Aphrodisiacs

What are aphrodisiacs?

An aphrodisiac is something associated with desire: a scent, a taste, a feeling of warmth on the skin or a ritual that helps you switch off and tune in. This covers a bit of everything: products you apply to the body during a massage, others that scent the room and food supplements you take. None of them replaces treatment if there is a problem with desire or erections; for that, the right step is to talk to a doctor. What they do well is give you an excuse to set aside time, touch and smell, which is a big part of what turns you on.

Types of aphrodisiacs

• Massage oils and gels: with fragrance notes such as jasmine or patchouli, or with extracts that create a warming sensation, like the paprika in Pjur Man Steel gel. You spread them over the skin and they turn a massage into foreplay.
• Oils and lotions with pheromones: there are versions for men and for women, and you use them like a body oil or a moisturiser.
• Stimulating creams: with a warming effect, a cooling effect or both alternating, for specific areas. The product page tells you where they can be applied.
• Drops: small bottles, many of them food supplements, taken at the dose given on the packaging.
• Capsules and food supplements: with plants such as moringa, guarana or muira puama, in versions for women and for men.
• Incense: sticks with pheromones and scents to perfume the bedroom before you start.
• Couples kits: boxes that combine several products, for example with chocolate, and that work well as a gift.

Aphrodisiac oils: scents for intimacy

Aphrodisiac oils combine a massage base with extracts of ylang-ylang, jasmine, sandalwood, rose, patchouli and other essences associated with desire for centuries. Their appeal is that they add scent to intimacy in a natural, evocative way: the smell stays on the skin and the sheets and accompanies the whole encounter.

If all you want is to glide your hands smoothly, without a particular scent, take a look at the massage oils. And if you would rather have something applied directly to specific areas, there are more options in erotic creams and powders.

Safety

Food supplements are not medicines, but they contain plants and stimulants such as guarana. Read the ingredients, do not exceed the dose on the packaging and check with your doctor first if you take medication, have blood pressure or heart problems, or are pregnant. With oils, do a patch test on a small area of skin before the first massage. Remember too that oil damages latex condoms: if you are going to use them, do not put oil where the condom will go, or choose latex-free condoms and check on the product page that they are compatible with oil, because not all of them are. Warming or cooling creams only where the product page says. And incense should always be in view and in a ventilated room.

How to choose

• How you use it: oil or lotion for the skin, incense for the room, drops or capsules to take. Decide this first.
• Scent: the product page tells you which essence it contains (ylang-ylang, jasmine, sandalwood…). If you do not like a smell in a perfume, you will not like it in a massage either.
• Effect on the skin: some gels and creams give warmth, cooling or both. If it is your first time, start with a neutral or gentle one.
• Ingredients: with food supplements, check the full list, the daily dose and whether it is intended for women or for men.
• Size: single-dose sachets and small bottles are good for trying out; go for 100 ml or more once you know you like the scent.

Aphrodisiacs: frequently asked questions

Do aphrodisiac oils really increase desire?

They may help indirectly: scents influence mood and relaxation, and that can support desire. There are studies suggesting that ylang-ylang and jasmine may have an effect on arousal. Even so, a massage with a scented oil, candles and time set aside is probably the most effective lead-in there is, and the oil is the excuse to take your time.

Do aphrodisiac drops and capsules work like an erection pill?

No. They are food supplements, not medicines, and they do not treat any problem with erections or desire. If that worries you, a doctor is the person who can help.

Can I put aphrodisiac essential oils directly on the skin?

Better not to. A pure essential oil is very concentrated; the easier option is to use a massage oil that already has it blended into the base.

Can I use an aphrodisiac oil as a lubricant?

Only if the product page says it is also a lubricant: there are a few gels here that work for both. Massage oils are for the skin, not for inside the vagina or anus. For penetration, use a lubricant, for example a water-based one.

Are there aphrodisiac oils for men?

Yes. There are massage oils with pheromones designed for men and gels with extracts that create a warming sensation. There are also food supplements for men, for example with muira puama.

What do the pheromones in these products do?

The manufacturer adds them aiming for an attraction effect. Treat them as part of the scent and the play, not as a guarantee that someone will feel attracted.

Do erotic incense sticks smell strong?

It depends on the scent and the size of the room. Light it a while beforehand, ventilate if it feels intense and do not leave it burning unattended.

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