Tag: Valentine’s Day

A soft pink background sets the stage for this layered erotic lit perfumes collage. The base layer features a subtly blurred photograph of an elegant silver tray with curved, ornamental handles extending outward on both sides. The tray rests on a neutral-toned surface, holding an oval-shaped perfume bottle labeled “Les Cahiers Secrets”, with a gold spherical cap. Surrounding the bottle are scattered yellow flower petals, adding a delicate, natural touch. Superimposed on this background are five distinct perfume bottles, each slightly transparent, creating a dreamy, layered effect. These bottles are arranged in a balanced composition: 1. Far left: A rectangular glass bottle labeled “Delta of Venus” (Eris), with a black cap and a pale, translucent liquid inside. 2. Slightly left of center: A vintage-inspired bottle with vertical ridges, a golden cap, and a black velvet bow at the neck. The label reads “Marissa Zappas”. 3. Center: The original bottle from the tray, “Les Cahiers Secrets,” remains clearly visible, reinforcing its role as the focal point. 4. Slightly right of center: Another tall rectangular bottle labeled “Belle de Jour” (Eris), with a black cap and golden liquid. 5. Far right: A modern, minimalist square bottle labeled “Nishane”, featuring a gold cap and a warm amber-hued perfume. The semi-transparent effect of the superimposed bottles gives the impression of a layered memory, a sensual haze, or a soft-focus dream—an aesthetic that evokes elegance, nostalgia, and a sense of intimate luxury. The pink background adds a warm, romantic, and slightly playful touch, while the metallic accents from the tray and perfume caps create a subtle contrast.

“Erotic Literature Hits the Bottle” * Nonfiction * Beatriz Zimmermann

aromatica poetica February 12, 2025

You always remember your first erotic book. That deep unexpected stirring that comes from mere words suddenly pulsating on the page. It’s safe to say D.H. Lawrence’s long-banned Lady Chatterley’s Lover inspired a whole generation of lady of the manor fantasies while taboo tales like The Story of O and Venus in Furs swerved into a decidedly S&M space, immediately taking their place as classics for the whipped-into-a-frenzy crowd. Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying (recently feted for its 50th anniversary) …

Photo of “Venus of the Rags” by Michelangelo Pistoletto that shows a marble statue of a naked woman on a pedestal moving into a huge pile of rags. For this piece, Catherine asks us to imagine Venus is in search of an item marked with her lover's animalic scent.

The Olfactory Report 2: Armpits, Ribaldry, and Animalic Perfumes for Your Valentine, too! * Catherine Haley Epstein

aromatica poetica February 10, 2021

Filthy, Stinky, Sexy Sex hormones come out of our armpits. These apocrine sweat glands do what is called emotional sweating. These hormones affect our behavior and physiology. We know the armpit sex hormone begins after puberty (when we actually begin to emit a smell from our armpits), and they are also located in the areola and nipples of the breast, ear canal, eyelids, wings of the nostril, perianal region, and some parts of the external genitalia. All, one could argue, are erogenous zones. I’ve also written recently about …