The aphrodisiac scent that worked on my husband… So which would yours fall for?

By William On May 21, 2023

Can a scent turn you on?

According to social media, the answer right now is yes, yes, yes!

So-called ‘pheromone’ perfumes are having a moment – pheromones are the chemical signals that elicit a physiological or behavioral response and often play a vital role in mate finding in animals.

The most popular online posts show how wives secretly film their husbands’ reaction to seemingly irresistible scents.

Interested in testing my husband’s olfactory responses, I chose five of the best aphrodisiac ingredients for perfumes, generously spat myself, lowered the lights, and put them to the test. . .

CASANOVA’S GO-TO

AMBER GREY

Guerlain Mitsouko (£120 for 75ml, johnlewis.com)

If you want to make yourself more attractive, try the classic perfumes, says Luca Turin, co-author of Perfumes: The Guide. However, he remains skeptical about the effect of pheromones on humans. He suggests Mitsouko, launched in 1919. “It contains ambergris – which makes perfume last longer – and smells fantastic.”

Ambergris is a waxy, stony secretion from the stomach of a sperm whale. The rare and expensive substance sometimes washes up on beaches. Casanova added it to chocolate to increase his love skills.

MY VERDICT: Phwoar. It’s very intoxicating – decadent and rich – but not sensual for me. It smells more like talcum powder.

HUSBAND VERDICT: Not very feminine. It might be nice in a candle, but it doesn’t put me in the mood for love.

SWEET BEAUTIFUL

INDIAN JASMINE

The Body Shop Wild Jasmine (£20 for 50ml, thebodyshop.com)

“You can feel the warmth and sensuality,” says Lorna McKay, founder of The Perfume Society. ‘Indian jasmine is different from European jasmine, which is fresher.’

In Asian traditions, jasmine is the “perfume of love,” with some species mimicking animal musk, a traditional aphrodisiac.

MY VERDICT: I love this unisex fragrance. I would be drawn to this like a moth to a flame. A little sultry. I can’t explain its attraction, but game on!

HUSBAND VERDICT: Smells like chemicals and is a bit spoiled. No thanks.

CARNAL MIX

TUBEROS

Bloom Profumo Di Fiori by Gucci (£65 for 30ml, selfridges.com)

In Victorian times, tuberose was considered so erotic that women were not allowed to smell it in case they got too excited. Lorna says: ‘Tuberose is known as ‘the carnal flower’. It’s sweet, exotic and complex.’

MY VERDICT: A touch of powerful tuberose, combined with jasmine, ylang ylang and sandalwood — three other aphrodisiac scents. I can see how this could work. Mature and chic.

HUSBAND VERDICT: Very flowery. Nice. I wanted to keep smelling it. I would like to welcome this in the bedroom.

PARIS FUN

MUSK

Absolute Aphrodisiac by Initio (£220 for 90ml, fenwick.co.uk)

Parisian courtesans in the 19th century wore sacks of musk, sourced from male deer, between their breasts, so revered was its love-inducing properties.

“Now it’s synthetically made,” says Lorna, “but it’s still a hypnotic, sometimes sweet, sometimes metallic mix of sweat, earth, and nuttiness, with a love-it-hate-it complexity.”

“Strangely enough, not everyone can smell musk.”

MY VERDICT: Sharp and initially sugary like cotton candy, but yes, also with something very sexy. I can imagine pairing this perfume with a little black dress and a negroni.

HUSBAND VERDICT: This smells like white chocolate. I like it. I’d like to poke into it sometime.

MOTHER IS THE WORD

SANDALWOOD

Noir (£30 for 30ml, thewhite company.com)

Isabelle Gelle, founder of The Perfumery Art School, says:. “Sandalwood is an aphrodisiac because it has a powdery, lactonic (milky) note, which is relaxing.”

One study found that sandalwood, when inhaled as an essential oil, increases pulse rate, skin sensitivity, and blood pressure — which sounds promising!

MY VERDICT: This fragrance also has notes of amber and mandarin. Woody, clean and soft bright, I would wear this day and night whether it got someone going or not.

HUSBAND VERDICT: It smells like my mother – I think she’s wearing this perfume. So I couldn’t comment.