in Antiquity and Middle Ages

The word ‘perfume’ is derived from the Latin per (through) and fumare (to smoke) because, long before the use of modern techniques, the first perfumes were obtained by burning woods, resins and other complex mixtures.… read more : Perfume in Antiquity and Middle Ages

From The Renaissance to The Enlightenment : the art of concealing embarrassing smells

By the end of the 14th century, liquid perfumes were gradually replacing solid ones. Scented waters, tinctures to be swallowed, were sought after for their medicinal values.… read more : From The Renaissance to The Enlightenment : the art of concealing embarrassing smells

The beginnings of modern perfumery

It was in the 19th century that perfume making, and industry in general, was completely revolutionised. The emergence of modern chemistry, gradual democratisation, the rise of an industrial middle class, and a flood of scientific and technical discoveries all caused a complete structural change in the skills and products of the perfume trade.… read more : The beginnings of modern perfumery