History of perfumery. History of the creation of perfume Eau de toilette history

Inspiring, light, elegant or passionate - fragrances have been present in human life since ancient times. Perfumery has firmly established itself in the modern world; it is a special art. Creating fragrances is accessible to people with extreme talent. At the same time, the history of perfumery is full of interesting facts, which makes you appreciate your favorite scents.

Fragrances from antiquity

The exact birthplace of the art of perfumery is unknown. It is believed that this is Mesopotamia or Arabia. The world's first professional chemist, a man named Taputti, is mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from the 2nd century BC. e. Perhaps it was a woman. Italian archaeologists discovered a huge perfume factory in Cyprus in 2005. It was built over 4,000 years ago.

Perfumery products are mentioned in ancient Egyptian chronicles. About 3,000 vessels containing ancient incense were discovered in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Even after 300 centuries, the products exuded aroma. Therefore, in the history of perfumery, the Egyptians are considered one of the founders of this art.

In Greece, aromatic oils and incense were widely used for both religious and domestic purposes. In the city of Rhodes, containers of unusual shapes were made. Ointments and oils were applied to the body for hygiene purposes and just for pleasure.

Islamic culture made a significant contribution to the development of perfumery. The main innovations in history were:

invention of a method for extracting aromas using steam distillation;
introduction of new raw materials: musk, amber, jasmine, which are still the main ingredients in perfumery.

With the spread of Christianity, the use of perfumes in the Middle East decreased significantly. But in Muslim countries, incense continued to be used. Perfumers had a wide selection of spices, herbs, flowers, resins, and valuable woods at their disposal. The history of perfumery records that Arabs and Persians traded fragrant ingredients with the West for centuries.

Flavors of the West

With the fall of the Roman Empire and the invasion of barbarians, Western culture weakened. This also affected the art of perfumery. But by the 12th century, thanks to the strengthening of trade and the development of distillation, the situation had changed. Not the least role in this was played by the growth of universities in large cities and the development of alchemy. Medieval society, contrary to popular belief, paid great attention to hygiene. People took fragrant baths and washed clothes with scented products.

A new vessel for storing aromatic mixtures has appeared - the pomander. It was a ball of metal with holes through which the smell seeped. In the 14th century, liquid perfumes consisting of essential oils and alcohol came into use. They began to be called “eau de toilette.” According to legend, the elderly Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, using such water, became younger and cured of all illnesses.

Great geographical discoveries greatly influenced the history of the fragrance industry. Marco Polo brought new ingredients from his travels: pepper, cloves and nutmeg. In the 15th century, America was discovered, and Spain and Portugal became the leaders of trade. The composition of the eau de toilette was expanded, musk, amber, etc. were mixed.

The secrets of Venetian perfumers reached France, which quickly became a European cosmetics center. The cultivation of flowers for essential oils has grown to an industrial scale. Mainly in Grasse, which is still considered the capital of perfumery.

History of development

During the Age of Enlightenment, perfumes and oils were used especially actively. For example, the palace of King Louis XV was called the “fragrant courtyard”, since various pleasant smells were heard from there every day. Scented liquids were used on leather, fans, wigs, gloves and even furniture.

After the Industrial Revolution, perfume production gained unprecedented proportions in Europe. In 1709, Giovanni Paolo Feminis created “Cologne water” -. The composition contained grape alcohol and oils of neroli, lavender, lemon, bergamot, rosemary.

In the 19th century, perfume companies became a popular idea, and the modern industry owes this to François Coty and Ernest Daltroff. Not only organic, but also synthetic substances began to be used in perfumery.

The development of this area at the beginning of the twentieth century led to enormous developments. A family appeared, and the fashion for types of smells changed. The popularity of rich perfumes fell, and floral ones became in demand.

In 1921, perfumers discovered the properties of aldehydes. The price of perfumes is significantly reduced.

In the 60s, women's perfume became lighter and more pleasant. The heyday of men's fragrances has arrived.

In the 80s, heavy and spicy scents became popular again, and a fashion for ozone and sea notes appeared.

With the advent of the 90s, the natural floral palette returned. Modern masters continue to experiment with compositions and bottles. New perfumes appear almost daily.

Napoleon Bonaparte used two bottles of “Cologne water” per day. And Empress Josephine loved perfume so much that half a century after her death, the aroma of musk could still be felt in the royal boudoir.
Soviet perfume “Red Moscow” is a replica of the perfume composition “The Empress’s Favorite Perfume”, which was created by the French master August Michel as a gift to Maria Feodorovna Romanova.
The most expensive perfume in the history of the world is Clive Christian΄s Imperial Majesty. They are sold in a rock crystal bottle inlaid with gold and diamonds. Cost: more than 200 thousand dollars.
American biologist Sheref Mansi and Australian perfumer Lucy McRae are developing a new type of perfume: capsules for oral administration. According to the authors, the human body, along with sweat, will emit a unique aroma.

Perfumery has a long and eventful history. From its inception to the present day, a long and difficult path has been passed. Legends, facts and different people add up a complete picture of the development of this area. And the modern variety of scents allows you to choose the perfect perfume for every taste.

People started using fragrances back in ancient times. The word “perfumery” itself comes from Latin and means “smoke” - “fumum”. This suggests that ancient people created incense by burning leaves, wood, various spices - in a word, everything that released a pleasant smell when burned.

The history of the creation of perfumes begins in Ancient Egypt, about five thousand years ago. There is evidence that it was then that perfume began to be used. However, the famous rose water was invented by the Arabs. About 1300 years ago they learned to obtain it from rose petals. At that time, rose water was widely used as a medicine. Of course, rose oil provided a stronger aroma, but it was inaccessible to most people due to its high cost.

How did they extract aroma from plants in ancient times? People obtained essential oils through “enfleurage,” using mainly flowers. This is a very complex and time-consuming process, which is why it is not used these days. It consists of placing petals on a piece of glass, usually greased with purified lard. After the fat had absorbed all the flavor from the plant, the petals were replaced with others. And so on until the fat was saturated with the smell as much as possible.

The technology for obtaining essences today is much simpler. A special solvent is passed through the petals and soaked in essential oil. They are then separated and the essential oil is purified with alcohol. Today, various flowers (jasmine, rose, violet, lavender), tree wood, especially sandalwood, and plant roots are used to make perfumes.

Over the entire history of perfume creation, many new ingredients have appeared in their composition. However, today there are very few perfumes made on a natural basis, and they are quite expensive. Most of the products produced are the fruit of the work of chemists who are able to imitate almost any floral aroma. It is very difficult to distinguish it from the natural smell. This can only be done by a professional perfumer.

The world of perfumery has its own history, which is inextricably linked with the history of all humanity.

It has long been known that aroma lifts us above everyday reality. It was not for nothing that the priests burned plants, performing sacred rituals, participating in ceremonies, and thus comprehending the secrets of the universe with the help of smells. In Rome, during antiquity, the smell was given healing powers.
The first perfume box mentioned in history was the property of King Darius. Egypt, India, Syria and other countries produced musk, amber, saffron, myrrh, rose water, etc.
Incense was used by the ancient Romans and Greeks. From Italy, perfumes spread throughout Europe. In Dr. Greece used resins, balms, spices, and essential oils from flowers for incense, heating them over coals to obtain the desired aroma. During excavations in that area, tablets were found that described in detail the composition of aromas.
They were burned in temples, sacrificed to the gods, and fountains were scented with their help. Bags of dry incense were attached to clothes and hair, and the body was rubbed with aromatic oils. After the barbarian invasion, their use ceased in Western countries. Then the still was invented, distillation improved, and the method for producing alcohol was again discovered.
Venice became the capital of perfumery; spices from all countries of the East were processed in this city. French perfumes arose in the 11th century, when the crusaders brought roses and jasmine from Jerusalem, and in the 12th century. in Europe they learned about the Arab technology of alcohol distillation. In the 15th century Paris and Grasse became known throughout the world as centers of perfumery. According to etiquette in the French royal court, all courtiers were required to use cosmetics and aromatic oils.

Word " perfumery"began to be used in the lexicon from the 1st third of the 16th century; it comes from "fumus" (steaming, smoking).
In the 16th century Maurizio Frangipani in Italy came up with the idea of dissolving aromatic substances in alcohol, which was a revolution in the world of perfumery. From then on, many aromatic combinations began to be created, and it became possible to store the aromas of herbs, flowers, trees, etc. in glass bottles. In the 18th century. perfumes there was a clear division into women's and men's.
The creator of the cologne was the Italian Jean Marie Farina. After his death, his sons created a factory, preparing eau de parfum using high-quality grape alcohol, which was given the name eau de colon. When aged in cedar wood barrels, the alcohol mixed with essential oils, creating a unique aroma. Water from Cologne (ear de Cologne) would have remained unknown if Napoleon had not been keen on using it (he purchased up to 60 bottles every month). When he was on St. Helena and ran out of cologne, Napoleon came up with his own recipe for perfume with bergamot, calling it eau de toilette.
In the second half of the 14th century. Liquid perfumes appeared, based on alcohol and essential oils. In the 16th century, perfumed gloves became fashionable. Perfume consumption then increased in order to mask unpleasant odors. In 1608, the world's first perfume factory began operating in the monastery.
In the 19th century The “fathers” of perfumery F. Coty, Jean Guerlain and E. Daltroff put forward the basic theories for creating fragrances. Then the production of perfumes ceased to be considered artisanal, and perfume companies appeared.

Perfumery in the twentieth century.

When Paul Poiret expressed the idea that fragrances could be a successful addition to clothing lines, couturiers combined perfumery and modeling. This happened in 1911. F. Coty combined natural and artificial scents in his compositions. In 1917, he released Chypre, from which a whole family of scents originated. Amber and oriental scents began to develop.
At that time, women's and men's smells began to acquire obvious differences. G. Chanel in 1921 released perfumes with the trademark “Chanel No. 5”. In the 20s, perfumers found a way to create a fragrance “synthetically”: in Chanel No. 5 they began to use aldehydes. In 1929, Liu perfume was very popular, which became a symbol of a woman’s soul.
In the 30s, the heyday of sports, with notes of tobacco, “masculine” scents began.

In 1944, a protest against the war appeared in the form of spirits. They were created by Marcel Rochat, calling them Femme after the woman.

In the 50s, perfumery in France reached its peak of development, and competition intensified with the arrival of new fragrances from overseas.

In the 60s There was a boom in men's eau de toilette. In the 70s, the fashion for “pret-a-porter” collections began, and “pret-a-porter de lux” perfumes appeared, which became more accessible. At the end of the 60s. An oriental theme penetrated into the perfume; the amber scent of Guy Laroche's Fijiu and Guerlain's Chamade were fashionable.

In the 70s, the fashion world was influenced by the feminist movement: perfumes for women began to borrow ideas from colognes for men. Dior's Eau savage became the prototype of refreshing waters. In 1977, Yves Saint Laurent created the famous Opium.

In the 80s things were considered a sign of the status of their owner, perfume became an indicator of prestige, just like a house, clothes, or a car. At this time, experiments were carried out in the field of bottles, and “amber” heavy fragrances became fashionable. At the end of the 80s. Marine aromas were created in laboratories.

In the 90s, there was a fashion for light, natural scents. Using the new “live flowers” technology, it has become possible to preserve the aroma of unpicked plants (hoods under a glass cover).

In recent years, fruity scents of citrus, currants, and pineapple have become popular. Modern perfumes combine richness and lightness, perfectly in harmony with the natural scent of the skin.

1981-1985s - fashion for sexuality and sensuality in perfumes came, 1986-1988. - classic, femininity, 1988-1990. - symbolism and spirituality, in the 90s. XX century - naturalness, freshness and environmental friendliness.

The French perfume data bank contains 8,000 perfumes from 1880 to 1985, of which 6,000 were invented in France. Experts say that about 2,000 perfume compositions remain unrecorded.

Which scent is yours? As Christian Dior said, a man may forget what a woman looked like, but the smell of her perfume will remain in his memory forever.

Not a single modern person can imagine his life without one or even several favorite scents. Where does the phenomenon of “spirits” originate? Who are perfumers? What is the difference between perfume and eau de toilette and eau de parfum? And what scents are considered legends in perfumery?

Origin of perfume

Until now, researchers cannot say with certainty which country is the birthplace of spirits: either it is Arabia, or it is Mesopotamia. It is definitely known that since ancient times people have been in awe of the ancestors of modern perfumes and colognes - incense.

The word “perfume” or “per fumum” is translated from Latin as “through smoke”. The fact is that ancient people obtained aromas by burning wood and resin of myrrh, incense and cedar. Separately, it is worth noting the activities of the Egyptians in the “fragrance” issue: the inhabitants of the Nile were convinced that the human body must smell good - this will help to get into the favor of the gods. A person was also sent “to the next world” with a substantial batch of incense in order to appease the gods.

In the first century AD there was a leap in the development of perfumery: a method for obtaining essential oils was developed by the Arab physician Avecenna. A number of his recipes have been preserved and are used in modern industry. Arab culture is responsible for the creation of the famous rose oil, which was worth its weight in gold.

Perfumery in Europe

As a result of the fall of the mighty Roman Empire, perfume was not given much attention for several centuries. Only in the 14th century a new development appeared - aromatic waters - these are perfumes consisting of essential oils and alcohol.

One of the common stories on this topic: once a monk gave perfume to Her Majesty the 72-year-old Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, who decided to take the perfume not externally, but internally. As a result of drinking the perfume, she became younger, recovered, and received a groom in the form of the King of Poland. This is how “Waters of the Queen of Hungary” became popular.

The aroma of perfume in those days was very simple: rose, lavender, violet. But great demand for the product created supply: Europeans of the Middle Ages rarely took bathing procedures; they loved perfume because it interrupted the smell of an unwashed body. Gradually, the aromas of cinnamon, sandalwood, and musk are added to the aromatic compositions.

Perfume was purchased in large quantities: noble ladies and gentlemen rubbed their bodies with it, then they began to pour the perfume on clothes, umbrellas, gloves, and fans. In 1608, the world's first perfume factory was opened, located on the territory of the monastery and maintained by monks.

In addition, the development of perfumery was encouraged by the Catholic Church itself, since bathing contributed to the growth of debauchery among the population.

Perfume making in Japanese culture

Meanwhile, there was also significant interest in perfume making in Japan. Aromatic wood, imported from China and India, found its use in Buddhist rites and ceremonies. Gradually, the aromas of patchouli, cinnamon, anise—the aromas of spices—came into life. Much attention was also paid to the culture of using incense sticks indoors.

Perfumery business in Russia

The great reformer Peter the Great also tried his best in the perfumery issue. Before his reign, Russians knew only incense, which was used during church services. Interestingly, there was no urgent need for perfume, since baths were popular. Initially, smelling salts were carried as medicine, in case a lady became ill. Then, gradually, ladies began to wear bags filled with flavored salt to create a haze of pleasant floral aroma.

Perfume, cologne, eau de parfum - what's the difference?

There is a division of perfumes into types according to the number of essential oils contained in the product; the more, the more expensive and better the aroma:

Perfume - their content of essential oils should not be less than 22 percent. It is fair to note that real perfumes are stored for a maximum of two years, after which their structure begins to deform.
Eau de parfum contains from 15 to 22 percent essential oils. Their longevity is not as high as that of perfumes, but higher than that of eau de toilette.
Eau de toilette – differs in the content of essential oils from 8 to 15 percent. The composition does not change for 4-5 years.
Cologne includes 4 percent essential oils in its composition.

Quality of perfume extracts

When creating fragrances, I can use extracts of different quality:

Luxury class - perfumes that are made by hand, sometimes to order. The cost can vary from several thousand dollars for a perfume masterpiece of an exclusive series.
Class “A” - raw materials used are at least 90 percent natural ingredients. 10 percent is allocated to non-natural ingredients.
Class “B” - consists of half of synthetic raw materials. Their cost is much lower than the cost of real perfumes, but they do not reveal the fullness and range of original natural perfumes. Often created as close in aroma to natural perfumes.
Class “C” - the cheapest extracts that are added to powders, soaps and fake perfumes. They are created entirely from synthetic extracts.

Often luxury perfumes are created to order

How are perfumes divided by fragrance families?

Chypre fragrances are fragrances for women and men, derived from sage, lavender, patchouli, in general, aromas of nature. This group got their name after the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean. The famous perfume “Chypre” was even released specially.
Citrus – These scents of lemon, tangerine, orange, bergamot and grapefruit are suitable for both men and women.
Floral scents - suitable exclusively for women, consist of extracts of clove, lily, violet, rose.

Floral oriental scents are very popular among women: jasmine, fricia, musk, apricot, a combination of floral and spice aromas.
Fougere, or fern - for women and men - a combination of oak moss, geranium and lavender aromas.
Fruity aromas are feminine and consist of bergamot, pineapple, papaya, peach.
Green feminine scents - fresh grass, leaves, consist of extracts of pine, juniper, lavender, rosemary.
Woody - for men and women - include extracts of sandalwood, cedar, rosebush, blue iris, musk.
Spicy scents for women and men - extracts of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves.
Marine fragrances for men and women - aromas of the sea, sea wave and freshness. Their distinctive feature is that they are completely unnatural.

Who is a perfumer?

Once upon a time, the profession of perfumer was inherited by some residents of the French town of Grasse. Today in a number of countries around the world there are schools that train perfumers. But before working independently, the student must work as an assistant perfumer for several years.

Many people are interested in the question: who is the person who can work as a perfumer?

To become a perfumer, you do not need to have any special “nose” or sense of smell. It is enough to have a great desire, and years of training will do their job. A perfumer must be able to work with both natural and synthetic components. Of course, he must also be a creative person, because a fragrance is born first in the head, and only then takes on a physical form.

The working day of a “sniffer” takes only two to three hours a day. This is enough, because after this time the nose becomes overloaded and it does not sense aromas as subtly.

Legendary fragrances of the World. "Chanel No. 5"

Important!!!

Scientists have calculated that every 55 seconds in the world one bottle of the famous legendary perfume “Chanel No. 5”, rightly called the scent of the 20th century, is sold.

In 1920, one of Chanel’s many fans, Dmitry Romanov, a descendant of the Russian Emperor Alexander II, introduced her to Ednest Beaux, a former court perfumer. At one of their joint meetings, Ernest invited Chanel to develop a unique fragrance for her using aldehydes. It is important to understand Coco’s conservative attitude towards perfumery in general: she believed that there is no and cannot be a better smell than the aroma of a clean female body. But she decided to experiment and gave her consent to participate in the project. The perfumer created several versions of fragrances and offered them for testing, of which Chanel chose sample number 5. There is a version according to which it was when creating these perfumes that the perfumer made a mistake by mixing the ingredients incorrectly. So fashion trendsetter Coco Chanel decided to create her own brand of perfume, which would not be like any of the previous scents. According to her wishes, the perfume should “smell like a woman.”

The aroma turned out to be persistent and complex - it consisted of 80 different components.

In matters of design, here too Coco became an innovator: at that time, a perfume bottle was a real work of art - a bottle studded with rhinestones and precious diamonds. Chanel released her perfume in an elegant bottle, similar to a bottle of men's perfume. An interesting move to promote perfume: instead of putting it on store shelves immediately after approving the fragrance, Coco gives several fragrances to her friends from high society - from whom rumors began about the unusual aroma and its amazing durability. Only after such a move did the bottles go on sale and became a real bestseller for many decades.

In 1925, the Shalimar fragrance from Guerlain was born. Guerlain was inspired to create these perfumes by the love story between Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal, for whose love the Shah erected the Tajmahal building. The perfume was named after the princess's favorite gardens of the same name.

Initially, the perfume was released in a special Baccarat bottle, only recently a more democratic version of the perfume bottle and a perfume body care line were released for the first time, the face of which was Natalia Vodianova.

The date of birth of the famous “Joy” from Jean Patou is 1929. This is the year of the famous severe economic crisis, when many American companies failed and people were left without work. At such times, designer Jean Patou releases natural, very expensive perfumes of the highest quality, and even packaged in a bottle made of solid Baccarat crystal. Just to create one ounce of perfume, perfumers needed to use three hundred roses and ten thousand jasmine flowers.

This fragrance was born in 1889 in honor of Jacques Guerlain's memories of the beautiful girl Zhiqui, the love of his youth. This scent can be considered revolutionary: previously, fragrances were unisex, that is, everyone could smell the same scent: from adult men to young ladies. It was obvious to many that “Zhiki” was much more suitable for men than for women.

The first American perfume appeared in 1953 thanks to the efforts of Estee Lauder. Until this year, American women used European perfume brands; they were extremely expensive and were considered a luxury. Perfume appeared that became available to almost every American woman.

And today this fragrance can be found on store shelves, the bottle remains in its original form: like a woman’s dress with gold-colored braid.

The legend of Soviet perfumes, the aroma “Red Moscow” is known among perfumers in many countries around the world. In fact, the year of creation of these perfumes can rightly be considered 1913, when perfumer Heinrich Brocard presented his development “The Empress’s Favorite Perfume”. But they were not destined to see the light of day because of the coming revolution. The perfume business was declared an echo of the bourgeoisie, and the creator of the fragrance went into oblivion: his company began to make soap, and then became the New Dawn factory. This is how the scent “Red Moscow” appeared.

One of the most daring and provocative fragrances of the 20th century. Born in 1977. It was created specifically for brave, strong women who are ready to dominate men. This perfume has become an anthem of women's feminism and equality. Because of the name, the Chinese have repeatedly spoken out against the fragrance, demanding that the fragrance be removed from sale. But this did not prevent the fragrance from finding its fans: subtle oriental themes could not help but win the hearts of women and men who were tired of cloying. In addition, the most popular models of that time participated in Opium advertising campaigns.

Conclusion:

Today you can find hundreds of different types of women's and men's perfumes on store shelves. Creating perfume is considered a real art. And those who were able to choose “their” scent, emphasizing their own style, received an excellent ally in creating their image.

Perfumery. NTV film

The history of perfume creation: from incense to perfume.

In ancient times, people treated aromatic substances with special respect, so they became incense burned during religious ceremonies. No wonder the literal translation of the Latin word “per fumum” is “through the smoke.” Incense was produced by burning aromatic resins and wood. For incense, cedar resin, incense and myrrh were most often used.

There is still debate about the homeland of spirits. Some believe that the art of creating perfumes first appeared in Mesopotamia, others give this honor to Arabia. Nevertheless, any researcher will agree that Egypt played a huge role in the emergence of spirits. The Egyptians were sure that if their body exuded a pleasant smell, it would certainly attract the favor of the gods. Even after death, the Egyptian body, cleansed of entrails, was filled with aromatic substances.

In Egypt, incense was prepared by priests according to standard recipes. Aromatic oils and fragrant ointments were made here. The history of perfumery is also connected with the name of Queen Cleopatra. She dipped her ship's sails in aromatic substances to announce her arrival. The famous Egyptian queen even became the author of several perfumes. The Egyptians considered neglecting the scent of their own body to be a manifestation of barbarism and rudeness.

Even before the beginning of our era, the so-called “clothing perfume” came into use, which was usually hidden in the folds of clothes. True, perfumes were available only to the richest. The Greeks made a significant contribution to the history of perfumes. It was they who created the first classification of perfumes. The first official perfumers also appeared in ancient Greece. Oil-based perfumes spread here. Perfume was a mixture of aromatic oils and powders. It is known that even the philosopher Diogenes used perfume, who, for reasons of economy, applied perfume to his feet.

From Greece, perfumery migrated to Rome. Here, hair anointed with aromatic oil testified to nobility. Roman baths boasted aromatic oils to suit every taste. To make perfume, the Romans used maceration (immersion of aromatic substances in oils) or pressing. Emperors such as Caligula and Nero were passionate lovers of incense. In the latter's palace there were special silver pipes from which fragrant essences fell on the guests. As the Roman Empire approached its decline, spirits were doused on house thresholds, military equipment, horses and dogs.

Spirits are conquering the world.

The history of perfume creation is closely connected with the so-called civilization process. The art of perfumery was primarily cultivated by peoples who took over the baton of civilization from each other. Thus, perfumery migrated from the Egyptians to the Jews, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs. Modern European peoples occupy only the last place in this list.

The use of aromas in Europe stopped the invasion of barbarians. Therefore, the makers of the history of perfumery were the peoples of Islam, who invented the still and improved distillation. Avicenna became the discoverer of the isolation of aromatic elements from plants using distillation. Thanks to this method, the perfume became more stable. In addition, Avicenna managed to isolate rose water.

In Europe, the use of perfume expanded after the Crusades, which, oddly enough, greatly influenced the history of perfumery. The knights considered it their duty to bring oriental perfumes and rose water from their campaigns. The spread of the art of aromas was also facilitated by the expansion of trade relations that occurred in the 12th century. Soon Venice becomes the capital of perfumery. The profession of artisan perfumers is becoming quite commonplace. So, in France, to become a master perfumer, you had to serve 4 years as an apprentice and 3 years as an apprentice.

One of the main turning points in the history of perfumery was the birth of perfumes based on a combination of essential oils and alcohol - aromatic waters. This happened in the 2nd half of the 14th century. According to legend, the first rosemary-based aromatic water was given to the Hungarian Queen Elizabeth by a monk. At first, aromatic waters were used for medicinal purposes. Over time, the use of perfumes became so widespread that they began to suffocate not only the body, but also underwear and bed.

In 1608, the first perfume factory arose in the monastery of Santa Maria Novella (Florence). She was patronized by dukes, princes and even the Pope himself. 1709 is also important in the history of perfume creation, when Jean-Marie Farina launched “Cologne Water” for sale. In Europe, it began to spread under the French name “cologne”. The first cologne consisted of grape spirit, bergamot, neroli, lavender, rosemary and lemon oils. This aromatic remedy was believed to cure a variety of diseases, including plague and smallpox.

At the end of the 18th century, perfume shops were replaced by small perfume factories. And from the middle of the 19th century, perfume production acquired an industrial scale. During the same period, Napoleon introduced the fashion for taking aromatic baths. In addition, the art of creating bottles is being improved. French perfumers played a primary role in this. The successes of organic chemistry in the 19th century ushered in the era of obtaining aromatic substances by chemical means. As a result, perfumers began to create compositions that do not exist in nature. The largest supplier of perfume raw materials was the French city of Grasse.

The history of perfumes would be incomplete without mentioning Jean Guerlain, François Coty and Ernest Daltroff, known as the “fathers of perfumery”. The perfumers listed above have put forward several fundamental theories about the creation of fragrances. For example, Francois Coty was the first to combine natural scents with artificially created aromas.

Perfumery in the twentieth century.

Already the beginning of the twentieth century was marked by a turning point in the history of perfumery. Then the art of creating fragrances merged with the modeling business. Paul Poiret was the first to add perfume to his clothing line. The success of this idea was proven by the great Gabrielle Chanel, who released “Chanel No. 5” in 1921.
In the early 20s of the 20th century, fragrances began to be created “synthetically”. Perfumers are discovering the amazing properties of aldehydes. In 1930, French perfumer Jean Patou released the fragrance Joy, which received the title of “the most expensive perfume in the world.” His composition was built on a tandem of rose and jasmine. In the 50s, French perfumery reached its peak. Perfumes for men are also experiencing a period of takeoff. Although the real boom of men's perfumes occurred in the early 60s. An important achievement of the 20th century was a significant reduction in perfume prices.

How did the history of perfumery move forward? In the 70s, “pret-a-porter de lux” perfumes emerged, notable not only for their high quality, but also for their affordability. American perfumers made a real breakthrough in the mass market perfume category. In addition, Japan has burst into the world fragrance market. Shiseildo's Inoui perfume is still included in the list of the most expensive fragrances in the world. The named perfumes opened the fashion for fresh green compositions. In the 70s, in addition to fashion designers, jewelers began to create their own perfumes.
The 80s are remembered for experiments with bottles and the fashion for heavy “amber” scents. In addition, marine and ozone motifs appear in the perfume. The 90s were distinguished by natural scents. At this time, they began to use the “Living Flowers” technology, which allows them to “collect” the smell of unpicked plants. From the beginning of the 90s until now, perfumery has been developing at a fairly rapid pace. So, if in 1993 a new perfume composition appeared every week, now new products attack consumers every day.

When describing the history of perfume creation, we must not forget about Soviet perfumery. One of the most famous Soviet perfumers is August Michel, who created the perfume “The Empress’s Favorite Bouquet”, which is better known as “Red Moscow”. The Red Poppy perfume was no less popular. The perfume “Silver Lily of the Valley” became a post-war hit.

Modernity
The modern history of perfumery is a boundless ocean of scents, in which it is easy to get lost. The classification of fragrances, which we decided to supplement with the best new products of recent years, will help you find the right course.

Chypre scents. The heart of this group of perfumes is usually notes of incense, patchouli, oakmoss and bergamot. A bright chypre novelty was the Body perfume from Buberry. It was released in conjunction with the mentioned brand's new collection of trench coats.

Citrus aromas. This type of fragrance is characterized by chords of lemon, orange, bergamot and grapefruit. This group of scents is best represented by the Cristalle Eau Verte perfume from Chanel, which successfully combines new trends with the classics of the history of perfumery.

Floral scents. The main component of floral perfumes is the flower. One of the floral bestsellers of recent years is the Light Blue fragrance from D&G, which was released in 2001. Its fresh and invigorating scent is ideal for summertime.

Fougere aromas. This perfume is based on lavender, oak moss and coumarin. In this case, first of all, it is worth remembering the High Line perfume from Bond No 9. This perfume also belongs to the unisex group, which has become one of the main discoveries in the modern history of perfumes.

Woody aromas. This type of fragrance is primarily characteristic of men's perfumes. The heart of such perfumes contains notes of patchouli, sandalwood, cedar and vetiver. A striking representative of this type of perfume was the Untitled fragrance from Maison Martin Margiela.

Oriental scents. The East played one of the main roles in the emergence of spirits. As for modern oriental fragrances, they usually combine accords of powder, vanilla, incense and animal notes. Amber from Prada is considered one of the best oriental perfumes of recent years. The long-lasting trail of the named perfume has found many fans.

Leather scents. Leather perfumes resemble not only the smell of leather, but also smoke, sea and tobacco. Among the most eccentric new products of this type of fragrance is the Idole perfume from Lubin, which was released in 2005. Already now they can immediately be considered one of the most valuable wanderers in the multi-volume history of perfumery.

In the 21st century, perfume fashion is driven by personal preference and individuality. As a result, so-called niche perfumes are at the peak of popularity. Therefore, when choosing a perfume, forget about the rules and trust your own feelings.