January 1, 2025 • 41 mins
Perfume encompasses a rich tapestry of cultural significance, tracing its origins from ancient civilizations to modern practices. This episode delves into how fragrance has evolved, intertwining with societal shifts, cultural rituals, and personal identity, while uncovering its transformative history across diverse eras.
Follow my links! https://linktr.ee/magnifiquepod
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, divas, and welcome to Magnifique, your
favorite perfume history podcast.
I'm your host, gabrielle, andtoday we do a little deep dive
on the history of perfume.
Now, perfume has taken manyforms throughout the years and
I've set out on a quest to learnhow perfume practices of the
(00:21):
modern day came to be.
From ancient Mesopotamia to mymodern day collection.
What importance does perfumehold in terms of practices and
appreciation?
I was intrigued to learn howperfume became such a widespread
topic with worldwide daily use.
Specifically, I wanted to knowits origins and how different
(00:42):
cultures interact with scents.
I wanted to know its originsand how different cultures
interact with scents.
Little did I know I was gettinginto some very ancient
territory.
That being said, there's a lotof perfume information that has
come across my desk, so I inviteyou to check all of my sources,
to dig deeper, even deeper thanI'm going, because I feel like
(01:03):
I've barely made a dent in everyhistorical avenue.
I've tried to condense themjust for ease of my brain, but,
like I said, I'll leave mybibliography.
There's like 25 articles, so Ireally did try to do my due
diligence, but soulavue, I guess.
(01:23):
First, let's define where theword perfume came to us from.
The term comes from the Latinphrase perfumum, meaning through
smoke.
The French later interjectedwith the name parfum, referring
to the fragrance put off byburning incense.
So the same thing the Frenchjust said my turn.
(01:44):
Lastly, the Bible describesperfume in a sacred form, from
Exodus 30, 22 through 33.
And it calls for a liquidversion of myrrh fragrant
cinnamon, fragrant cane andcassia.
Its use is forbidden for allexcept priests.
(02:05):
Fun fact.
Fun fact about me.
I recently tried to read thebible and, as someone who
doesn't get down with religion,I wanted to see what all the
fuss was about.
And y'all neglected to tell methat jesus is only half the
story.
I grew up Catholic so I didlike practice in the church
(02:26):
until I was like eight.
I'm really good at practicing,but y'all neglected to tell me
that Jesus is only in the lasthalf of the story and I would
need to sit through 1400 pagesof homeboy God just being
low-key mean.
So I still stand firm in beinga non-believer.
However, you should know that Ido freak with astrology heavy,
(02:51):
so take my thoughts how you seefit, but where was I going with
that?
Truly, who's to say?
Our history starts about 4,000years ago among the Mesopotamian
people, in the form of incense.
The incense that was burnedconsisted of a variety of resins
and woods used during religiousceremonies.
(03:13):
So the use of perfume inancient Mesopotamia closed
practice, fun Mesopotamian fact.
I know you feel like you're in6th grade talking about
Mesopotamia so much.
I know you feel like you're in6th grade talking about
Mesopotamia so much.
But the first perfume maker onrecord was a chemist named
Tabuti Go woman.
Stories of the inventor ofperfume have been found on a
(03:34):
clay tablet from Mesopotamia andit was around the 2nd
millennium BC, and its maincomponents were herbs and spices
like coriander and myrtle.
Flowers weren't used in theincense until much later in
(03:55):
production.
The herbs and spices that wereused hold historical
significance, tracing back toancient trade routes.
Speaking of important tradesroutes, perfume eventually found
its way to ancient Egypt about3000 BC.
At first, the method of use wasonly in rituals for gods and
pharaohs again, a closedpractice.
And in ancient Egyptianmythology there is a god of
(04:17):
perfume, nerefum, the lotusblossom god, symbolizing perfume
and aromatherapy.
Legends associate Nerofum withthe fragrant blue water lily, a
key ingredient in ancientperfumes.
The earliest recorded personaluse of perfume involved
Egyptians wearing wax conesfilled with a fragrant flower,
(04:41):
herbs and spices on their heads.
The thought was that the waxwould melt and the perfumes
would waft down, scenting thewearer.
You're wearing a perfume,little party hat.
Basically, the use of perfumefor religious affiliations
arrived in ancient Egypt in 3000BC, like I said, and continued
(05:02):
its relation until the GoldenAge.
So the Golden Age was 2613 BCto 2494 BC, and this Golden Age
in Egypt saw a rise ofrecreational use of perfume.
So it was no longer strictly aclosed practice though one would
argue that it should have beenjust for the times, but glad
(05:25):
it's not because I'm currentlywearing a new perfume.
So it became not just exclusiveto rituals but is now being
used for personal adornment bythe upper class.
Perfume use became a marker ofsocial status.
Queens like Cleopatra andHatshepsut used scents
extensively, not only for bodilyuse but also in their living
(05:49):
quarters, their baths and intheir tombs.
The newly incorporatedfragrance of the times were
floral, woodsy and fruity notesmy favorite notes, thank you.
Ancient Egypt.
Ancient Egyptians weren't alonein their cultural use of scents
.
Burning fragrant offerings andaromatic smokes for divination
(06:09):
was a common practice among manycultures.
The association with the divineand spiritual realms solidified
the power of scent in ancientsocieties.
The story of perfume in ancientEgypt highlights its evolution
from a practice to a covetedpersonal accessory.
It also underscores the deepconnection between fragrance and
(06:31):
cultural appreciation, aconnection that continues to
shape our relationship withscent today.
Another ancient stop inperfume's historical world tour
is ancient China and India.
Perfume has been an importantpart of Indian and Chinese
culture for centuries.
In India, perfume was used insacred tantric rituals,
(06:54):
ceremonies and temples.
In China, perfume was infusedinto many daily use items, such
as ink and stationery.
Chinese culture also usedperfume for disinfection and
purity, believing that theperfume would help rid a room of
disease.
That becomes very commonpractice, as you'll find out,
(07:17):
and I don't know the scientificvalidity of it, but we should
kind of be concerned.
Um just generally.
You'll see, in the renaissanceboth cultures focused less on
anointing their bodies withfragrance and more on using it
to scent the world around them.
It was, however, during the suiand song dynasty that noble
(07:39):
chinese people began to usepersonal fragrance.
Um importing ingredients viathe Silk Road by the Yunming and
Qing dynasties, fragrance usebegan to become more widespread
with the public.
Oriental fragrances focusedheavily on herbs and spices,
many of which were also used forfood and medicine.
(08:01):
Next we find ourselves inancient Persia.
The Persian philosopher andphysician, avicenna introduced
the process of extracting oilsfrom flowers via distillate
distillation during the 11thcentury.
The distillation process isstill used today in the perfume
industry, and Avicenna's methodinvolved placing flower petals
(08:23):
in a still and heating them withsteam.
The steam then carries thevolatile oils from the flower,
which condensed and collected inseparate containers, further
developing the art ofdistillation, making perfume
manufacturing a viable optionfor large-scale samples.
They ruled the perfume tradefor hundreds of years and are
(08:48):
credited as the inventors ofnon-oil-based perfume.
Non-oil-based perfume, known asattar, is made from natural
ingredients such as rosewater,musk and amber.
I love amber.
Thank you, ancient Persia, foramber.
It's more concentrated andlong-lasting than oil-based
perfumes.
(09:09):
Many Persian nobles areremembered for their use of
fragrance and during theSassanid period, which was 224
to 651 AD, the production offragrances and infused water was
quite prevalent in Persia.
Persian kings had their ownscents, their signature scents,
and they were that theircompanions and relatives were
(09:32):
not allowed to use.
This is my scent.
No one's allowed to smell likeme.
Do it, don't do it, or elseDuring King Darius, which was
522 to 486 BC.
So kind of out of order, butyou get me, you get me.
King Darius is often picturedholding his bottles of perfume
(09:53):
or incense.
They were very special to him.
And King Xerxes had also beenpictured with lily of the valley
flowers, which were often usedas fragrances.
I still see them in fragrancestoday.
They haven't gone anywhere.
Thank you, persian kings.
Persian kings often usedperfumes to signify their power
(10:15):
and status.
They also used it in religiousceremonies to ward off evil
spirits.
Perfume making equipment andfragrance making workshops were
very abundant in ancient Persia.
The Persian people loved toexperiment with different scents
and ingredients.
Perfume workshops in ancientPersia were often located in
(10:38):
palaces and temples, and theywere also found in markets and
bazaars for production purchasesLarge-scale production
purchases, thank you, ancientPersia.
Next we have ancient Rome.
Ancient Romans meticulouslydocumented their perfume-making
practices, leaving behind awealth of information for modern
(11:02):
scholars.
For example, a mural found in aperfumemaker's house in Pompeii
depicts the various stepsinvolved in creating these
fragrances.
The careful documentation ofthe perfumemaking process has
allowed for the recreation ofseveral Greco-Roman fragrances
(11:23):
today.
Creation of several Greco-Romanfragrances today.
These modern interpretationsoffer a glimpse of the past,
allowing us to appreciate theartistry and craftsmanship of
ancient perfumers.
The world's oldest perfumefactory, dating back to around
1850 BC, was discovered in theancient city of Pygros Kilikias
(11:48):
in modern-day Turkey.
This discovery highlights thelong and rich history of perfume
making, which has been animportant part of human culture
for thousands of years, whichhas been an important part of
human culture for thousands ofyears.
Perfume was not only used forreligious practices, but it also
plays a significant role in thetransformation of Rome from a
(12:09):
small farming village to aglobal epicenter.
And you may have heard ofgladiators.
They're known for theirphysical prowess and fierce
battles, but they were also saidto apply different scented
lotions to areas of their bodybefore their gladiator contests.
This practice may have beenintended to mask body odor or to
(12:37):
create a sense of intimidationamong their opponents.
Um, how, how on the nose isthat new gladiator movie?
Are they applying lotions andfragrances before their little
fights?
I'm asking because didn't itcome out?
It came out the same time aswicked um with the paul mescal
(12:57):
guy.
Are they?
Is historically accurate?
Who's to say, I haven't seen itand if I am to speak my truth,
I don't plan to see it.
Perfumes and other scentedproducts became a symbol of
luxury and status, reflectingthe city's growing wealth and
influence.
We're gonna take a call back toEgypt again.
(13:18):
Cleopatra, the legendary queenof Egypt, was renowned for her
beauty and her charm, and it'ssaid she once greeted Mark
Antony on a boat with scentedsails.
But also this act not onlyshowcased her opulence and
(13:44):
sophistication, but also servedas a powerful symbol of her
power and influence.
The ancient cult of Aphrodite,the goddess of love and beauty,
used perfume and scents in theirtemples and worship services.
These fragrances were believedto have aphrodisiac properties
(14:04):
and were thought to enhance theconnection between worshiper and
the goddess.
During its peak, rome importedvast quantities of precious
ingredients, such asfrankincense and myrrh, which
were used in the production ofperfumes, cosmetics and scented
products.
It is estimated that the Romansused 2,800 tons of frankincense
(14:33):
and 550 tons of myrrh per year.
Fragrances were used in variousaspects of Roman life,
including the public bathhouseto scent the water, and in body
care such as balms, oils andperfume for hair and skin.
(14:54):
These products were not onlyused for their fragrance, but
also for their perceivedmedicinal properties.
Despite the widespread use ofperfume, not everyone in ancient
Rome was a fan.
Pliny the Elder, a Romanphilosopher or naturalist,
condemned the use of perfume,considering them to be opulent
and wasteful.
Xenophobic tendencies againstforeign stenches in Rome at its
height of power may havecontributed to the decline of
(15:17):
use as well, as perfumes wereoften associated with foreign
cultures and customs.
So we're really just beingracist.
In ancient Rome, however, thelove of perfume eventually
resurfaced and by the 10thcentury, perfume making was once
again thriving in Europe.
Today, perfume continues to bean important part of our lives,
(15:39):
evoking emotions, memories and asense of luxury.
The rich history of perfumemaking spanning thousands of
years is a testament to thehuman fascination with fragrance
.
From the ancient Egyptians tomodern day, perfume has
continued to captivate andinspire us with their beauty and
(16:01):
allure.
Ancient times solidified manyfragrance practices today, from
our friends in Mesopotamiafounding the religious practice
to Persia enshrining thedistillation process.
So we and by we I mean I owe myentire collection and
hyperfixation to civilizationsso old that they barely seem
(16:24):
real.
I don't understand BC.
I don't want to understand.
That's not for me to understand, it's really none of my
business.
But it does kind of freak meout that a lot of the things
that they like not go through.
But experience in a day-to-dayis pretty similar to us.
I talked about it in my TiffanyCo episode.
(16:45):
I don't understand how liveswere so normal back then when it
feels like everything we talkabout is so ancient and old.
And anyway, I'm going to spiralif I keep talking.
Now.
Let's talk about a time periodthat sounds a little more recent
the Middle Ages.
It feels like the Middle Ageswere just yesterday.
(17:06):
Crusaders brought back fragrantmaterials and techniques from
the Middle East.
The distillation technique forrose petals was among the
acquired skills, the samedistillation process adopted
from ancient Persia.
With the quote-unquote newfounddistillation method, the
Crusades were able to discovernew scents.
(17:29):
The introduction of newfragrances expanded the European
perfume palette, and you mayremember a devastating pandemic
during the Middle Ages calledthe Bubbonic plague.
During the bubonic plague,doctors wore the bird-like masks
filled with herbs, spices andoils to ward off the plague as
(17:50):
well as to neutralize the smellof the sickly and the general
smell of death.
The belief in power of scent toeliminate the stents of
pestilence contributed to theincreased popularity of
fragrance use in their modernday.
The next stage of perfumehistory brings us one step
(18:10):
closer to modern history theRenaissance.
The Renaissance marked asignificant resurgence of
perfume culture, with Franceemerging as its epicenter.
This period witnessed theevolution of perfumery from
simple scented oils to morecomplex alcohol-based fragrances
.
Queen Elizabeth of Hungaryintroduced modern perfume to
(18:34):
Europe in the 14th century withHungary water quote-unquote was
its its title and it's analcohol-based perfume made from
scented oils.
And Catherine de' Michi broughtItalian perfumery traditions to
France, popularizing the use ofperfume among the European
(18:55):
nobility.
René Le Florentine, a renownedItalian perf perfumer, created
signature scents for catherinemedici, including one with
orange blossom and bergamot.
René le florentine's livingquarters were connected to the
royal palace via an undergroundtunnel.
This allowed catherine medicito have new fragrances at the
(19:17):
drop of a hat.
Um, I have an incredibly vaguememory of my family tree telling
me that I have some verydistant connection to Miss
Medici, and I've been ridingthat high forever.
Can I confirm whether this istrue or not?
Maybe I made it up in my head?
Yeah, no, I can't confirmanything, but based on my vibes
(19:40):
and how royal I feel, I'mobviously a royal descendant and
I think we need to start actingas such.
Gabrielle Forci Gonzales, aroyal descendant of Miss Medici.
Spread the rumor, please.
King Francois I of Francefostered a strong cultural and
artistic exchange with Italy,which further accelerated the
(20:04):
growth of French perfumery.
His reign brought on an erawhere bathing was less common.
Perfume was used to mask bodyodors and elevate social status.
Perfumes incorporatedanimal-derived ingredients like
ambergris, civet and musk toenhance their longevity and
complexity.
(20:24):
Since thought to cloak thesmell of one's body, the
Renaissance didn't bathe.
They did carry palmanders, ascented ball to ward off
unpleasant odors and to promotewell-being of odors.
And to promote well-beingDuring the age of exploration of
the Renaissance.
This brought new raw materialslike vanilla, cocoa and exotic
(20:48):
spices, which expanded theperfumer's palate.
The invention of the printingpress facilitated the
dissemination of perfume.
Knowledge, recipes andtechniques were shared across
Europe, contributing to thegrowth of the perfume industry.
I have been to the RenaissanceFair exactly once, so I do feel
authorized to speak on this.
(21:08):
If I had to go back for real,for real, to the Renaissance and
smell rancid BL mixed withvanilla, I'm throwing punches.
That's so vile and the factthat this was post-plague is
astounding.
I'll say it the Middle Ages andthe Renaissance are my least
(21:30):
favorite ages in history.
I'm a modern woman.
I was born in the right timeperiod.
I'm left speechless by theirhygiene practices.
But thank you so much for yourfragrances.
Um, and like I said, I can'tget over your vile behaviors
regarding hygiene.
Our next timeline takes us tothe 16th and 17th century.
(21:55):
The 16th and 17th century thecraze of perfuming.
Everything was so extensivethat even pets and jewelry were
daubed with their owner'sfavorite scents.
Perfume enjoyed huge successduring the 17th century,
especially in France.
Hygiene in those days werepretty spotty and fragrances
(22:17):
were used to mask the unpleasantbody odors.
England, perfumes were usedextensively during the reign of
Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.
All public places were scentedduring Elizabeth's reigns
because she could not toleratebad smells, and me either, girl
(22:39):
Fear of baths really began tosettle in in the terrible
context of the plague epidemic.
Public bath houses were closedand individual practices to
decrease completely stopped.
The population fears that thewater infiltrates into their
bodies, inflating it and thusallowing the disease to enter.
(23:01):
Okay, pop-off science.
Water becomes a contagionfactor and people wash
themselves less and less.
At the same time, appearancetakes an incredibly prominent
role.
The art of appearancesupplements hygiene and
cleanliness.
You can look hot, but you canalso smell atrocious, and that's
(23:25):
okay, because the duality ofman in the 17th century says
that that's allowed.
From the 16th century, peopleonly washed very occasionally
and the practice is prettysuperficial, since people just
pour water on some parts oftheir bodies.
Hygiene is rather a scrubbingby rubbing the skin of the
(23:47):
clothes that impregnate withvarious essence.
I felt so uncomfortable sayingthe word impregnate, but you
know, it seems that the FrenchKing, louis IX, took a bath once
a year.
Perfume is used to hide theunflattering scents of badly
(24:10):
washed bodies, and the smellsare so unpleasant that the
scented juices are very powerfuland heady, that the scented
juices are very powerful andheady.
At the time, animal scents suchas musk and amber were widely
adopted for their olfactorypower and aphrodisiac presence.
So if you're wondering whyeverybody had so many kids but
also stonk, think amber and musk.
(24:34):
Other fragrant ingredients werealso used, such as jasmine or
tuberose, which overpoweredeverything and everyone.
They used it on their bodies,of course, but also on wigs,
clothes, food, tobacco.
Animals were entitled to thearomatic essences.
(24:54):
As it was not uncommon toperfume your little dog or
exotic bird In the house, theperfume everywhere.
Aristocrats had cushions filledwith dried flowers and they
used scented tablets to burn orsprinklers to hide unwelcomed
(25:15):
odors.
The court is flooded withfragrances, and the richest
change their essence every day,me too, so I guess you can call
me the richest in the 17thcentury, except I do shower
daily, so I don't think I'd fitin.
In the 17th to 19th centuriesrank classism assigned smells
(25:38):
deemed most foul to the bodiesand lives of the poorest
citizens.
So the better you smell, thericher you are, I'd say.
That kind of goes rings truefor today.
I would once again like toremind everyone and say thank
you to modern science anddisease control.
I would rather get the plaguethan not bathe myself.
(25:59):
So thank you, modern medicine.
Okay, what is next?
What is next?
It was during the 18th centurythat things really started to
pick up in the mainstream use offragrance.
1709, a French perfumerproposed that different classes
(26:19):
should be scented differently.
Going back to rank classism, heconcocted a royal perfume for
the aristocracy and thebourgeoisie perfume for the
middle class, but said the poorwere only deemed worthy of
disinfectant.
Courts of Louis X, king ofFrance 1750 to 1774, la cour de
(26:42):
parfum, aristocracy wereexpected to wear a different
perfume every day.
Besides, the expenses in thismatter were enormous, more
important than the expenses forfood.
The court of Louis X wasrenowned throughout Europe as
the Scented Court, where newsmells were spread every day.
(27:05):
At this time, the scentedwaters were very popular, like
toilet vinegars, which havedisinfectant burt tubes.
During this time, marieAntoinette's perfume had
recently been recreated and inits extremely limited edition,
25ml flask may be purchased for8,000 euros, approximately
(27:30):
10,290 US dollars.
At the time, the demand forscented products was
ever-growing and some fragrancesare made to measure.
It was during the 18th centurythat the first perfume houses
were created, like Piver andLubin in France and Floris in
(27:51):
London.
The mid-18th century marked aturning point in perfumery by
the transition of headyfragrances to hide stench to
fresher and more delicate scents.
It is at this time that anovelty will turn upside down
the scented compositions.
The Eau de Cologne arrives fromGermany and immediately seduces
(28:13):
the middle class, who willconsume it in every single form.
Consumed it in wine in frictionvia enema injections on sugar.
They perfumed the houses withthe fresh potpourri arranged in
silver or porcelain cups.
Musk, civet and amber aredropped in favor of floral and
(28:37):
fruity scents that are found indelicate flasks.
The Enlightenment philosopherswould gradually restore the
place of water in toilets asopposed to scented toilet
fragrances, even if we stillhave perfumed hair and clothes,
the practice of ablutionreappears, the bidet settled in
(29:00):
the bathroom of aristocrats inthe 1730s to fight bad smells,
and at the end of the 18thcentury perfume was enjoying the
status of high fashion and thehigher one's importance, the
better one's fragrance.
Like I mentioned, rank classism.
During this time we saw asignificant turn toward the
practice of modern perfumery aswe encounter it today was the
(29:24):
abolition of apothecary andperfume guilds in France during
1990, nope, 1871.
During the French Revolution,with the government controlling
everything, they got to controlwhat class of a person could be
a perfumer and what productsthey were permitted to produce.
The tiktok astrologers, uh,keep telling me that this time
(29:50):
period, the french revolution,was the last time that pluto was
in aquarius.
And since pluto just re-enteredAquarius, stuff is about to get
crazy, stuff is about to godown, apparently.
What does this mean?
I have no idea.
I thought it was a fun tidbitto add and December was actually
(30:10):
like low-key crazy.
So maybe there is some truth toit.
But really, who is to say?
Not me?
During the 19th century,changing tastes and the
development of chemistry laidthe foundation for modern
(30:30):
perfumery.
Perfume was usually derivedfrom a single flower, but in the
19th century would become thecommodity par excellence, a
confluence of the artisticexpression of perfume and the
evolving trend of consumerpredilections.
The deodorizing drive of themid-19th century, however, led
(30:51):
to a demise of perfume and a newconservative outlook on it
Promotion of germ theory and theunderstanding that filth
carried illness rather thanwater Scents of all kind began
to be perceived as evil.
Perfume receded to thebackground and took on a muted
(31:14):
public image.
At that time, wearingfragrances became
gender-stereotyped sweet floralblends were deemed exclusively
female, while sharper woodsy,pine and cedar notes were
characterized as masculine.
As new, more cheaply producedsynthetic ingredients became
available near the start of the20th century, production costs
(31:38):
dropped and perfume productsbecame more accessible to
lower-income consumers.
Therefore, profits boomed.
But early to mid-20th centuries,men with any credible social
position had stopped wearingfragrances altogether.
It's that theory that as soonas it becomes available to
everyone, no one wants it.
(31:59):
Exclusivity Men at the timewere expected to smell of clean
skin and tobacco, where women ofrespectable social standings
were expected to smell onlyfaintly of floral notes.
Only prostitutes wear the onceprestigious heavy rose scents.
(32:20):
In the 1930s, floral scentsmade a comeback, but they did so
in a complex and daringcomposition connected to the
glamour of cinema.
The perfumes were sold inastonishing and impactful
bottles, again recalling theglam starlit look.
The evolution of women's rightsin the Western world meant that
(32:43):
the young women no longer wantedto smell like their
grandmothers.
Meant that the young women nolonger wanted to smell like
their grandmothers Fair enough.
And even perfumery, along withthe cosmetic and fashion
industry, had undergoneimportant shifts during this
decade.
It had become democratized byapplying makeup, dressing and
smelling.
(33:03):
Similarly, one of thefundamental elements that once
differentiated women inaccordance with their social
class has been eliminated.
They gave up gatekeeping, soeveryone smelled and looked the
same.
I don't want to say that soundslike right now, but it does
sound like right now via theTikTok sphere.
(33:23):
Um, immediately post-World WarII era, um, immediately
post-World War II era, trendsbroke away from the perception
of women that had existed in theprevious decades and the
elegance of the so-called newlook by Dior simply a new
version of glamour, but rather anostalgic statement about a
(33:47):
world where gender identitiesand hierarchies of class and
race were part of a commonunderstanding.
Melancholia also changed thelandscape of perfumery.
The return to more traditionalfemininity brought back highly
floral fragrances packaged inpink instead of strong, heavy
(34:07):
perfumes that previous decadeshad shifted towards.
So we're now towards softer,less aggressive perfumery, and
this can help explain how thetransition and position of women
changed.
Post-world War II,advertisements were not selling
perfumes directly to womenanymore, but rather targeted to
(34:29):
men, who would then purchase forwomen.
During the 30s and 40s,surrealist Lenore Finney and
Salvador Dali designed flakensicons for the fashion house Elsa
Schiaparelli.
I mentioned her in my Tiffany'sepisode as well, so it might be
time to do a whole episode onher, but Dolly would later join
(34:52):
a growing list of artists whoreleased perfumes, among them
Nikki de St Fally, andy Warholand Anika Yee.
Perfume houses have likewisetaken inspiration from the art
world, with scents inspired byart galleries, such as Andrea
Max Smart from 2010,.
(35:12):
Memo Paris Marfa from 2016.
The list goes on and on.
Complementing theseart-inspired fragrances are many
contemporary artists who havecome to utilize scent in their
work in order to test theveracity of how bodies identify,
and social systems have come tobe defined.
(35:33):
A break in American perfumerepression came unexpectedly
during the otherwiseconservative era of the 1950s.
Chanel no 5.
We know Chanel no 5.
We know her well on thispodcast.
Chanel No.5 was created in 1921.
It was the fifth fragrance inthe line developed by Ernest
(35:56):
Beau for Coco Gabrielle Chanel.
This fragrance enjoyedpopularity in France and Europe
after its inception, but becamea blockbuster when it launched
in the United States Because ourgirl, marilyn Monroe, endorsed
it.
She famously said that all shewore to bed were two drops of
(36:16):
Chanel no 5, and that madeeveryone go crazy.
Chanel no 5 was not only hurdledinto fame by a sex goddess, but
is also tainted with the odorsof sex itself.
It's composed of four floralaldehyde, and this aldehyde is
composed of aldehydes jasmine,rose, ylang-ylang, iris, amber
(36:38):
and patchouli.
Chanel loves patchouli.
Patchouli is a component thatlives on your skin for hours and
hours and hours.
Chanel no 5 sparked a movementof really obscene fragrance
incorporations.
Might I just list them?
Sure, chanel no 5 also includedsecretions from a perineal
(37:03):
gland of a cevet cat, which isjust secretions of a strong
musky fecal odor, which is sofun.
But we also saw this in ancientperfume times.
We also get ambergris fromsperm whales.
It's vomit from sperm whales, Ishould say.
I think last time I looked itup I said it was whale sperm.
(37:25):
Nope, it is from sperm whalesand it is vomit.
But that that's the weird partof perfume history.
21st century perfume isexperimental and individualized.
What does our scent in the 21stcentury say about the current
world?
This year, gourmand and floralaromas are making a comeback,
(37:46):
considered to be the scent ofadolescence.
You're probably wondering how Ifeel about gourmand scents.
Thank you so much for asking.
Usually I hate them.
Usually I do, but there are oneor two that I love and I do
hold space to like othergourmand scents.
But a perfumer named vasqueznotes that he hasn't noticed
(38:08):
many structural changesconnected to the economic crisis
during the 21st century inperfume.
Although, after the pandemic,there is a greater desire to
change perfumes and try newscents, we've become less
conservative with the emergenceof lifestyle perfumes, which
also speaks volumes about thecurrent times, and when I say
(38:30):
lifestyle perfumes, I mean likeaesthetic-based perfumes.
Additionally, this has become amoment for niche perfumes and
those centered aroundsustainability.
The past decade of the 21stcentury have indeed been marked
by various social changes.
The feminist emergence in the2010s has been a significant
impact on many commercial andcultural fields.
(38:52):
Can we also perceive thischange in scents, just as we
observe it in the evolution ofwomen's roles a hundred years
ago, by looking at theirfavorite fragrances?
Sure, new fragrance houses suchas Healy Byredo and Maison
Mantine do not distinguishbetween genders.
Scents are either good or bad,not feminine or masculine.
(39:14):
The shift toward gender neutralapproach in perfumery rejects
the changing societal views ongender roles and breaking down
the traditional stereotypes.
21st century perfume is kind ofthe attitude of if I like it,
I'll wear it, just as I feelgeneral societal and gender
roles are.
(39:34):
If I like it, I'm going to doit.
I don't think we're asconservative in that regard,
though one could argue that GenZ is becoming a little more
conservative than millennials.
Just and honestly, I blame thaton the pandemic, to be
completely honest with you, butthat is just my opinion.
Anyway, perfume has taken manyshapes and forms and practices
(40:01):
since ancient Mesopotamia and Ifind it to be inspiring.
I find it to be inspiring thatso, so long ago, something was
created via incense and I stillwear it to this day, I still
collect it, I still want to knoweverything about it.
So it is kind of just so cutesythat humankind has kept up with
(40:23):
the tradition of scenting yourbody and I think that's really
cool.
Anyway, that is perfumethroughout history.
I hope you enjoyed.
I hope you found some part orportion of this to be so
interesting.
I found it to be veryinteresting and now I can talk
to anybody about ancient Romanperfume practices and the
(40:47):
xenophobia around ancientperfume and the scents, and it's
really funny that they werexenophobic toward foreign scents
when we wouldn't really havescents without ancient Persia
and the Middle East.
So, thank you Really appreciatethat.
Like I said, I hope you enjoyedthis episode.
(41:07):
If you'd like to follow us,please do hit that little follow
button on wherever you'relistening to your pod.
I'd really appreciate it if yougave us a rating.
Personally I'd prefer a fivestar, but you do what feels true
to you.
If you'd like to follow me onanything on my personal accounts
, the links are in the shownotes.
I have a link tree.
(41:29):
It's just one link, so you justclick on that and all my links
will be there.
Um yeah, I'll see you next time.
Bye guys.
Hi, divas, and welcome to Magnifique, your
favorite perfume history podcast.
I'm your host, gabrielle, andtoday we do a little deep dive
on the history of perfume.
Now, perfume has taken manyforms throughout the years and
I've set out on a quest to learnhow perfume practices of the
(00:21):
modern day came to be.
From ancient Mesopotamia to mymodern day collection.
What importance does perfumehold in terms of practices and
appreciation?
I was intrigued to learn howperfume became such a widespread
topic with worldwide daily use.
Specifically, I wanted to knowits origins and how different
(00:42):
cultures interact with scents.
I wanted to know its originsand how different cultures
interact with scents.
Little did I know I was gettinginto some very ancient
territory.
That being said, there's a lotof perfume information that has
come across my desk, so I inviteyou to check all of my sources,
to dig deeper, even deeper thanI'm going, because I feel like
(01:03):
I've barely made a dent in everyhistorical avenue.
I've tried to condense themjust for ease of my brain, but,
like I said, I'll leave mybibliography.
There's like 25 articles, so Ireally did try to do my due
diligence, but soulavue, I guess.
(01:23):
First, let's define where theword perfume came to us from.
The term comes from the Latinphrase perfumum, meaning through
smoke.
The French later interjectedwith the name parfum, referring
to the fragrance put off byburning incense.
So the same thing the Frenchjust said my turn.
(01:44):
Lastly, the Bible describesperfume in a sacred form, from
Exodus 30, 22 through 33.
And it calls for a liquidversion of myrrh fragrant
cinnamon, fragrant cane andcassia.
Its use is forbidden for allexcept priests.
(02:05):
Fun fact.
Fun fact about me.
I recently tried to read thebible and, as someone who
doesn't get down with religion,I wanted to see what all the
fuss was about.
And y'all neglected to tell methat jesus is only half the
story.
I grew up Catholic so I didlike practice in the church
(02:26):
until I was like eight.
I'm really good at practicing,but y'all neglected to tell me
that Jesus is only in the lasthalf of the story and I would
need to sit through 1400 pagesof homeboy God just being
low-key mean.
So I still stand firm in beinga non-believer.
However, you should know that Ido freak with astrology heavy,
(02:51):
so take my thoughts how you seefit, but where was I going with
that?
Truly, who's to say?
Our history starts about 4,000years ago among the Mesopotamian
people, in the form of incense.
The incense that was burnedconsisted of a variety of resins
and woods used during religiousceremonies.
(03:13):
So the use of perfume inancient Mesopotamia closed
practice, fun Mesopotamian fact.
I know you feel like you're in6th grade talking about
Mesopotamia so much.
I know you feel like you're in6th grade talking about
Mesopotamia so much.
But the first perfume maker onrecord was a chemist named
Tabuti Go woman.
Stories of the inventor ofperfume have been found on a
(03:34):
clay tablet from Mesopotamia andit was around the 2nd
millennium BC, and its maincomponents were herbs and spices
like coriander and myrtle.
Flowers weren't used in theincense until much later in
(03:55):
production.
The herbs and spices that wereused hold historical
significance, tracing back toancient trade routes.
Speaking of important tradesroutes, perfume eventually found
its way to ancient Egypt about3000 BC.
At first, the method of use wasonly in rituals for gods and
pharaohs again, a closedpractice.
And in ancient Egyptianmythology there is a god of
(04:17):
perfume, nerefum, the lotusblossom god, symbolizing perfume
and aromatherapy.
Legends associate Nerofum withthe fragrant blue water lily, a
key ingredient in ancientperfumes.
The earliest recorded personaluse of perfume involved
Egyptians wearing wax conesfilled with a fragrant flower,
(04:41):
herbs and spices on their heads.
The thought was that the waxwould melt and the perfumes
would waft down, scenting thewearer.
You're wearing a perfume,little party hat.
Basically, the use of perfumefor religious affiliations
arrived in ancient Egypt in 3000BC, like I said, and continued
(05:02):
its relation until the GoldenAge.
So the Golden Age was 2613 BCto 2494 BC, and this Golden Age
in Egypt saw a rise ofrecreational use of perfume.
So it was no longer strictly aclosed practice though one would
argue that it should have beenjust for the times, but glad
(05:25):
it's not because I'm currentlywearing a new perfume.
So it became not just exclusiveto rituals but is now being
used for personal adornment bythe upper class.
Perfume use became a marker ofsocial status.
Queens like Cleopatra andHatshepsut used scents
extensively, not only for bodilyuse but also in their living
(05:49):
quarters, their baths and intheir tombs.
The newly incorporatedfragrance of the times were
floral, woodsy and fruity notesmy favorite notes, thank you.
Ancient Egypt.
Ancient Egyptians weren't alonein their cultural use of scents
.
Burning fragrant offerings andaromatic smokes for divination
(06:09):
was a common practice among manycultures.
The association with the divineand spiritual realms solidified
the power of scent in ancientsocieties.
The story of perfume in ancientEgypt highlights its evolution
from a practice to a covetedpersonal accessory.
It also underscores the deepconnection between fragrance and
(06:31):
cultural appreciation, aconnection that continues to
shape our relationship withscent today.
Another ancient stop inperfume's historical world tour
is ancient China and India.
Perfume has been an importantpart of Indian and Chinese
culture for centuries.
In India, perfume was used insacred tantric rituals,
(06:54):
ceremonies and temples.
In China, perfume was infusedinto many daily use items, such
as ink and stationery.
Chinese culture also usedperfume for disinfection and
purity, believing that theperfume would help rid a room of
disease.
That becomes very commonpractice, as you'll find out,
(07:17):
and I don't know the scientificvalidity of it, but we should
kind of be concerned.
Um just generally.
You'll see, in the renaissanceboth cultures focused less on
anointing their bodies withfragrance and more on using it
to scent the world around them.
It was, however, during the suiand song dynasty that noble
(07:39):
chinese people began to usepersonal fragrance.
Um importing ingredients viathe Silk Road by the Yunming and
Qing dynasties, fragrance usebegan to become more widespread
with the public.
Oriental fragrances focusedheavily on herbs and spices,
many of which were also used forfood and medicine.
(08:01):
Next we find ourselves inancient Persia.
The Persian philosopher andphysician, avicenna introduced
the process of extracting oilsfrom flowers via distillate
distillation during the 11thcentury.
The distillation process isstill used today in the perfume
industry, and Avicenna's methodinvolved placing flower petals
(08:23):
in a still and heating them withsteam.
The steam then carries thevolatile oils from the flower,
which condensed and collected inseparate containers, further
developing the art ofdistillation, making perfume
manufacturing a viable optionfor large-scale samples.
They ruled the perfume tradefor hundreds of years and are
(08:48):
credited as the inventors ofnon-oil-based perfume.
Non-oil-based perfume, known asattar, is made from natural
ingredients such as rosewater,musk and amber.
I love amber.
Thank you, ancient Persia, foramber.
It's more concentrated andlong-lasting than oil-based
perfumes.
(09:09):
Many Persian nobles areremembered for their use of
fragrance and during theSassanid period, which was 224
to 651 AD, the production offragrances and infused water was
quite prevalent in Persia.
Persian kings had their ownscents, their signature scents,
and they were that theircompanions and relatives were
(09:32):
not allowed to use.
This is my scent.
No one's allowed to smell likeme.
Do it, don't do it, or elseDuring King Darius, which was
522 to 486 BC.
So kind of out of order, butyou get me, you get me.
King Darius is often picturedholding his bottles of perfume
(09:53):
or incense.
They were very special to him.
And King Xerxes had also beenpictured with lily of the valley
flowers, which were often usedas fragrances.
I still see them in fragrancestoday.
They haven't gone anywhere.
Thank you, persian kings.
Persian kings often usedperfumes to signify their power
(10:15):
and status.
They also used it in religiousceremonies to ward off evil
spirits.
Perfume making equipment andfragrance making workshops were
very abundant in ancient Persia.
The Persian people loved toexperiment with different scents
and ingredients.
Perfume workshops in ancientPersia were often located in
(10:38):
palaces and temples, and theywere also found in markets and
bazaars for production purchasesLarge-scale production
purchases, thank you, ancientPersia.
Next we have ancient Rome.
Ancient Romans meticulouslydocumented their perfume-making
practices, leaving behind awealth of information for modern
(11:02):
scholars.
For example, a mural found in aperfumemaker's house in Pompeii
depicts the various stepsinvolved in creating these
fragrances.
The careful documentation ofthe perfumemaking process has
allowed for the recreation ofseveral Greco-Roman fragrances
(11:23):
today.
Creation of several Greco-Romanfragrances today.
These modern interpretationsoffer a glimpse of the past,
allowing us to appreciate theartistry and craftsmanship of
ancient perfumers.
The world's oldest perfumefactory, dating back to around
1850 BC, was discovered in theancient city of Pygros Kilikias
(11:48):
in modern-day Turkey.
This discovery highlights thelong and rich history of perfume
making, which has been animportant part of human culture
for thousands of years, whichhas been an important part of
human culture for thousands ofyears.
Perfume was not only used forreligious practices, but it also
plays a significant role in thetransformation of Rome from a
(12:09):
small farming village to aglobal epicenter.
And you may have heard ofgladiators.
They're known for theirphysical prowess and fierce
battles, but they were also saidto apply different scented
lotions to areas of their bodybefore their gladiator contests.
This practice may have beenintended to mask body odor or to
(12:37):
create a sense of intimidationamong their opponents.
Um, how, how on the nose isthat new gladiator movie?
Are they applying lotions andfragrances before their little
fights?
I'm asking because didn't itcome out?
It came out the same time aswicked um with the paul mescal
(12:57):
guy.
Are they?
Is historically accurate?
Who's to say, I haven't seen itand if I am to speak my truth,
I don't plan to see it.
Perfumes and other scentedproducts became a symbol of
luxury and status, reflectingthe city's growing wealth and
influence.
We're gonna take a call back toEgypt again.
(13:18):
Cleopatra, the legendary queenof Egypt, was renowned for her
beauty and her charm, and it'ssaid she once greeted Mark
Antony on a boat with scentedsails.
But also this act not onlyshowcased her opulence and
(13:44):
sophistication, but also servedas a powerful symbol of her
power and influence.
The ancient cult of Aphrodite,the goddess of love and beauty,
used perfume and scents in theirtemples and worship services.
These fragrances were believedto have aphrodisiac properties
(14:04):
and were thought to enhance theconnection between worshiper and
the goddess.
During its peak, rome importedvast quantities of precious
ingredients, such asfrankincense and myrrh, which
were used in the production ofperfumes, cosmetics and scented
products.
It is estimated that the Romansused 2,800 tons of frankincense
(14:33):
and 550 tons of myrrh per year.
Fragrances were used in variousaspects of Roman life,
including the public bathhouseto scent the water, and in body
care such as balms, oils andperfume for hair and skin.
(14:54):
These products were not onlyused for their fragrance, but
also for their perceivedmedicinal properties.
Despite the widespread use ofperfume, not everyone in ancient
Rome was a fan.
Pliny the Elder, a Romanphilosopher or naturalist,
condemned the use of perfume,considering them to be opulent
and wasteful.
Xenophobic tendencies againstforeign stenches in Rome at its
height of power may havecontributed to the decline of
(15:17):
use as well, as perfumes wereoften associated with foreign
cultures and customs.
So we're really just beingracist.
In ancient Rome, however, thelove of perfume eventually
resurfaced and by the 10thcentury, perfume making was once
again thriving in Europe.
Today, perfume continues to bean important part of our lives,
(15:39):
evoking emotions, memories and asense of luxury.
The rich history of perfumemaking spanning thousands of
years is a testament to thehuman fascination with fragrance
.
From the ancient Egyptians tomodern day, perfume has
continued to captivate andinspire us with their beauty and
(16:01):
allure.
Ancient times solidified manyfragrance practices today, from
our friends in Mesopotamiafounding the religious practice
to Persia enshrining thedistillation process.
So we and by we I mean I owe myentire collection and
hyperfixation to civilizationsso old that they barely seem
(16:24):
real.
I don't understand BC.
I don't want to understand.
That's not for me to understand, it's really none of my
business.
But it does kind of freak meout that a lot of the things
that they like not go through.
But experience in a day-to-dayis pretty similar to us.
I talked about it in my TiffanyCo episode.
(16:45):
I don't understand how liveswere so normal back then when it
feels like everything we talkabout is so ancient and old.
And anyway, I'm going to spiralif I keep talking.
Now.
Let's talk about a time periodthat sounds a little more recent
the Middle Ages.
It feels like the Middle Ageswere just yesterday.
(17:06):
Crusaders brought back fragrantmaterials and techniques from
the Middle East.
The distillation technique forrose petals was among the
acquired skills, the samedistillation process adopted
from ancient Persia.
With the quote-unquote newfounddistillation method, the
Crusades were able to discovernew scents.
(17:29):
The introduction of newfragrances expanded the European
perfume palette, and you mayremember a devastating pandemic
during the Middle Ages calledthe Bubbonic plague.
During the bubonic plague,doctors wore the bird-like masks
filled with herbs, spices andoils to ward off the plague as
(17:50):
well as to neutralize the smellof the sickly and the general
smell of death.
The belief in power of scent toeliminate the stents of
pestilence contributed to theincreased popularity of
fragrance use in their modernday.
The next stage of perfumehistory brings us one step
(18:10):
closer to modern history theRenaissance.
The Renaissance marked asignificant resurgence of
perfume culture, with Franceemerging as its epicenter.
This period witnessed theevolution of perfumery from
simple scented oils to morecomplex alcohol-based fragrances
.
Queen Elizabeth of Hungaryintroduced modern perfume to
(18:34):
Europe in the 14th century withHungary water quote-unquote was
its its title and it's analcohol-based perfume made from
scented oils.
And Catherine de' Michi broughtItalian perfumery traditions to
France, popularizing the use ofperfume among the European
(18:55):
nobility.
René Le Florentine, a renownedItalian perf perfumer, created
signature scents for catherinemedici, including one with
orange blossom and bergamot.
René le florentine's livingquarters were connected to the
royal palace via an undergroundtunnel.
This allowed catherine medicito have new fragrances at the
(19:17):
drop of a hat.
Um, I have an incredibly vaguememory of my family tree telling
me that I have some verydistant connection to Miss
Medici, and I've been ridingthat high forever.
Can I confirm whether this istrue or not?
Maybe I made it up in my head?
Yeah, no, I can't confirmanything, but based on my vibes
(19:40):
and how royal I feel, I'mobviously a royal descendant and
I think we need to start actingas such.
Gabrielle Forci Gonzales, aroyal descendant of Miss Medici.
Spread the rumor, please.
King Francois I of Francefostered a strong cultural and
artistic exchange with Italy,which further accelerated the
(20:04):
growth of French perfumery.
His reign brought on an erawhere bathing was less common.
Perfume was used to mask bodyodors and elevate social status.
Perfumes incorporatedanimal-derived ingredients like
ambergris, civet and musk toenhance their longevity and
complexity.
(20:24):
Since thought to cloak thesmell of one's body, the
Renaissance didn't bathe.
They did carry palmanders, ascented ball to ward off
unpleasant odors and to promotewell-being of odors.
And to promote well-beingDuring the age of exploration of
the Renaissance.
This brought new raw materialslike vanilla, cocoa and exotic
(20:48):
spices, which expanded theperfumer's palate.
The invention of the printingpress facilitated the
dissemination of perfume.
Knowledge, recipes andtechniques were shared across
Europe, contributing to thegrowth of the perfume industry.
I have been to the RenaissanceFair exactly once, so I do feel
authorized to speak on this.
(21:08):
If I had to go back for real,for real, to the Renaissance and
smell rancid BL mixed withvanilla, I'm throwing punches.
That's so vile and the factthat this was post-plague is
astounding.
I'll say it the Middle Ages andthe Renaissance are my least
(21:30):
favorite ages in history.
I'm a modern woman.
I was born in the right timeperiod.
I'm left speechless by theirhygiene practices.
But thank you so much for yourfragrances.
Um, and like I said, I can'tget over your vile behaviors
regarding hygiene.
Our next timeline takes us tothe 16th and 17th century.
(21:55):
The 16th and 17th century thecraze of perfuming.
Everything was so extensivethat even pets and jewelry were
daubed with their owner'sfavorite scents.
Perfume enjoyed huge successduring the 17th century,
especially in France.
Hygiene in those days werepretty spotty and fragrances
(22:17):
were used to mask the unpleasantbody odors.
England, perfumes were usedextensively during the reign of
Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.
All public places were scentedduring Elizabeth's reigns
because she could not toleratebad smells, and me either, girl
(22:39):
Fear of baths really began tosettle in in the terrible
context of the plague epidemic.
Public bath houses were closedand individual practices to
decrease completely stopped.
The population fears that thewater infiltrates into their
bodies, inflating it and thusallowing the disease to enter.
(23:01):
Okay, pop-off science.
Water becomes a contagionfactor and people wash
themselves less and less.
At the same time, appearancetakes an incredibly prominent
role.
The art of appearancesupplements hygiene and
cleanliness.
You can look hot, but you canalso smell atrocious, and that's
(23:25):
okay, because the duality ofman in the 17th century says
that that's allowed.
From the 16th century, peopleonly washed very occasionally
and the practice is prettysuperficial, since people just
pour water on some parts oftheir bodies.
Hygiene is rather a scrubbingby rubbing the skin of the
(23:47):
clothes that impregnate withvarious essence.
I felt so uncomfortable sayingthe word impregnate, but you
know, it seems that the FrenchKing, louis IX, took a bath once
a year.
Perfume is used to hide theunflattering scents of badly
(24:10):
washed bodies, and the smellsare so unpleasant that the
scented juices are very powerfuland heady, that the scented
juices are very powerful andheady.
At the time, animal scents suchas musk and amber were widely
adopted for their olfactorypower and aphrodisiac presence.
So if you're wondering whyeverybody had so many kids but
also stonk, think amber and musk.
(24:34):
Other fragrant ingredients werealso used, such as jasmine or
tuberose, which overpoweredeverything and everyone.
They used it on their bodies,of course, but also on wigs,
clothes, food, tobacco.
Animals were entitled to thearomatic essences.
(24:54):
As it was not uncommon toperfume your little dog or
exotic bird In the house, theperfume everywhere.
Aristocrats had cushions filledwith dried flowers and they
used scented tablets to burn orsprinklers to hide unwelcomed
(25:15):
odors.
The court is flooded withfragrances, and the richest
change their essence every day,me too, so I guess you can call
me the richest in the 17thcentury, except I do shower
daily, so I don't think I'd fitin.
In the 17th to 19th centuriesrank classism assigned smells
(25:38):
deemed most foul to the bodiesand lives of the poorest
citizens.
So the better you smell, thericher you are, I'd say.
That kind of goes rings truefor today.
I would once again like toremind everyone and say thank
you to modern science anddisease control.
I would rather get the plaguethan not bathe myself.
(25:59):
So thank you, modern medicine.
Okay, what is next?
What is next?
It was during the 18th centurythat things really started to
pick up in the mainstream use offragrance.
1709, a French perfumerproposed that different classes
(26:19):
should be scented differently.
Going back to rank classism, heconcocted a royal perfume for
the aristocracy and thebourgeoisie perfume for the
middle class, but said the poorwere only deemed worthy of
disinfectant.
Courts of Louis X, king ofFrance 1750 to 1774, la cour de
(26:42):
parfum, aristocracy wereexpected to wear a different
perfume every day.
Besides, the expenses in thismatter were enormous, more
important than the expenses forfood.
The court of Louis X wasrenowned throughout Europe as
the Scented Court, where newsmells were spread every day.
(27:05):
At this time, the scentedwaters were very popular, like
toilet vinegars, which havedisinfectant burt tubes.
During this time, marieAntoinette's perfume had
recently been recreated and inits extremely limited edition,
25ml flask may be purchased for8,000 euros, approximately
(27:30):
10,290 US dollars.
At the time, the demand forscented products was
ever-growing and some fragrancesare made to measure.
It was during the 18th centurythat the first perfume houses
were created, like Piver andLubin in France and Floris in
(27:51):
London.
The mid-18th century marked aturning point in perfumery by
the transition of headyfragrances to hide stench to
fresher and more delicate scents.
It is at this time that anovelty will turn upside down
the scented compositions.
The Eau de Cologne arrives fromGermany and immediately seduces
(28:13):
the middle class, who willconsume it in every single form.
Consumed it in wine in frictionvia enema injections on sugar.
They perfumed the houses withthe fresh potpourri arranged in
silver or porcelain cups.
Musk, civet and amber aredropped in favor of floral and
(28:37):
fruity scents that are found indelicate flasks.
The Enlightenment philosopherswould gradually restore the
place of water in toilets asopposed to scented toilet
fragrances, even if we stillhave perfumed hair and clothes,
the practice of ablutionreappears, the bidet settled in
(29:00):
the bathroom of aristocrats inthe 1730s to fight bad smells,
and at the end of the 18thcentury perfume was enjoying the
status of high fashion and thehigher one's importance, the
better one's fragrance.
Like I mentioned, rank classism.
During this time we saw asignificant turn toward the
practice of modern perfumery aswe encounter it today was the
(29:24):
abolition of apothecary andperfume guilds in France during
1990, nope, 1871.
During the French Revolution,with the government controlling
everything, they got to controlwhat class of a person could be
a perfumer and what productsthey were permitted to produce.
The tiktok astrologers, uh,keep telling me that this time
(29:50):
period, the french revolution,was the last time that pluto was
in aquarius.
And since pluto just re-enteredAquarius, stuff is about to get
crazy, stuff is about to godown, apparently.
What does this mean?
I have no idea.
I thought it was a fun tidbitto add and December was actually
(30:10):
like low-key crazy.
So maybe there is some truth toit.
But really, who is to say?
Not me?
During the 19th century,changing tastes and the
development of chemistry laidthe foundation for modern
(30:30):
perfumery.
Perfume was usually derivedfrom a single flower, but in the
19th century would become thecommodity par excellence, a
confluence of the artisticexpression of perfume and the
evolving trend of consumerpredilections.
The deodorizing drive of themid-19th century, however, led
(30:51):
to a demise of perfume and a newconservative outlook on it
Promotion of germ theory and theunderstanding that filth
carried illness rather thanwater Scents of all kind began
to be perceived as evil.
Perfume receded to thebackground and took on a muted
(31:14):
public image.
At that time, wearingfragrances became
gender-stereotyped sweet floralblends were deemed exclusively
female, while sharper woodsy,pine and cedar notes were
characterized as masculine.
As new, more cheaply producedsynthetic ingredients became
available near the start of the20th century, production costs
(31:38):
dropped and perfume productsbecame more accessible to
lower-income consumers.
Therefore, profits boomed.
But early to mid-20th centuries,men with any credible social
position had stopped wearingfragrances altogether.
It's that theory that as soonas it becomes available to
everyone, no one wants it.
(31:59):
Exclusivity Men at the timewere expected to smell of clean
skin and tobacco, where women ofrespectable social standings
were expected to smell onlyfaintly of floral notes.
Only prostitutes wear the onceprestigious heavy rose scents.
(32:20):
In the 1930s, floral scentsmade a comeback, but they did so
in a complex and daringcomposition connected to the
glamour of cinema.
The perfumes were sold inastonishing and impactful
bottles, again recalling theglam starlit look.
The evolution of women's rightsin the Western world meant that
(32:43):
the young women no longer wantedto smell like their
grandmothers.
Meant that the young women nolonger wanted to smell like
their grandmothers Fair enough.
And even perfumery, along withthe cosmetic and fashion
industry, had undergoneimportant shifts during this
decade.
It had become democratized byapplying makeup, dressing and
smelling.
(33:03):
Similarly, one of thefundamental elements that once
differentiated women inaccordance with their social
class has been eliminated.
They gave up gatekeeping, soeveryone smelled and looked the
same.
I don't want to say that soundslike right now, but it does
sound like right now via theTikTok sphere.
(33:23):
Um, immediately post-World WarII era, um, immediately
post-World War II era, trendsbroke away from the perception
of women that had existed in theprevious decades and the
elegance of the so-called newlook by Dior simply a new
version of glamour, but rather anostalgic statement about a
(33:47):
world where gender identitiesand hierarchies of class and
race were part of a commonunderstanding.
Melancholia also changed thelandscape of perfumery.
The return to more traditionalfemininity brought back highly
floral fragrances packaged inpink instead of strong, heavy
(34:07):
perfumes that previous decadeshad shifted towards.
So we're now towards softer,less aggressive perfumery, and
this can help explain how thetransition and position of women
changed.
Post-world War II,advertisements were not selling
perfumes directly to womenanymore, but rather targeted to
(34:29):
men, who would then purchase forwomen.
During the 30s and 40s,surrealist Lenore Finney and
Salvador Dali designed flakensicons for the fashion house Elsa
Schiaparelli.
I mentioned her in my Tiffany'sepisode as well, so it might be
time to do a whole episode onher, but Dolly would later join
(34:52):
a growing list of artists whoreleased perfumes, among them
Nikki de St Fally, andy Warholand Anika Yee.
Perfume houses have likewisetaken inspiration from the art
world, with scents inspired byart galleries, such as Andrea
Max Smart from 2010,.
(35:12):
Memo Paris Marfa from 2016.
The list goes on and on.
Complementing theseart-inspired fragrances are many
contemporary artists who havecome to utilize scent in their
work in order to test theveracity of how bodies identify,
and social systems have come tobe defined.
(35:33):
A break in American perfumerepression came unexpectedly
during the otherwiseconservative era of the 1950s.
Chanel no 5.
We know Chanel no 5.
We know her well on thispodcast.
Chanel No.5 was created in 1921.
It was the fifth fragrance inthe line developed by Ernest
(35:56):
Beau for Coco Gabrielle Chanel.
This fragrance enjoyedpopularity in France and Europe
after its inception, but becamea blockbuster when it launched
in the United States Because ourgirl, marilyn Monroe, endorsed
it.
She famously said that all shewore to bed were two drops of
(36:16):
Chanel no 5, and that madeeveryone go crazy.
Chanel no 5 was not only hurdledinto fame by a sex goddess, but
is also tainted with the odorsof sex itself.
It's composed of four floralaldehyde, and this aldehyde is
composed of aldehydes jasmine,rose, ylang-ylang, iris, amber
(36:38):
and patchouli.
Chanel loves patchouli.
Patchouli is a component thatlives on your skin for hours and
hours and hours.
Chanel no 5 sparked a movementof really obscene fragrance
incorporations.
Might I just list them?
Sure, chanel no 5 also includedsecretions from a perineal
(37:03):
gland of a cevet cat, which isjust secretions of a strong
musky fecal odor, which is sofun.
But we also saw this in ancientperfume times.
We also get ambergris fromsperm whales.
It's vomit from sperm whales, Ishould say.
I think last time I looked itup I said it was whale sperm.
(37:25):
Nope, it is from sperm whalesand it is vomit.
But that that's the weird partof perfume history.
21st century perfume isexperimental and individualized.
What does our scent in the 21stcentury say about the current
world?
This year, gourmand and floralaromas are making a comeback,
(37:46):
considered to be the scent ofadolescence.
You're probably wondering how Ifeel about gourmand scents.
Thank you so much for asking.
Usually I hate them.
Usually I do, but there are oneor two that I love and I do
hold space to like othergourmand scents.
But a perfumer named vasqueznotes that he hasn't noticed
(38:08):
many structural changesconnected to the economic crisis
during the 21st century inperfume.
Although, after the pandemic,there is a greater desire to
change perfumes and try newscents, we've become less
conservative with the emergenceof lifestyle perfumes, which
also speaks volumes about thecurrent times, and when I say
(38:30):
lifestyle perfumes, I mean likeaesthetic-based perfumes.
Additionally, this has become amoment for niche perfumes and
those centered aroundsustainability.
The past decade of the 21stcentury have indeed been marked
by various social changes.
The feminist emergence in the2010s has been a significant
impact on many commercial andcultural fields.
(38:52):
Can we also perceive thischange in scents, just as we
observe it in the evolution ofwomen's roles a hundred years
ago, by looking at theirfavorite fragrances?
Sure, new fragrance houses suchas Healy Byredo and Maison
Mantine do not distinguishbetween genders.
Scents are either good or bad,not feminine or masculine.
(39:14):
The shift toward gender neutralapproach in perfumery rejects
the changing societal views ongender roles and breaking down
the traditional stereotypes.
21st century perfume is kind ofthe attitude of if I like it,
I'll wear it, just as I feelgeneral societal and gender
roles are.
(39:34):
If I like it, I'm going to doit.
I don't think we're asconservative in that regard,
though one could argue that GenZ is becoming a little more
conservative than millennials.
Just and honestly, I blame thaton the pandemic, to be
completely honest with you, butthat is just my opinion.
Anyway, perfume has taken manyshapes and forms and practices
(40:01):
since ancient Mesopotamia and Ifind it to be inspiring.
I find it to be inspiring thatso, so long ago, something was
created via incense and I stillwear it to this day, I still
collect it, I still want to knoweverything about it.
So it is kind of just so cutesythat humankind has kept up with
(40:23):
the tradition of scenting yourbody and I think that's really
cool.
Anyway, that is perfumethroughout history.
I hope you enjoyed.
I hope you found some part orportion of this to be so
interesting.
I found it to be veryinteresting and now I can talk
to anybody about ancient Romanperfume practices and the
(40:47):
xenophobia around ancientperfume and the scents, and it's
really funny that they werexenophobic toward foreign scents
when we wouldn't really havescents without ancient Persia
and the Middle East.
So, thank you Really appreciatethat.
Like I said, I hope you enjoyedthis episode.
(41:07):
If you'd like to follow us,please do hit that little follow
button on wherever you'relistening to your pod.
I'd really appreciate it if yougave us a rating.
Personally I'd prefer a fivestar, but you do what feels true
to you.
If you'd like to follow me onanything on my personal accounts
, the links are in the shownotes.
I have a link tree.
(41:29):
It's just one link, so you justclick on that and all my links
will be there.
Um yeah, I'll see you next time.
Bye guys.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.