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 andsome 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:
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.
