WHAT GOES INTO A GREAT PERFUME?---AN INTRODUCTION TO FRAGRANCES

The use of perfume as a cosmetic dates back centuries upon centuries, with the term “perfume” originating from the Latin word, “perfumus”, which means “through smoke.” This refers to the earliest use of perfume, incense, which was employed by ancient cultures in Mesopotamia and Egypt at religious ceremonies, and eventually evolved into the practice of extracting essential oils for use on the body.

Nowadays, the perfume industry has exploded into a multi-million-dollar business. Smelling good is a prime concern in our society; and with the thousands of perfumes available, it’s also become an important method of self-expression and individuality.  It is difficult to avoid fragrance even if one wishes to do so: Aside from perfumes and colognes proper, essential oil blends are used to distinguish a wide variety of cosmetics and bath essentials.

Amid all this variety, it’s easy to get confused choosing a scent—and it’s also easy to forget that the perfumes you are testing were created via a process that is considered a bona fide art. Let’s break down the (surprisingly elaborate) process of what is inside those beautiful glass bottles.