This article isn’t going to give you some magic formula for the world’s best fragrance; I am not even going to talk about the best perfumes on the market today. Perhaps even more interesting is a subject that few would think of, and even fewer know about.
In this article I will discuss the origins of perfume and how it came to be the industry that it is today.
Egyptians pioneered the use of many things and fragrances are no exception. The Egyptians used perfume mainly for religious purposes, but medicine was another area that scented oils were used in.
Soon the use of perfume spread to Rome, Greece, and various Islamic cultures. Unfortunately with the fall of the Roman Empire came the fall of the fragrance trade for some time. It wasn’t until around the 12th century that things started picking up again.
You may have heard before that perfume is very rooted in French Culture – This is true. In fact, you could almost say that the real perfume industry began there. It all started in the 17th century when the guild of perfume makers was established. Perfumed gloves were very popular during the 17th century, and French kings would even have their court furnishings scented with fragrances.
A big breakthrough came in the 18th century with the invention of Eau de Cologne. Yes there is an Eau de Cologne still available today, but it is much different than that of the old Eau de Cologne. In the 18th century EDC was a mixture of lavender, bergamot, and neroli – And get this… It could be consumed! Yes that’s right; EDC in the 18th century was not only a fragrance but a favorite beverage of Napoleon himself. In fact, Napoleon really helped make Eau de Cologne very popular in the 18th century.
Just as a side note, EDC today is not consumable and usually denotes a fragrance that contains less than 4% scented oils, (EDC is not very common these days).
Something that seemed to get just as extravagant as the actual fragrances during the 18th century was that of the perfume bottle. Lavish designs made of glass popped up everywhere, and they were absolutely stunning – Most likely worth a small fortune today.
Just as the 18th century did, the 19th century again saw many changes to the perfume industry. Still based heavily in France, chemistry was now being applied to fragrances and many new ones were appearing. Paris was now the perfumery of the world, and some of the big names that are around today were created there.
So what has changed from then until now? A lot actually. Bottle designing is still big business, and a very important part of every fragrance. Florals and Leathers are now used in many different perfumes. And maybe most important of all, is that there are thousands upon thousands of new fragrances available.
About the Author
Cody Kahl is creator and writer of Mens Cologne Guide – A site
dedicated to providing only the best mens cologne information.
Cody believes in quality, and this free resource proves it.