Use scent to boost your mood & love life

By Deborah Fulsang

Be strategic with your fragrance, say the experts. Perfume can make for profound multi-sensorial experiences—especially when it comes to Valentine’s Day activities. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

1. Focus on the fun. Get rid of stressors and get in the mood. Lavender and jasmine are known for their calming ability, says Jacqui MacNeill of Escents Aromatherapy in Vancouver.
   
2. Jumpstart your sex life with ylang-ylang. “Ylang-ylang is considered one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs,” MacNeill says. “It is known to increase libido, elevates sexual energy [and] is great for sexual experimentation.” 
3. Pooped? Look to citrus scents to help fuel home fires, says Toronto-based psychotherapist and relationship expert Kimberly Moffit.  “Citrus scents improve alertness.”
4. Stop and smell the flowers. You’re practising mindfulness with your sun salutations and dinner prep, why shouldn’t you do the same in the bedroom? Moffit’s advice: Scent your room, scent yourselves and really enjoy all of the dimensions of the multi-sensorial moment.
5. Condition your mate to a scent-sational experience. Scent is primal. It elicits a Pavlovian response, says Moffit. Make a habit of lighting a favourite candle before your bedroom dates and pretty soon, all that will be required to trigger a lovefest will be the scent of said candle burning
6. Have dessert. Better yet, make dessert. One study by the Smell and Taste Research Foundation in Chicago reported that foodie notes such as lavender, pumpkin pie, donuts and black licorice boost blood flow to the penis by nearly 40 percent. Yes, more reasons to love your sweets. 

   PHOTO: iSTOCKPHOTO/@BOB RANDALL