Nebulophilia is a little-known kink referring to an erotic interest in fog, mist, steam, smoke, and other hazy, low-visibility atmospheres. Certified sexologist Angie Rowntree says it has been gaining traction on her female-centric porn site Sssh.com.
What is nebulophilia?
Kink expert and author of Kink Curious, Gigi Engle, tells Metro that nebulophilia is being turned on by 'mist, clouds and other atmospheric things'. 'It's where you become super aroused by the sensation of mist or seeing clouds of fog or smoke,' she explains. 'It can have to do with the ambience or whimsy and romanticism of clouds and mist.'
'It's highly sensory and visual. It doesn't mean you're attracted to clouds or mist, but mostly it's the atmosphere that features as an arousal component.'
Lovehoney's sex expert Annabelle Knight agrees, telling Metro: 'They tend to evoke strong emotions, and fog and mist are often used in media to evoke these.'
Fog and steam in pop culture
As Gigi points out, any nebulophiliac would have 'loved' Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi's portrayal of Wuthering Heights. The weather—namely the heavy mist and fog rolling across the Yorkshire moors—is meant to be a metaphor for the untamed passions of Catherine and Heathcliff. We see Margot's character, Catherine, masturbating in the fog as Heathcliffe watches, as well as meeting secretly to have sex in the car at her father's funeral under the cover of the mist.
'Steam is also used in such a way, there are plenty of steamy scenes which take place in showers, for example,' Annabelle adds. Think Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry as they stare at each other in the men's locker room showers. The tension.
Both experts say popular culture will definitely have given fog, steam and mist their sexual charge. Annabelle adds that these atmospheric changes are often used to 'represent mystery, which in itself can be an attractive construct', too.
Away from prying eyes
Kink expert Gigi explains that this sort of weather can give us a sense of isolation from the outside world. 'When it's like misty, cloudy and rainy, it's usually an indicator that the weather isn't good,' she says. 'So, situationally you're stuck in the house, which is an opportunity to have a lot of intimate time. It interlinks.'
This is a point echoed by sexologist Angie, who paints a picture as to how this might make you feel. She says: 'You wake after a night of gentle rain to find the world outside wrapped in fog. The street has vanished, the air feels charged with mystery, and suddenly that small bubble of visibility seems made for you and your lover and whatever deliciously naughty things you might do within it.'
'For those who experience it, the obscured, dreamlike setting can feel intensely sensual: the familiar world disappears, inhibitions soften, and an ordinary moment becomes a private fantasy.'
Experimenting with nebulophilia
It's actually a much more common kink than you might realise, given the above, Gigi explains. 'It's also a pretty easy one to experiment with,' she adds. You can start with shower sex, letting the bathroom get steamy, although be careful not to slip.
'Having sex in steam means you're having sex in a hot environment, so you need to be careful not to overexert yourself as you could pass out,' Annabelle warns.
It could even be as simple as being intimate while it's foggy outside, and Annabelle adds that you certainly 'shouldn't be ashamed' if this gets you going. 'If it's something you feel comfortable bringing up with a partner, be sure to explain it by how you are feeling, vs. using the word nebulophilia as they may not be familiar with the concept,' she adds.
And with foggy autumn mornings just around the corner, the options are endless.
