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Fragrances

 

Perfumes began in the early years BC.  As the Bible states the kings brought gifts of  perfumes, (frankincence) and oils as gifts to Mary and Joseph for the new baby we know as Jesus and is celebrated at Christmas.    Egyptian of 2000 B.C. has enabled researchers to learn a great deal about grooming habits and earlier perfumery.

 

Recently, archaeologists have uncovered what are believed to be the world’s oldest perfumes in Pyrgos, Cyprus.  The perfumes date back more than 4000 years.  The perfumes were discovered in an ancient perfumery.  At least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels an perfume bottles were found in the 43,000 square foot factory in ancient times people used herbs and spices, like almond corlander myrtle, conifer resin, bergamot as well as flowers.

 

The ancient Egyptians were like any other civilization; both men and women liked to make themselves look better according to their standards of beauty.  The results were that both genders were makeup for the special occasion demanded it and they practiced a standard of hygiene based on sound medicinal, therapeutic and spiritual reasons.

 

Perfumes were expensive but were of good quality and made famous throughout and Mediterranean area.  Only the wealthy would have had access to them. 

 

Liquid perfume was made using oils derived from almonds and other vegetable oil. Other various plants, flowers woods, leaves and spices were added.  Perfumed lotions and unguents were made by adding wax or purified fats.  The perfumes were long lasting and  some tested had 8 years.  Typical fragrances used local and imported products including rose, lily, iris, cinnamon, orange, myrrh, frankincense, lime and sandalwood.

 

The word perfume used today derives from the Latin “per fumum”, meaning thorough smoke, Perfumery, or the art of making perfumes, began in ancient times.  The world’s first recorded chemist is considered to be a woman named Tapputi mentioned in a coneiform tablet from the second millennium in Mesopotamia. “The Quest for the Elements” by Paul Strathern retrieved by Wikipedia.org..  Use of flowers oil and calamus along with cyperus, myrrh and balsam.  She added water then distilled and filtered several times. 

 

The Persian Muslim doctor and chemist Avicennna (also known as Ibn Sina) introduced the process of extracting oils from flowers by means of distillation, the procedure most commonly used today.  He first experimented with the rose.  Until his discovery, liquid perfumes were mixtures of oil and crushed herbs or petals, which made a strong blend.  Rose water was more delicate, and immediately became popular.  Both of the raw ingredients and distillations technology significantly influenced western perfumery and scientific developments, particularly chemistry. 

 

Perfume types reflect the concentration of aromatic compounds in a solvent, which in fine fragrance is typically ethanol or a mix of water and ethanol.  Various sources differ considerably in the definitions of perfume types.  The concentration by percent/volume of perfume oil is as follows:

 

• Perfume extract (Extract): 15-40% (IFRA: typical 20%) aromatic compounds
• Eau de Parum (EdP): 10 20% (typical-15%) aromatic compounds.  Sometimes listed as “eau de perfume” or “millesime”
• Eau de Toilette (EdT): 5-15% (typical-10%)aromatic compounds
• Eau de Cologne (EdC): Chypre citrus type perfumes with 3-8% (typical-5%)aromatic compounds.
• Splash and After shave: 1-3% aromatic compounds.

 

The most practical way to start describing a perfume is according to the elements of  the fragrance notes of the scent or the family it belongs to, all of which affect the overall impression of a perfume from first application the last lingering hint of scent.

 

Reference: Wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume&History     Google  fashion-era/ancient_costume/egyptian

 

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