SUTIL Love Potion #17 Massage Oil

SUTIL Love Potion #17 is a sensual massage oil made from almond oil, vitamin E and a warm, spicy-floral blend of essential oils led by ylang-ylang. It's made for couples who want slow, skin-to-skin evenings rather than anything rushed, and it doubles as a bath oil, moisturizer and light perfume when you're on your own.

The #17 blend

Ylang-ylang leads the scent: a lush tropical flower with a soft, slightly banana-like sweetness. Around it SUTIL layers geranium, cedarwood, tangerine, cinnamon and ginger, which gives the blend its warm, spicy-floral character. On skin it opens bright and citrusy, then settles into a cosier, woody warmth as it absorbs. There are no synthetic fragrances; the scent comes entirely from essential oils, which SUTIL says are ethically cultivated and sourced with a small carbon footprint.

Almond oil and vitamin E

The base is almond oil with vitamin E, which glides easily under the hands and soaks in slowly enough to give you time for a long, unhurried massage. It leaves skin feeling soft and silky rather than greasy. Because it's light, you need only a little at a time, and it works on large areas like the back and legs as well as smaller, more sensitive spots.

Giving a sensual massage with this massage oil

Pour a small amount into your palm and rub your hands together to warm it before it touches your partner's skin. Start with broad, slow strokes across the back and shoulders, then move to the arms, legs and feet. Keep one hand in contact with the skin as you move, and let pressure build gradually rather than digging in straight away. Dim lights, a warm room and a towel under your partner make it easier for both of you to relax. A small bowl beside you makes reapplying easier: dip your fingertips instead of tipping the bottle over and over. SUTIL lists it for external genital massage too, which can be a natural next step once both of you are relaxed. Keep it external only; it isn't made for internal use.

Not a lubricant, and not for condoms

This is made for massage, not as a lube. Being oil-based, it isn't compatible with latex condoms or dams, because oil weakens latex. If massage leads to sex with a condom, wash the oil off hands and genitals first and switch to a water-based lube. It also contains cinnamon and ginger, which some people find warming or irritating on delicate skin, so patch-test a little on your inner wrist first if you have sensitivities to botanical oils.

Other ways to use it

SUTIL designed Love Potion #17 as a multi-use body oil. Add a capful to a warm bath to soften skin, smooth a little over damp skin after a shower as a moisturizer, or dab a drop on pulse points as a light perfume. Store it with the cap closed, away from heat and sunlight, and wipe the neck of the bottle so oil doesn't collect there.

Specifications

• Brand: SUTIL, Love Potion #17
• Type: almond oil massage and body oil, external use only
• Scent: ylang-ylang, geranium, cedarwood, tangerine, cinnamon, ginger
• Ingredients: almond oil, ylang ylang, geranium, cedarwood, tangerine, cinnamon, ginger, vitamin E
• No synthetic fragrances
• Compatibility: not for use with latex condoms or dams

Browse more massage oils, see the full SUTIL range, or read our guide to couples toys.