I always feel like a sex witch when I use serums, oils and gels meant to inspire arousal — like I’m pouring a magical potion onto my genitals that will instantly transform a ho-hum evening into an orgasmic explosion.
Of course, the reality isn’t quite so fantastic — there are no fireworks, no literal sparks. But the best arousal products really do what they claim to do, increasing blood flow to sensitive zones and supplying a tingly or warm feeling that draws your attention to the area even further. This creates the conditions for physical arousal, which can in turn lead to mental arousal. Or sometimes I’m raring to go mentally, but need a little help to get my body on-board — that’s when arousal products tend to do their best work.
There are plenty of these products out there. Some of my faves include Her Highness CBD Oil and Ananda Professional Bliss Intimate Oil. What these two have in common is that they combine cannabinoids like THC and/or CBD — the compounds in weed that get you high and chill you out — with other ingredients that jumpstart blood flow, like peppermint oil. It helps, too, that they’re full of soothing ingredients that soften your skin and are fun to massage into intimate areas.
Bloomi’s Arousal Serum is one such product, and while it’s no magic potion, there’s a lot it can do for your arousal, excitement and orgasms.
How to Use Arousal Serum
Hit the Right Spots. Serums with warming or tingling ingredients are usually meant to be applied to the clit, where they can stimulate blood flow (though penises and nipples can benefit from their effects as well). Serums containing cannabinoids like CBD or THC need to be applied to mucous membranes, like inside the vagina and on the inner labia, to take full effect. (Note: For this reason, topical cannabinoids have little to no effect on dicks — putting some in your butt could achieve a similar effect, if you can handle the tingling or warming feelings there.)
If you’re using a product that contains all of the above, like Bloomi arousal serum, you should apply it both internally and externally unless the instructions say otherwise.
Apply It Early. Arousal products typically take five to 15 minutes to work — Rome wasn’t built in a day, baby! You can massage some into the area while doing other “foreplay” activities like making out. That way, the effects will be in full bloom by the time you want them to be. The application process itself can be sexy as hell, especially if you think of it less as administering a product and more as giving a genital massage.
Stay in the Moment. Especially when using a product that’s new to you, it’s easy to develop an “Are we there yet?” mentality where you’re constantly trying to figure out whether the product is working. Ironically, this can detract from your pleasure and make it harder to enjoy the effects you do experience — so try to focus on the present moment and enjoy being with your partner (or yourself), rather than putting pressure on yourself to react a certain way within a certain time frame.
Key Ingredients in Bloomi Arousal Serum
This serum is packed with ingredients that can simultaneously rev you up and calm you down, creating the perfect headspace (and clit-space) for sex. Here are some of them…
Organic Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Extract: Although CBD is commonly thought of as something we extract from marijuana, there’s a fuckton of it in hemp as well. This is the star ingredient of many arousal serums these days, and for good reason — it’s said to boost blood flow, arousal and lubrication, and to reduce inflammation and pain. Many people (myself included) report stronger orgasms when using topical CBD products, too.
Organic Panax Ginseng Extract: This ingredient can improve skin hydration and texture. It’s also known to increase sexual arousal when taken by mouth, though it’s unclear if it has that same effect when applied to the skin. (But hey, if you go down on someone who has this on their junk, you’re effectively taking it by mouth, right?)
Withania Somnifera (Ashwagandha) Extract: This herb has been shown to slightly increase sexual arousal in women when taken orally, and also prevents skin inflammation. Having an irritated vulva can really kill the mood, so this is good news.
Asparagus Racemosus (Shatavari) Extract: There’s some evidence that this ingredient works as an aphrodisiac. Or at least, it seemed to make male rats hornier in a lab setting, which makes one wonder whether it’d raise humans’ “mounting frequency” too.
Ginger Root Extract: The natural heating properties of ginger make it well-suited to turn you on. It increases blood flow and libido, and also reduces inflammation. Plus, the sensation of warmth can be sexy in and of itself and can direct your attention toward your genitals, boosting arousal and pleasure.
Organic Cinnamomum Zeylanicum (Cinnamon) Bark Oil: Along similar lines to ginger, cinnamon oil helps heat things up — literally. However, because this ingredient is so potent, you might want to test out a drop or two on your sensitive bits before using more. (Remember, it’s like eating hot wings: the heat might not kick in right away, so give it some time before you decide whether to pour on more, uh, sauce.)
What People Are Saying About Bloomi Arousal Serum
One reviewer on the Bloomi website wrote, “My wife and I were looking for a new alternative to our standard water-based lube that helped with sensitivity and arousal. Amazing product… Look no further.”
They’re right that this serum is water-based, while most arousal products are oil-based. This has the benefit of making Bloomi’s Arousal Serum safe to use with condoms (as well as any kind of sex toy), although you probably shouldn’t use as much Bloomi serum as you would if it was regular water-based lube, because the warming ingredients can get intense very quickly. You can always just play it safe and mix a few drops of this serum with your favorite lube if you want the best of both worlds.
“I’m in love!” wrote another user. “I have tried lots of arousal oils (tired mom here) and can say this is honestly my favorite. It smells so nice and it definitely works.”
For any other tired moms who might be reading this — or anyone else whose arousal problems likely stem more from their life circumstances than from anything medical — it’s worth noting that arousal serum isn’t a miracle product. If you feel bored in your relationship, overextended at work or exhausted by raising your kids, for example, then you’ll almost certainly have to address those root issues to see any major changes in your sex life. But arousal serum can be fun in the meantime, and trying out new products together can be a way of reconnecting with a partner, especially if things have gone stale lately.
“What can I say? It was simply quite wonderful and a rebirth of pleasure that I thought was [in the past],” another user wrote. “[I] was simply missing a little magic.”
If you’re missing a little magic too, maybe give Bloomi Arousal Serum a shot. It can’t fix your whole sex life on its own — only you can really do that — but it can make pleasure easier to achieve, and sometimes that’s all you need.
Kate Sloan
Kate Sloan is the author of the books '101 Kinky Things Even You Can Do' and '200 Words to Help You Talk About Sexuality & Gender,' and has reviewed over 300 sex toys on her blog at GirlyJuice.net, to the chagrin of her high school guidance counselor. She also cohosts the podcasts 'The Dildorks' and 'Question Box.'
