From mom’s apple pie (does anyone’s mom really bake apple pie anymore?) to your ex-boyfriend’s cologne, smells conjure up powerful memories. That’s because they are the only sense that directly connects to the hippocampus, the part of the brain that stores emotional memories.

But they can also work as amazing natural aphrodisiacs. Certain scents—perhaps that ex-boyfriend’s cologne—are “personal” aphrodisiacs, triggering memories that make you amorous.

Have fond memories of doing it on the beach? Then the tropical scent of suntan lotion might get you going. For me, rum and coke usually does it—and I don’t even have to have a drink! I just have fond memories of nights spent sipping this sweet and pungent drink.

However, other smells seem to work as aphrodisiacs regardless of your personal associations. Rose and patchouli (not necessarily together), for instance, have been shown to be aphrodisiacs for men and women. I can vouch for the patchouli, and it’s rare if hubby brings me flowers and doesn’t “get some” that night.

In a clinical study, psychiatrist Alan Hirsch, author of Scentsational Sex and neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation in Chicago, discovered that the combination of pumpkin pie and lavender scents help rev up a man’s libido, while the smell of cucumbers and, oddly, Good and Plenty candies (think licorice) work for many women. So that explains Bath & Bodyworks men’s line in cucumber melon—I had always wondered about that!

The scent of strawberries, too, a food long-noted for its aphrodisiac properties, can help create a mood of romance.

In this post, we explored whether aphrodisiacs actually work and, according to several studies, few actually do. So we’re back to the mental and emotional effects of certain scents, and the way they trigger positive, possibly kinky, memories. In  fact, because of the positive associations and the strong emotional memories evoked by scents, smells may be the most powerful aphrodisiacs available.

Whether you seek your favorite smells in the form of candles, massage oils, or condoms, why not employ another powerful sex organ, your nose, in the bedroom tonight?

Here is a list of some scents recommended for having aphrodisiac properties:

Rose
Strawberry
Vanilla
Pumpkin Pie
Cinnamon
Buttered Popcorn (movie night, anyone?)
Jasmine
Patchouli
Chocolate
Lavender (do not use if pregnant)
Cucumber
Ginger
Licorice
Sandalwood