Massage products have been piling up on my wish list for quite some time now, but the latest vibrator always seems more glamorous than a quaint little bottle of oil. For that reason fantastic products like the Hathor Aphrodisia Exotic Love Oil have languished for months. Well, with my labor day coupon in e-hand, I recently set out to purchase a few of those massage products at last. Of them, this massage oil stands out as an absolutely fantastic massage product and all purpose body oil. Not only is it the best of my recent haul, but one of the best skincare products I have ever tried.

Exotic Love Oil Mellta and Nathanda Swift, a mother and daughter duo from Canada who own and operate the Hathor Aphrodisia company. With an apparently keen knowledge of Herbology, Aromatherapy, Massage, Esthetics they have created a small but reputable line of natural and high quality skincare products. The more I researched these ladies the more I was impressed, and I am genuinely pleased to support their business indirectly through Edenfantasys.

The Exotic Love Oil can be used not only for massage but also as a lubricant, although I'd be hesitant to use it internally simply because I am prone to yeast infections. I'm not really sure how some of the ingredients would interact with my vaginal flora. This massage oil is made from pecan oil, ylang ylang, geranium, cedarwood, cinnamon, ginger and vitamin E. The natural oil should make this okay for penetrative uses, but I honestly don't feel like ginger and cinnamon should be rubbed into mucous membranes. Just my pedestrian opinion, I'm not a doctor or anything. This can also be added to a bath to scent it, although I never got the concept of a bath oil to be honest. The oil just kind of floats strangely at the top seeing as its less dense than water, but I guess it would make a bath smell nice. I also really love this just as a general moisturizing oil. This could be used on textured hair to soften it, or on dry skin. I usually just use baby oil on my skin because it's cheaper, but this stuff feels infinitely less greasy.

Which brings me to the next aspect of this product that I love, which is the feel. A lot of oils have that slick, synthetic texture that just feels...slimy and unnatural. I can rub some products into my skin for ages but they never seem to really absorb, they just sit obstinately on the surface. That makes them better for lengthy massages, but worse for every other use. The Hathor Aphrodisia oil is not like that. It's heavier than many other oils and less runny, and it feels thicker and less slick on the skin. It absorbs more rapidly, so you may need to apply it more often, but it actually leaves skin feeling smooth and moisturized. I love that I can feel the weight of this product on my skin, and that it lubricates but still creates some really delicious tension by absorbing a bit more quickly.

The smell of this stuff is also entirely heavenly. It is very strong in my opinion; it's not light and glycerin-sweet, but rather complex, warm and earthy, brooding and spicy. If you are using any significant amount of it, say for a back massage, the scent will certainly fill a room and linger for a while. When I have to reapply this I sometimes get a touch of a headache from how strong it is, but nothing opening a door or cracking a window doesn't fix. I do love the smell, even if it is powerful. The power, the richness as well as the brightness of the smell remind me of the harvest time, late summer. All of the scent profiles come through nicely, too. There are piquant citrus-y notes coming from the ginger that tingle in the nostrils and sinuses if inhaled deeply, and the resinous, woodsy scent of the cinnamon and cedarwood which almost lend a clove-like scent to this. The geranium and ylang ylang add a strong but sweet floral scent that ties together the bright citrus and richer, earthier components. This is a homey, comforting scent that calls for low light and thick blankets.

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Hathor Aphrodisia doesn't skimp on details either, and their graphic design is an interesting amalgamation of bubbly flower child, appropriated eastern imagery and psychedelic freak-out. Their Exotic Love Oil comes in a beautiful dark blue glass bottle with a black plastic screw cap. The shimmering copper label features their trademark tentacled heart graphic and a brief description of the product. The bottle is absolutely beautiful and would make a truly nice gift for someone special, or just something nice to keep for yourself up on the shelf. The phrase "love oil" does make it slightly conspicuous but I still leave it out because from afar it just looks like a fancy bottle of perfume. The only thing I don't love about this bottle is the lack of a stopper. To prevent too much oil from dripping out you should take extra care, otherwise you're going to be faced with a lot of wasted oil and a big, slippery mess.

Overall I loved this product, and for anyone that doesn't mind strong smells, I recommend this very highly. I feel spoiled every time I use it, and enjoy knowing that there's nothing synthetic in it to harm my body or the Earth :)

I will admit that I don't use this oil as much as I first did, and the reason for that is simple. This is a very thick oil that can be hard to rub in, and I find that I need more of it sometimes just to get good coverage of my skin. Because the smell is very strong (although very pleasant, don't get me wrong) I sometimes go for the Sensuous Beauty oils or the Intimate Organics oils instead because they are a little thinner, easier to spread and a bit gentler on the nose. The spice is a bit powerful in this one, so it can be overwhelming at times.

Still a wonderful, warm and earthly smell that I absolute love and makes me feel toasty and cozy on a cooler evening after I leave the shower all shivering and chilly. Still hydrates the heck out of my skin and leaves me feeling like a spoiled princess. Still made from great natural ingredients that I can actually PRONOUNCE for a change. Still highly recommended and loved by me, just used less frequently because it's a bit potent.