What Is The Perfume Pyramid?
Just like a painter skillfully blends colours on a canvas or a writer weaves words into a captivating story, a perfumer crafts a fragrance that evokes emotions and leaves a...
Scentscapes, Smelling History & More
Learning & Culture
The Apothecary's Garden: Lemon Harvest & Recipes
If you're like me and have a lemon tree (or several) in your garden, you've probably wondered what to do with the masses of lemons you get every year. This...
Recipes for Distilled & Colored Waters, from 1868
Historical recipes for obtaining scented and colored waters from Orange Flower, Cherry Laurel, Bitter Almond and more.
Scent of Mystery & In Glorious Smell-O-Vision
Scent of Mystery was the only film to use Smell-O-Vision, a technique created by osmologist Hans Laube. At its 1960s screening, the system released odours at various points in the plot to provide important details...
Theophrastus "Concerning Odours" from Enquiry into Plants
Often considered the 'father of botany', Turtamos was given his nickname, 'Theophrastos', by his teacher Aristotle, which meant "divine style of expression". 'Concerning Odours' was Theophrastus treatise on the fragrance of...
Perfume Recipe for 'German Sweet-Scented Water', from 1772
Excerpt from The Toilet of Flora by Pierre-Joseph Buc'hoz, 1772 "Begin with infusing for eight days in two quarts of Vinegar, two handfuls of Lavender Flowers, as many Provence Roses picked from...
Hungary Water with Recipes
Hungary water, sometimes called "the Queen of Hungary's Water", Eau de la Reine de Hongary or "spirits of rosemary”, was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe. Its exact...
Perfume Recipes for Honeysuckle, Narcissus, Ambergris and more, from 1868
Excerpt from A Practical Guide for the Perfumer by Professor H. Dussauce 1868 "Volkameria. - An exquisite perfume is sold under this name, supposed to be derived from the volkameria inermis - a...
Perfume Recipes for Myrtle, Sweet-brier, Cedar Oil & Verbena, from 1868
Excerpt from A Practical Guide for the Perfumer by Professor H. Dussauce 1868 "Oil of Myrtle. - A very fragrant oil may be obtained by distilling the leaves of the common myrtle. The...
Perfume Recipes for Violet, Heliotrope, Jonquil, Lilac, Lily & Magnolia, from 1868
Excerpt from A Practical Guide for the Perfumer by Professor H. Dussauce 1868 "Violet Oil is obtained from the viola odorata. It is a fugacious oil. For commercial purposes, the odor of violets...
Perfume Recipes for Lavender & Rosemary, from 1868
Excerpt from A Practical Guide for the Perfumer by Professor H. Dussauce 1868 "Oil of Lavender. - Lavender is grown to an enormous extent at Mitcham, in Surrey, England, and at Hitchin,...
Perfume Recipes for Orange Flower, Orange & Lemon, 1868
Oil of Orange Flower. - Two distinct odors can be obtained from the orange blossom, varying according to the methods of extraction. When orange flowers are treated by maceration, the...
Perfume Recipes for Roses, from 1868
There are six modifications of essence of rose for the handkerchief. They are - the spirit of treble rose, essence of white rose, essence of tea rose, essence of moss rose,...
Grasse Part II: The Exceptional Flowers
The exceptional quality of the perfumed plants grown here is due to the advantageous geographic situation of Grasse, which enjoys a specific microclimate, quality of soil, and altitude, all perfect...
Perfumed Hair Oils for Men, 'Macassar Oil', from 1868
One of these hair oils was 'Macassar Oil', a compounded oil popularised by celebrated London barber, Alexander Rowland. In 1793, it became one of the first nationally advertised products, boasting extravagant claims...