Perfumes

Perfumes have been around literally for ages. They are basically a fragrant product blended from certain raw or synthetic materials. The art of perfumery was known to many ancient cultures, including the Chinese, Hindus, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Even the Bible contains some references to materials and formulas relating to perfume.

Perfumes are usually an alcohol solution, the alcohol being mixed with an essential oil, comprised of such odors as floral, woody, spicy, or citrusy notes. Perfumes usually have top notes which are perceived immediately but don’t last very long, middle notes which give the fragrance more body and character and a base note which is the most persistent of all.

SOME BOOKS ON THE HISTORY, BACKGROUND AND BUSINESS OF PERFUMES @ MERCER COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM:

Perfume: The Art and Science of Scent by Cathy Newman (National Geographic Society, 1998)

Although a bit dated, this book brings the story of perfumes to life, by interviewing many of the people involved in the business and charting where many fragrance ingredients come from around the world. It also deals with the creation of perfumes by perfumers and how these fragrances are then marketed. Wonderfully illustrated.

The Scent Trail: How One Woman’s Quest for the Perfect Perfume Took Her Around the World by Celia Lyttelton (New American Library/Penguin, 2007)

An overview of the history and language of perfumery, reported by a woman who travels the world in search of the best ingredients from the most favored locations, including Turkey, France, Italy and Morocco. She literally documents what it takes to have a perfume made especially for her.


The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris and New York by Chandler Burr.
(Henry Holt, 2008)

This account takes one on a journey of two fragrances houses developing two fragrances for two not-completely different markets. One is “Lovely,” celebrity-driven because it is an interpretation of Sarah Jessica Parker, the actress. The other is by Hermes, the luxury leather-goods manufacturer, seeking a larger share of the fragrance pie. The fragrance is “Un Jardin sur le Nil,” an interpretation of green mangoes on the Nile River.

The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World’s Most Famous Perfume by Tilar J. Mazzeo (Harper/HarperCollins, 2010)

The story of the perfume that, even after 90 years, is still a best-selling fragrance. The author dwells on the historical facts of the creation of No. 5, the regretted business transactions afterward, the life and background of Coco Chanel and how even World War II played a part in its sales.

INTERNET AND DATABASE RESOURCES

Perfumes.com has a long section on their site on the history of fragrances.

Now Smell This is a well-organized blog, noting new men’s and women’s fragrances, reviewing fragrances and fragrance-oriented books from time to time and letting its readers comment on these and other fragrance topics. Although only around since 2005, it is well indexed and one can find any fragrance listed since its inception.

Osmoz was created by the fragrance supplier Firmenich in 2001; it lists new fragrances and their composition and keeps an archive of many fragrance brands. It also has a “News and Trends” magazine as well as a kid’s page, among other offerings.

One way to find out more about fragrances or an individual fragrance in particular is to go to EBSCOhost on the Mercer County Library System’s website. On the home page, select “Electronic Resources” from the green bar on left, choose “From Home or Office” or “Within the Library System,” choose “Magazines & Journals,” choose “EBSCOhost,” then
EBSCOhost Web.” Next, choose “General/News Databases” or “Business/Economics” (or both) and click on “Continue.” Use the search term “perfumes” for men’s or women’s fragrances and then choose how you want the articles sorted. Happy hunting!

- Wayne N.