Aphrodisiac essential oils can make a romantic evening with that special someone even more enjoyable. They work by relaxing the mind and alleviating any discomfort you may be experiencing. They aren’t like medications that people take to stimulate arousal.
Essential oils are more subtle and long-lasting. Using them regularly will keep the romance going night after night, rather than just a few hours. Aphrodisiac essential oil also will not cause arousal in people who are not really interested. They just make it easier for romantic partners to get in the mood.
1. Ajowan or Ajwain Seed Essential Oil
Ajowan seed essential oil (Trachyspermum ammi or T. copticum), also called ajwain seed oil or carom seed oil, alleviates impotence, increases your sex drive and can help prevent premature ejaculation. This aphrodisiac oil works by stimulating hormone secretion and enhancing blood circulation.
Ajowan is also an excellent pain reliever and is great for treating arthritis, gout and headaches. If your sex life is curtailed due to one of these painful conditions or achy, sore muscles, ajowan can eliminate that uncomfortable distraction. Blend 1 drop of ajowan seed essential oil into 1 teaspoon of your favorite carrier oil.
Massage the blend into the lower abdomen, lower back and inner thighs about 1 hour before you plan to be with your partner. Ajowan seed oil has a spicy, herbaceous fragrance. Keep in mind that ajowan seed oil can lower your sperm count. If you are trying to conceive, you should use a different aphrodisiac oil.
2. Black Pepper Essential Oil
Black pepper essential oil (Piper nigrum) improves circulation, alleviates fatigue, relieves nerve pain, reduces anxiety and relieves muscle aches and pains. Blend 1 to 2 drops of black pepper essential oil into 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.
Massage the blend into the abdomen, lower back and inner thighs. Black pepper EO also lowers blood pressure so, if you already have low blood pressure or are on medication for high blood pressure, talk to your doctor before using this oil. You don’t want to lower your blood pressure too much.
3. Cardamom Essential Oil
Cardamom essential oil (Elettaria cardamomum) relieves muscle and joint pain, alleviates exhaustion, gets rid of headaches and calms nervousness. Cardamom EO is also very warming. Blend 1 to 2 drops of cardamom EO into a carrier oil and massage it into your lower back or abdomen. You can also massage it into your chest to increase arousal. It has a wonderful, spicy fragrance.
4. Cinnamon Essential Oil
Cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum or C. verum) improves blood circulation, elevates your mood, gets rid of pesky headaches and reduces inflammation. You can mix 1 to 2 drops of cinnamon EO into a teaspoon of honey and take it orally.
Talk to your doctor before ingesting cinnamon oil if you are on an anticoagulant or antidepressant, have liver or kidney disease, are pregnant, have a peptic ulcer or hemophilia or plan to have surgery in the near future or just had surgery. It can be applied topically, but you want to be careful not to use too much. It can be irritating to the skin.
If you want to use it topically, blend 1 drop of cinnamon leaf oil into 2 teaspoons of carrier oil and apply it to the lower back and abdomen. Cinnamon bark oil should be diluted at the rate of 1 drop of EO per 4 tablespoons or 2 ounces of carrier oil.
Cinnamon oil can be diffused while you enjoy a romantic dinner with your partner, but you should blend it with other oils first. Cinnamon oil can irritate the airways and mucous membranes. Try adding 1 to 2 drops of cinnamon oil to your diffuser with 3 to 4 drops of frankincense, a citrus oil or ylang ylang.
5. Clary Sage Essential Oil
Clary sage essential oil (Salvia sclarea) is also known as muscatel oil. It works as an aphrodisiac by balancing hormone production, reducing cortisol levels, relieving pain of all types, including nerve pain, reducing nervousness, anxiety and depression and improving circulation. Clary Sage is especially good for post-menopausal women.
This essential oil is extremely mild and can be used safely at a very strong dilution rate. A 2% dilution rate should be plenty strong enough, though. That is 2 drops of clary sage EO per teaspoon of carrier oil. Massage the blend into the abdomen, lower back and inner thighs. Add 4 to 5 drops of clary sage essential oil to your diffuser and run it while you enjoy a candlelight dinner with your partner, too.
6. Clove Essential Oil
Clove or clove bud essential oil (Syzygium aromaticum syn. Eugenia aromatic) boosts the libido, alleviates stress and fatigue, gets rid of headaches, improves blood circulation and warms the body. Clove essential oil can also prevent premature ejaculation.
Massage a 1% clove essential oil/carrier oil blend into your lower back, abdomen, neck and shoulders. You can enjoy a little clove oil aromatherapy for this benefit, too, by adding 2 to 3 drops of clove oil to your diffuser.
7. Coriander Essential Oil
Coriander essential oil (Coriandrum sativum) improves blood circulation, alleviates pain, including nerve pain, dispels depression and eliminates fatigue. Massage a 2% to 3% coriander EO/carrier oil blend into your lower back, abdomen and inner thighs an hour or two before you plan to get together with your partner.
Coriander EO aromatherapy is also useful for boosting the libido. Simply add 2 to 4 drops of coriander oil to your diffuser and run it while you enjoy a romantic dinner.
8. Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger essential oil (Zingiber officinale) is another warming oil that is also an aphrodisiac essential oil. It strengthens the libido, alleviates pain, reduces inflammation, relieves muscle spasms, calms anxiety and stress and even raises your confidence level.
Massage a 1% to 3% ginger essential oil/carrier oil blend into your lower back, abdomen or feet to get in the mood. You can also add a few drops of ginger EO to your diffuser for some aphrodisiac aromatherapy.
9. Helichrysum Gymnocephalum
Helichrysum gymnocephalum, also called helichrysum rambiazina, is a good aphrodisiac essential oil. Helichrysum italicum essential oil, also known as Immortelle, is not aphrodisiac. Helichrysum gymnocephalum is an energizing, stimulating aphrodisiac essential oil that alleviates pain, inflammation and fatigue.
Massage a 2% to 3% helichrysum EO/carrier oil blend into your abdomen, inner thighs and lower back an hour or two before you plan to get together with your partner. Helichrysum aromatherapy is also great for boosting your libido. You could also give your partner an invigorating yet relaxing back massage with the helichrysum/carrier oil blend while enjoying aromatherapy.
10. Jasmine Essential Oil
Jasmine essential oil (Jasminum grandiflora syn. J. officinale) is an amazing aphrodisiac oil with an intoxicating floral fragrance. It helps boost the libido through its fragrance alone but also alleviates pain, sore muscles, depression and stress.
Add a few drops of jasmine EO to your diffuser and enjoy some aromatherapy while having a romantic dinner with your partner. You can also massage a jasmine oil/carrier oil blend into your abdomen, back and inner thighs and give your partner a relaxing massage. Jasmine essential oil is not a true essential oil.
It is sold as jasmine absolute or in a blend that is already mixed with carrier oil. If you buy jasmine absolute, the maximum recommended dilution rate is 0.7% for topical application. A dilution rate of 1 drop per tablespoon of carrier oil would probably be plenty strong enough to enhance your libido.
11. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli essential oil (Citrus aurantium var. amara syn. C. bigardia and C. vulgaris) is another aphrodisiac essential oil with an intense floral fragrance. It relieves pain, including nerve pain, alleviates headaches, calms anxiety, reduces stress, reduces cortisol levels and eliminates depression.
Apply a 1% to 3% neroli essential oil/carrier oil blend into your inner thighs, lower back, abdominal area and chest. You can also diffuse neroli EO for a little romantic aromatherapy. Neroli oil is very sedative, so use a 1% blend and just 1 to 2 drops of oil in your diffuser until you find out how it affects you. Falling asleep on your partner after you’ve made plans for a romantic evening would be rather disappointing.
12. Palmarosa Essential Oil
Palmarosa essential oil (Cymbopogon martinii), also known as Indian geranium oil and palma rosa, has a light, rose-type yet somewhat herbaceous fragrance. It is a great aphrodisiac oil because it alleviates nervousness, stress, exhaustion, and malaise. Enjoy a little palmarosa aromatherapy or apply a 1% palmarosa/carrier oil blend to your abdomen, lower back and inner thighs.
13. Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli essential oil (Pogostemon cablin) is a great aphrodisiac essential oil with a very sensual fragrance that men usually like. It reduces anxiety, alleviates lethargy and depression, reduces inflammation and actually enhances hormone production.
Try using a 1% to 2% patchouli EO/carrier oil blend as a massage oil. Apply it to your lower back, abdomen and thighs as well as your partner’s back. It can also be diffused, although it tends to be a little too thick to diffuse it alone. One of my favorite aromatherapy blends is 4 drops each of clary sage EO and patchouli EO and 2 drops of carrot seed EO.
14. Rose Essential Oil
Rose essential oil (Rosa damascene) as a great aphrodisiac oil with a romantic floral fragrance. It boosts the libido by reducing depression, stress, nervous tension and depression. It also improves circulation, lowers high blood pressure and actually balances hormone levels.
If you use rose otto, which is steam distilled from the rose petals, dilute it at a rate of 1 drop per tablespoon of carrier oil. Maximum recommended dilution rate is .6%. Rose absolute can be diluted to as much as 2.5% or 5 drops per 2 teaspoons of carrier oil.
15. Rosewood Essential Oil
Rosewood essential oil (Aniba rosaeodora) is a good aphrodisiac oil with a woody-floral fragrance. It is recommended for treating frigidity and impotence as well as alleviating headaches, depression and pain. Practice rosewood aromatherapy or use a 1% to 5% rosewood EO/carrier oil blend as a massage oil.
16. Valerian Essential Oil
Valerian essential oil (Valeriana officinalis or V. wallichii) is an effective aphrodisiac essential oil but most people don’t like its fragrance. It has a musky smell that some people have compared to dirty socks. It is also an extremely sedative essential oil, so use it sparingly to avoid falling asleep.
It raises the libido by reducing anxiety, stress, high blood pressure and depression. It also alleviates pain, muscle spasms, arthritis and even migraines. You can use it topically. Try mixing 1 to 3 drops of valerian EO into 1 teaspoon of carrier oil and massaging a few drops of that into your feet.
You can also diffuse it but it is a very thick oil. Try adding 1 drop of valerian EO to your diffuser with 3 drops of neroli and 4 drops of may chang. You could also blend it with a few drops of lavender or mandarin.
17. Vetiver Essential Oil
Vetiver essential oil (Vetiveria zizanioides syn. Andropogon muricatus), also called khus or ruh khus, is another aphrodisiac oil that has an unpleasant fragrance, according to some people. It does boost the libido, though, and alleviates anxiety, arthritis, tension, insomnia and poor circulation. Vetiver is also a very thick oil that needs to be blended with thinner oils for diffusing.
If you want to diffuse vetiver, try blending 3 drops of it with 3 drops of clary sage and ylang ylang then adding 5 to 6 drops of the blend to your diffuser. Vetiver can be used in a massage oil, too. Try blending 2 to 3 drops of vetiver, clary sage and ylang ylang per teaspoon of carrier oil.
18. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Ylang ylang essential oil (Cananga odorata var. genuina syn. Unona odorantissimum) is an excellent floral aphrodisiac essential oil. This essential oil is actually used in Chanel No. 5 perfume. It has a calming effect that relieves anxiety, soothes tension and nervousness and alleviates frigidity and impotence.
Ylang Ylang also lowers high blood pressure, improves blood circulation, relieves pain, including nerve pain, alleviates muscle spasms and reduces inflammation. Add a few drops to your diffuser for some relaxing, romantic aromatherapy. You can mix 1 drop of ylang ylang into 2 teaspoons of carrier oil and use it as a massage oil, too.
Was this list helpful to you? A sensual massage with essential oils is always a great way to relax and get in the mood, but, if you use one of these oils, things are sure to heat up. Any of them can be used in aromatherapy, too. Just be careful with the sedative oils.
Please leave a comment to let me know if this list is helpful and share your own experiences with aphrodisiac essential oils. Let me know if you’ve found a certain oil or blend that really helps set the mood. Be sure to share, too, so that others can learn about these great aphrodisiac oils.
References:
1. AromaWeb: Aromatherapy and Aphrodisiacs
2. Hopewell Essential Oils: Cinnamon Bark
3. Hopewell Essential Oils: Cinnamon Leaf
4. Quinessence: Aromatherapy Lifestyle: Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
5. Hopewell Essential Oil: Jasmine Absolute
6. Hopewell Essential Oil: Rose Otto