# "Baby powder is the most potent aphrodisiac for women..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788 "2008-11-08T10:49:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/1 "2008-11-08T10:49:22Z")
I’ve seen this as comment on the web but I can’t find the source. Does anyone have the original source for this assertion? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/2 "2008-11-08T11:22:39Z")
Can’t say as I have but I would like to not that I absolutely DETEST the smell of baby _anything_ powder,baby wipes … It makes me want to hurk up. Nasty ass smell. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/3 "2008-11-08T15:09:47Z")
I’m guessing this assertion was made by someone who decided that baby powder smell = thinking of baby = subconsciously getting body in the mood for baby makin’ = horny. Of course, seeing as I have absolutely no desire to have babies, the smell of baby powder is pretty much an anti-aphrodisiac as far as I’m concerned. The LAST thing I want to think of when I’m in the mood is baby smell. Hurk. (Now cinnamon bun smell? That’s hot.) ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/4 "2008-11-08T15:09:57Z")
I’m with **aruvqan**. The smell of baby powder makes me think of diapers. Adult women who wear baby-powder scented products smell, to me, like they are wearing diapers. Ugh. I hate the smell. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/5 "2008-11-08T16:11:43Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > (Now cinnamon bun smell? That’s hot.) Hm, now I’m considering rubbing Saigon cinnamon oil on my neck to attract chicks. (no not really! Don’t try this at home kids!) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Wing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@Little\_Wing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Wing)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/6 "2008-11-08T17:10:23Z")
I can’t stand the smell of baby powder either and will go out of my way to avoid the baby aisles in stores. Gak. Sorry, that really doesn’t help answer the op’s question. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/7 "2008-11-08T17:11:10Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > I’m guessing this assertion was made by someone who decided that baby powder smell = thinking of baby = subconsciously getting body in the mood for baby makin’ = horny. > > Of course, seeing as I have absolutely no desire to have babies, the smell of baby powder is pretty much an anti-aphrodisiac as far as I’m concerned. The LAST thing I want to think of when I’m in the mood is baby smell. Hurk. > > (Now cinnamon bun smell? That’s hot.) Huh. Well, I bake a tray of 30 cinnamon rolls every day at work… ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/8 "2008-11-08T17:41:34Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Hm, now I’m considering rubbing Saigon cinnamon oil on my neck to attract chicks. > (no not really! Don’t try this at home kids!) Actually, fiore di sicily extract from king arthur flour is seriously addictive. I find myself sniffing my hands whenever I use it for baking and drip any on my hands… It is sort of vanillay, buttery and orangy… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/9 "2008-11-08T19:08:46Z")
One of my favorite authors, Richard Condon, maintained that [Vicks Vaporub](http://www.vicks.com/products/vaporub) was the most powerful aphrodisiac the world had ever known. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/10 "2008-11-08T19:31:23Z")
\*For example, Alan R. Hirsch, MD, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, conducted a study that looked at how different smells stimulated sexual arousal. He found that several scents were effective – some more than others. The smell of cheese pizza, for instance, increased blood flow to the penis by 5 percent, buttered popcorn by 9 percent, and lavender and pumpkin pie each by 40 percent. For women, lavender and pumpkin pie also had a stimulating effect; however, the smell of Good & Plenty® (licorice) combined with the scent of cucumber created the greatest increase in blood flow to the vagina. \* from [here](http://health.howstuffworks.com/aphrodisiac5.htm). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/11 "2008-11-08T19:48:28Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > - For women, lavender and pumpkin pie also had a stimulating effect; however, the smell of Good & Plenty® (licorice) combined with the scent of cucumber created the greatest increase in blood flow to the vagina. \* > > from [here](http://health.howstuffworks.com/aphrodisiac5.htm). I’m a reasonably imaginative person but I cannot come up with a single scenario in which it would make sense to have cut cucumber and Good and Plenty occupying the same olofactory space. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/12 "2008-11-08T19:57:55Z")
Bowl of candy on the coffee table. Slicing cukes for the salad. Add some candles and a bottle of wine and you’re golden! ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/13 "2008-11-08T21:34:47Z")
Has it occurred to any of you that she might prefer her cucumber _ **whole** _?😉 ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/14 "2008-11-08T21:49:20Z")
> [@chacoguy420](#): > > Has it occurred to any of you that she might prefer her cucumber _ **whole** _?😉 This had me laughing my ass off! Oh, and baby powder makes me think of old ladies, which is the absolute last thing I want to associate with my husband. He wears this aftershave called Africa by Axe that smells heavenly. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/15 "2008-11-09T00:05:59Z")
Which is true. The trick is getting them to ingest enought to have the effect you’re going for. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/16 "2008-11-09T00:12:29Z")
Gah and yuck. Baby powder reminds me of Love’s Baby Soft–a scent that made my middle school years hell because every girl reeked of it. It was essentially pedophilia in a perfume bottle, IMS. Baby powder does not do anything for me. If I smell it on a grown woman, I no longer think that woman is a grown up. Cucumbers? No, thanks. Good & Plenty’s? How bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/17 "2008-11-09T00:29:21Z")
Lavender? LAVENDER??? My grandmother’s house smelled of lavender pot pourri… and let me tell you, thoughts of grandma are definitely not conducive to sexytime. > [@sjc](#): > > Huh. Well, I bake a tray of 30 cinnamon rolls every day at work… Soooo… how you doin’? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![IminPampers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/65b543/32.png) [@IminPampers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IminPampers)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/18 "2023-06-02T15:27:22Z")
Now if women had a perfume that smelled like bacon, count me in. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2023, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/19 "2023-06-02T15:40:50Z")
I love Good N Plenty but they don’t have much of an aroma unless you cut one open. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2023, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788/20 "2023-06-02T16:51:30Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I’ve seen this as comment on the web but I can’t find the source. Does anyone have the original source for this assertion? That’s a misunderstanding. _Powdered baby_ is the most potent aphrodisiac. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-powder-is-the-most-potent-aphrodisiac-for-women/471788.md?page=2)