Strathern, Paul (2000). Mendeleyev's Dream— The Quest For the Elements. New York: Berkley Books. ISBN 0-425-18467-6. After Napoleon came to power, exorbitant expenditures for perfume continued. Two quarts of violet cologne were delivered to him each week, and he is said to have used sixty bottles of double extract of jasmine every month. Josephine had stronger perfume preferences. She was partial to musk, and she used so much that sixty years after her death the scent still lingered in her boudoir. A woman’s perfume tells me more about her than her handwriting.’ So said Christian Dior (b. 1905) one of the greatest-ever couturiers – and a man whose name is also synonymous, all over the world, with the glorious art of perfume. The Arabic philosopher al-Kindi (c. 801–873) wrote a book on perfumes called ‘ Book of the Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations’. It contained more than a hundred recipes for fragrant oils, salves, aromatic waters and substitutes or imitations of costly drugs. The book also described one hundred and seven methods and recipes for perfume-making, and even the perfume making equipment, like the alembic, still bears its Arabic name. [10]

The Egyptians, early Arabs and Greeks all originally created perfume by burning incense and herbs such as frankincense and myrrh for religious purposes. The aromatic composition of the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection Extraordinaire Orchidée Vanille eau de parfum will delight your senses with delicious almond, gourmand vanilla, warm cedar, irresistible chocolate and delicate violet. Exotic tonka bean, lychee, juicy mandarin, orchid or suggestive white musk. They often used to blend extracts with the cement of which mosques were built. [9] Such rituals gave incentives to scholars to search and develop a cheaper way to produce incenses and in mass production. And, according to reports, a third favourite of Princess Diana’s was Penhaligons’ Bluebell. Created in 1978 (two years after First) this floral green fragrance transports you to British woodlands in dewy spring.The world's first recorded chemist is a woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker whose existence was recorded on a 1200 BCE Cuneiform tablet in Babylonian Mesopotamia. [1] She held a powerful role in the Mesopotamian government and religion, as the overseer of the Mesopotamian Royal Palace. She developed methods for scent extraction techniques that would lay the basis for perfume making. She recorded her techniques and methods and those were passed on, with her most groundbreaking technique in using solvents. [2] Furthermore Sassanian Emperors used rose water as perfume in their celebrations. The Persian Muslim doctor and chemist Ibn Sina (also known as Avicenna) 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 distillation technology significantly influenced western perfumery and scientific developments, particularly chemistry. To date, the oldest perfumery was discovered on the island of Cyprus. [5] Excavations in 2004-2005 under the initiative of an Italian archaeological team unearthed evidence of an enormous factory that existed 4,000 years ago during the Bronze Age. [6] This covered an estimated surface area of over 0.4 hectares (0.99 acres) indicating that perfume manufacturing was on an industrial scale. [7] The news of this discovery was reported extensively through the world press and many artifacts are already on display in Rome. [8] Miss Dior became one of the great fragrance icons of the 20th Century. Allegedly, as Dior was preparing for the launch of his first perfume, the name for the fragrance had yet to be invented. Then his sister, Catherine Dior, walked into the salon of 30 Avenue Montaigne. Dior’s muse, Mitzah Bricard, announced: ‘Here’s Miss Dior!’ On the day of the show, the salon was sprayed with this bewitching perfume – and clients and journalists left with its scent on their clothes and their skin. Eau Fraîche also appeared during the Dior years: a summery splash by perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, uplifting with mandarin and lemon, with oak moss and vanilla in its base.

Perfume enjoyed huge success during the 17th century. Perfumed gloves became popular in France and in 1656, the guild of glove and perfume-makers was established. Perfumers were also known to create poisons; for instance, a French duchess was murdered when a perfume/poison was rubbed into her gloves and was slowly absorbed into her skin.Theodoulou, Michael (25 February 2005). "Archaeological dig sniffs out world's oldest perfumery". The Scotsman . Retrieved 19 February 2007. Our perfume timeline clearly shows that man-made fragrances have been an important part of human history and culture for thousands of years. Initially used in religious ceremonies, it was also used to demonstrate social status by the wearer due to it’s rarity and cost.

Scent had always been incredibly important to Dior. Eternally superstitious, he slipped a sprig of lily of the valley into the hem of every haute couture dress, and always kept it with him. (He had his own hot-houses, expressly for the purpose of growing this favourite flower.) So it was natural that in 1956, he should launch a fragrance – another Roudnitska creation – based on this favourite flower. Sadly, Dior died just a year after the stunning lily of the valley-based Diorissimo was first unveiled (see the detail above of a beautiful vintage bottle). But happily for perfume-lovers, the creative spark ignited by Christian Dior became a flame that burns brightly to this day.According to the history books, the Queen of France (Catherine de Medici) who reigned from 1547 to 1559, was given a pair of scented gloves by a tanner from the French town of Grasse as a gift. From here it is said that the perfume industry was born. Dior La Collection Privée is the ultimate expression of this perfumer’s talents. ‘Rare ingredients, daring olfactory statements and creation that knows no bounds,’ is how Demachy sums it up. ‘This collection reflects the freedom that only true luxury can provide.’ Demachy himself choose and selects ingredients from around the world: Arabian jasmine, Tuscan iris, tuberose, patchouli, neroli, Calabrian bergamot. The Viora London team caters to a worldwide audience. We provide a professional review service on fragrance, beauty and luxury items to assist our readers make informed purchasing decisions. Van Cleef And Arpels First Eau de Perfume Spray 100ml | Niche Perfumes, Signature Perfumes, Luxury cosmetics | BEAUTYTHESHOP