NATURAL PERFUME
THE
Sweetest M
Have you ever thought about the history of perfume? Read on to fi nd out why all the best gifts come from nature
any of you will own at least one bottle of perfume or cologne and some of you will have scents for a variety of occasions. Interestingly, this multi-million pound industry
has humble roots which go back many centuries. Perfume is now widely created synthetically but of course, we’re much more interested in getting to the root of these arresting aromas and exploring their natural origins!
The name ‘perfume’ derives from the Latin ‘per
fumus’, which means ‘through smoke’ and scents and oils have been used for thousands of years in a variety of ways. Ancient books and tools have been found in many locations and these date the use of perfume back over 4000 years. We know that it existed in the time of the early Egyptians, who used a variety of rich, heady scents such as myrrh and frankincense to create unique and exciting blends.
DELICIOUSLY SWEET These blends were created from ingredients extracted from indigenous plants and trees and therefore became synonymous with each region. Essential oils such as rose and peppermint were widely used to create wonderful ointments which were spread over the skin to release their sweet aroma. Incense and sweet herbs were used in many
religious ceremonies and were burned by priests, while perfumes were discovered buried alongside the Pharaohs in the great tombs. Before the array of soaps and scents and washing facilities that we have today, perfume was widely used to mask body odours in diverse cultures around the world. Herbs and spices were used to create exotic smells by blending ingredients such as coriander, bergamot and almond. Aromas were created from the extracts of sweet smelling fl owers by crushing petals mixed with oils. Rose water was soon discovered to have a particularly sweet and pungent scent and was
30 • Simply beautiful ‘ wonderful
were once soaked in perfume to make the hands of French women smell
Leather gloves
SCENT
an instant hit. This remains a vital ingredient in many perfumes to this day. The business of perfume as we know it
today began in the late 19th century, with the commercial synthesis of scents. This meant that perfume producers no longer needed to rely on the mass growing of aromatic herbs and plants, and scents could now be easily reproduced on a commercial scale.
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FRENCH PERFUMERIES In 17th century France, perfume was worn only by royalty and the nobility. France had become the cornerstone of perfume manufacturing, with retailers using blends of rosemary, neroli, bergamot and lemon to create the fi rst eau de
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