He drew her close for a kiss, ran his fingers through her short afro. He’d always admired the way she insisted on wearing her natural locks, but the reason he refused to break away from her embrace was her smell. She smelled so nice. No way he was forgetting that moment soon, the blood rush – oh snap!

Pardon me if I took you back to some heated paragraph from those romantic novels we grew up on, but a good smell can be that powerful. The sense of smell is the most fascinating of all the senses. It’s not only linked to memory, but it also helps trigger emotions.

Could this be the reason we feel stimulated when our significant other is wearing a certain perfume or cologne, and the opposite when they do not smell quite right?

The human olfactory organs are directly connected to the limbic system – the portion of the brain that deals with three key tasks: emotions, memories and arousal, or should I say stimulation. When smells get routed through our olfactory bulb, they are processed by two main areas of the brain – the amygdala and hippocampus. The amygdala is the emotion center, and it also plays a role in sexual activity, libido, sex drive, etc.

Research has shown that smells can stimulate mood, reasoning and behaviour. How can you use the right smell to ‘ignite the ember in your love lives’? Some of my pointers will be for you to first, know the smells that make you happy, and surround yourself with this. Fragrance studies have shown vanilla, citrus, and jasmine are happy scents. A happy you will be more receptive to your lover’s advances.

Similarly, you should use scents that help you relax and reduce your anxiety. Also, wear perfumes and use scented body products that go well with your PH balance, if you want to smell nice all day. It is also important that these scented body products are applied properly.

Creating the right spark also includes knowing the smell your significant other likes. E.g., observe and see how he or she reacts when you step out of the shower when you use a certain shower gel – lemongrass and sea salt shower gel is a winner for me. And there are some perfumes that cannot be resisted, so note them as your game changers!

This write up will be incomplete without this: Creating the right ambiance is everything. The two key products for setting the mood for a seductive evening and an active sex life are: massage oils and scented candles. They are both perfect for romance.

The scented candles help you relax. The fire burns gently against the dark as you embrace and explore your partner. The scents from the massage oil will also help you relax when applied to ease off the strains on your muscles. I will stop here now. My next article will be on various fragrances and their effects. Until next time, let us know if some of the tips on here have been useful.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime