While most would consider either sight or touch as the sexiest sense, I say it’s all about smell. Afterall, as humans, we naturally secrete pheromones through our sweat that on a subliminal level can attract potential partners via scent. In fact, Bustle discovered one famous study that found participants rated the smell of the sweat of people ovulating to be sweeter and more attractive than those who weren’t ovulating. Hell, I once caught a whiff of a guy walking by who smelled so good that I had to ask what he was wearing — it was John Varvatos’ eponymous cologne, btw. So with scent and sex going hand in hand, especially around Valentine’s Day, it makes sense to spice up your perfume wardrobe if you have a hot date tonight!
And when it comes to sultry scents, I’m not talking about bouquets of fresh florals. When I’m in the mood for love, I tend to reach for notes that blend a bit of the masculine, like spicy and warm notes of cardamom, pepper, oud, and leather, with the feminine, like oriental notes of jasmine, honeysuckle, and citrus, to get the best of both worlds. But I’m always pleasantly surprised to find notes that blend together to make something mysterious, intriguing, and utterly irresistible. As such, I wanted to share a few of my favorite sultry scents that are sure to set the mood with just a spritz. And don’t worry if you can’t add to cart immediately, either. If you can’t get your hands on one of the bottles before your big date, swing by your local beauty counter on your way over for a sample spritz-down.
- Gucci Guilty, $34-$99
I’ll admit, you can blame my love of this sexy scent on Chris Evans. Seeing the soon-to-be Captain America alongside Evan Rachel Wood in the ads had me running to the beauty counter! I was instantly mesmerized by the spicy earthiness of the pink pepper and patchouli that cut through the warm sweetness of the mandarin, peach, and amber notes. The lilac and geranium kept the blend feeling fresh, like that first breath after a long and heated kiss. A spitz behind the ear and on the cleavage, and things are bound to get hot and heavy, especially when you take the lead.
- Illamasqua Freak, $35.36
It still breaks my heart that Illamasqua isn’t as widely available as it used to be in the U.S. The brand first drew me in with its avant-garde and anything-goes-it’s-art approach, and its amazing array of nail polish shades (and naughtiest names for them), but it was this fragrance that truly got me hooked. The fact that fleur fatales like opium flower, belladonna, poison hemlock, and queen of the night were mixed in with earthy notes frankincense, oud, and myrrh had me clamoring for a whiff of a perfume that smelled primal and preternatural at the same time, perfect for drawing in someone dark and mysterious. And every time I wore it on a night out, I always had someone sidling up next to me to tell me how amazing I smelled…so I need to get my hands on another bottle ASAP!
- Dior Hypnotic Poison, $80
This is one of my first “grown woman” perfumes I ever picked up. I was hypnotized by the musky base that was blurred by the saccharine spice of vanilla, cinnamon, and caraway spice — the preferred perfume of a femme fatale on the hunt with this old-school Lana del Rey track as her theme song. Though I was just a junior in college when I first started wearing it (and probably too young to wear it well if you asked my roommate from that year), it made me feel unstoppable every time I wore it out. And as I’m on the edge of 30, I think it might be time to start sporting it once again, preferably with a bombshell blowout and black liner.
- Elizabeth & James Nirvana Bourbon, $68-$110
I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth & James since I first smelled the first twin set of scents. While both smelled incredible, I was more drawn to Nirvana Black when they first hit shelves. A sultry blend of sweet and spicy, it gave me a love of the dark side of the brand ever since including this one inspired by the staple spirit. Its combination of oakwood and bourbon vanilla smells heady and intoxicating against the tuberose, like a shot of Maker’s Mark before working up the courage to go over and talk to the cutie at the other end of the bar.
- Le Labo Rose 31, $78.00–$265.00
Le Labo has been a beauty editor favorite for years, and none can compare to the iconic Rose 31. Though I’d heard so many good things about it, it took a stay at a four-star hotel during a work trip to finally get my first whiff. The scent put me on Cloud 9 as I poured precious drops of the luxury-perfumed body wash into the hotel’s deep bathtub and didn’t get out until well past my bedtime. I couldn’t get enough of the Grasse and centifolia rose at the heart that offered a fresh twist to the spicy scent but added a little bit of blush to appeal to anyone. And I still hung on to some of the other toiletries for whenever I want to feel extra fancy yet effortless.
- Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, $28-$118
Black Opium is legendary for its enticing sweet scent, making it the perfect perfume to spritz before a very romantic rendezvous or a night on the town with your inner circle. In fact, I scored a purse-sized sample (or five) at a party with a few friends, fêteing the fragrance a few years ago. The orange blossom and vanilla smelled as succulent as the mimosas and other fruity cocktails passed around the party as everyone posed for pictures, glasses and sometimes the glittery perfume bottles in hand. But once I started wearing it, I became addicted to the underlying aroma of cedarwood and patchouli that coaxes anyone to come in close for another sniff — that’s why it’s become my go-to first date fragrance.