The history of perfume is a long one, encompassing many thousands of years. The fragrance has been an important part of culture throughout human history! It’s used in religious ceremonies, but it also has a purpose—to make things smell nice!
Perfume is the chemical compound that gives a scent to an object, animal, or person. Perfumery is the science of making perfumes and perfume ingredients. The word “perfume” comes from Latin meaning “through smoke,” because it was originally made by burning aromatic woods, resins, herbs, and spices in clay pots over hot fires.
Perfume Invention
The first perfume maker on record was a woman chemist named Tapputi. Stories of the inventor of perfume have been found on a clay tablet from Mesopotamia, suggesting that perfume was invented by Tapputi sometime during the second millennium BC. Throughout the ages, different civilizations used fragrances and perfumes in many interesting ways.
The perfume was first used as an accessory to adorn the body as well as to cover up any unpleasant odors or smells. The ancient Egyptians were known for using scented oils to clean their bodies and help them stay fresh and healthy. In ancient Rome, perfumes were used to mask bad body odor and attract attention to one’s beauty. In India and China, perfumes were used for daily rituals like bathing and massages, which helped keep the body clean and healthy.
In addition to being worn by royalty, perfumes were also worn by commoners to enhance their sense of smell and make them more attractive to potential mates. As people began applying these scents onto their bodies more frequently, they realized that they could create fragrant mixtures from various plants or flowers that would make them smell better.
Ancient Mesopotamia
In ancient Mesopotamia, perfume was used to mask the smell of death. A person’s body would be placed in an open casket in front of a fire and their head covered with aromatic herbs and resins. This helped preserve the body for burial or cremation purposes.
The use of perfumes in Mesopotamia dates back to 3500 BC. The Sumerians were the first people to use perfumes and incense in funeral rites.
Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, perfume was an important part of daily life. It was used in religious ceremonies and during funerals. A common Egyptian perfume formula included lemon, frankincense, and cinnamon. This mixture was stored in a jar called a “myrrh” or “myrrh flask”.
The fragrance was of great importance in Egyptian high society. Egyptian mythology even notes the god Nefertem as being the lord of perfume. He is often depicted carrying water lilies, which were a common ingredient in ancient perfume.
Egyptians made perfume by distilling natural ingredients with non-scented oils. The most popular scents were floral, woodsy, and fruity. Incense was also used ceremonially and the trade of incense and myrrh played a large part in Egyptian international relations.
It’s said that great Egyptian leaders like Queen Cleopatra and Queen Hatshepsut used fragrances to scent their bodies, quarters, and baths and even took perfume with them to the grave.
Ancient Greece
The Greeks used a different fragrance for each part of the body. They used marjoram for the hair, palm oil for the chest, mint for the arms, thyme for the knees, oregano oil for the feet, etc. They perfumed themselves after bathing or before attending some special event, much like people today.
Perfumes were made from herbs and spices such as rosemary and sage, lemon peel, and nutmeg. These ingredients were mixed with olive oil or wine to make a base scent or then added to water in a bottle or container. Perfumes often contained essential oils such as frankincense and myrrh which were also added to water in bottles or vials.
Ancient Roman Perfume
Perfumes were very popular in Ancient Rome. They were so heavily used that Cicero claimed, “The right scent for a woman is none at all.” They came in liquid, solid and sticky forms and were often created in a maceration process with flowers or herbs and oil.
The perfume was believed to be the most important part of one’s appearance. It was usually worn by women and men alike, but women were known to have more expensive perfumes than men. The perfume was also used as an aphrodisiac because it was thought to make people more attractive to each other.
The perfume was made from different ingredients depending on the period:
Roman perfume consisted of oils extracted from herbs such as mint, rosemary, and myrtle; aromatics such as cinnamon, saffron, thyme, and pepper; resins such as cedarwood and ambergris; sesame oil; egg whites; honey; urine; opium (which was added to some perfumes); wild animals’ blood or fat; moths’ wings or dung; fish scales; musk from the castor sac plant (used in some perfumes); sponges soaked in animal fats.
Ancient Persian Perfume
Fragrance in the ancient Persian culture was not just about making perfumes and incense. It was also about making scented waters, oils, and lotions.
The ancient Persians were no less enchanted by fragrance. They ruled the perfume trade for hundreds of years and are credited as the inventors of non-oil-based perfume. During the Sassanid period, the production of fragrance and infused waters was quite prevalent.
Perfume held a high place in Persian noble society. Persian kings often had their own “signature scents” that their companions and relatives were not allowed to use. King Persepolis Darius is often pictured holding his bottles of perfume or incense. King Xerxes has also been pictured with Lily of the Valley flowers which were often used in fragrances.
It’s been documented that perfume-making equipment and fragrance-making workshops were abundant in ancient Persia and they loved to experiment with different scents and distillation processes.
Asian Perfume
Perfumes have been a part of human culture for thousands of years. While Europeans turned their backs on perfumes for some time, other cultures enjoyed them regularly. For instance, perfume was at the heart of sacred Indian Tantric rituals, used in ceremonies and their temples.
The ancient Chinese infused many daily items with perfume such as the ink they wrote with and the stationary they wrote on. They also used perfume in particular spaces such as homes and places of worship.
The Chinese also used perfume for disinfection and purity as they believed that perfume could help rid a room of disease. In general, they focused less on anointing their bodies with fragrance and more on using it to scent the world around them.
During the Sui and Song dynasties, noble Chinese began to use personal perfumes, importing ingredients via the Silk Road. By the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, fragrance use had begun to spread among the public. Oriental fragrances focused heavily on herbs and spices, many of which were also used for food and medicine.
Europe Perfumes
Around the 11th century A.D., during the Crusades, crusaders began to bring fragrance-making materials and techniques back to Europe. They acquired these materials in the far and middle east, including the technique for distilling rose petals.
During the bubonic plague, doctors would wear bird-like masks filled with herbs, spices, and oils to ward off the sickness. The belief that scented oils and fragrant materials could eliminate the “stench of pestilence” helped grow the popularity of fragrance used in medieval Europe.
By the 14th century A.D., Italians had almost perfected the perfume-making process and liquid perfumes began to replace solid ones. Marco Polo and his teams brought many unique aromatics back from their travels which turned Venice into a major fragrance trading post.
In 1516, Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo published an encyclopedia that contained information about precious stones and precious metals as well as over 400 recipes for making perfumes from them (Lomazzo).
In 1542, the Flemish chemist Jan Baptist van Helmont published his book entitled The Scented Garden: The Art of Perfumery which included over 50 recipes for creating scents from flowers as well as other ingredients such as plants,
This is when perfume started to become a fashion accessory. European men and women would wear perfume on their bodies, clothing, and wigs. People began incorporating more complex ingredients such as ambergris, civet, and musk derived from animals. Since bathing regularly was still an unpopular practice, these scents were used to cover up the scent of body odors. The smell of perfume was in vogue because it helped distinguish the upper classes.
In 1750, Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV of France, created a signature scent out of orange blossom and bergamot. This became known as the “Pompadour’s Bouquet” or simply Pompadour because she wore it so often. Other nobles such as Queen Elizabeth of Hungary helped spread perfume’s popularity across Europe.
The Modern Era
In recent years, perfumes have changed greatly. Traditional scents are now made with natural ingredients and many modern fragrances also rely on naturally derived aromas.
Perfumes and fragrances are used by millions of people around the world, who enjoy wearing them as a fashion accessories. Natural and synthetic ingredients form rich scents that include several layers of fragrance—each with its unique flavor or nuance. The first synthetic perfume was created in 1907 by a German chemist named Fritz H. Cramer. He made it from a mixture of ethyl acetate, benzaldehyde, and anethole. The first synthetic perfume was created in 1907 by a German chemist named Fritz H. Cramer. He made it from a mixture of ethyl acetate, benzaldehyde, and anethole.
There are hundreds of perfumes available to choose from, including both classic and celebrity scents. Some perfumes can be rather expensive—yet others come at affordable prices. You can also buy different concentrations depending on what you need the perfume for (e.g. if it’s a gift or something else).
Today, discount perfume stores are abundant, making perfume accessible to the masses. They are no longer reserved for the rich and noble. Wearing perfume and cologne is now a fun way to express your tastes and style! If you’re wondering what fragrances are available to purchase you can browse women’s perfumes and cologne for men
Perfume doesn’t just smell nice, it can tell a story
Fragrances are not just meant to make you smell good, they are designed to evoke certain feelings in their wearer. A perfume can conjure up memories and emotions, which is why we often choose scent as a way to express ourselves.
Perfumes are designed to bring back fond memories or create new ones through the use of scent. To bring back old memories, you need to choose the right scent for the occasion and situation. For example, if you want to conjure up an old flame from your college days, then opt for something light and sweet like vanilla-scented body lotion or soap with apple pie fragrance. You may also want to think about using some candles with your favorite perfume for a romantic atmosphere in your home or office space.
