet perfume, being that they're often associated with 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," he adds.
Topics: Sex and Relationships
Rhianna Benson