OVERVIEW
A world without perfume would be a world without history!
Perfume trails take us away, and the journey leads us to the borders of civilization. The history of perfume is a reflection of humanity: a means of exchange, a protection against disease, a potion with divine virtues, and a gallant message… in each era perfume reflects society, perceptibly communicating its sense of commerce and medicine, of the sacred and the sensual.
The history of perfume is often intertwined with the history of the human race. From Egypt to Greece, both rich and poor used fragrant substances in an attempt to get closer to the gods, in the belief that fragrance glorified their beauty and their power. It was believed that fragrance made the body more perfect and healed its ailments.
The Greeks are attributed with the art of making the first liquid perfume, although it was quite different from perfume as we know it today. Their perfumes were fragrant powders mixed with heavy oils, devoid of alcohol. The liquid was stored in elongated bottles made of alabaster and gold, called alabastrums.
At the turn of the century, perfume was a single-flower fragrance. Rose, violet, lilac, and lily of the valley were in high demand. Floral bouquet scents were introduced toward the end of the first decade as compounds were found to aid in binding fragrances together. Later, abstract fragrances which had no relation to the single floral or bouquet group were introduced. This advancement revolutionized the industry. Today, perfumes are becoming more complex, with many notes and overtones unheard of before the discovery of aroma chemicals.
The perfume industry is rapidly expanding, changing with the times, and forever bringing you the best in fragrances. So get with the times, and find a fragrance that enhances your natural scent. And soon, you’ll be greeted by those wonderful words, 'Mmmm, you smell good!'