History of Perfume
Perfume is thousands of years old and the word originates from the Latin “per fume” which means “through smoke” as one of the oldest uses of perfume comes from the burning of incense and aromatic herbs used in religious rituals. The Egyptians were the first to incorporate perfume into their culture followed by the ancient Chinese, Arabs, Greeks, and Romans. Perfume enjoyed huge success during the 17th Century and the French court of Louis XV was even named “the perfumed court” due to the scents that were applied daily not only to the skin but also to clothing, fans and furniture. The tradition of French perfume houses has continued to the modern day and there are many fragrances to choose from, although perfume still remains highly priced and few can afford to purchase and own many different fragrances.

Explanation of Perfume
Perfumers have always dreamed of creating unique fragrances and have also developed a special language of their own to explain how it smells. The “head note”, “heart note” and “base note” are terms used to describe the aroma of the perfume itself. The head note represents the spirit of the perfume and the first impression once it has been applied to the skin. It is typically derived from citrus or herbs and its scent usually lingers for between 5 and 30 minutes. The heart note makes up the body of the perfume blend. It may be evident from the start but will usually take 10-30 minutes to fully develop on the skin. This is the note that classifies the fragrance family, such as floral, fruity or spice. The base note gives the recipe warmth and determines how long the scent lasts as it helps slow down the evaporation rate of the lighter notes and gives the fragrance holding power. Base notes are typically woods and musks.