Posts Tagged ‘aromatic herbs’
Perfumes and Fragrances
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Mankind has been using perfume for quite a long time. Some people say it was first discovered in ancient Egypt and used by different civilizations such as ancient Chinese, Hindus, Israelites, Carthaginians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans and finally reintroduced hundreds of years later in France. Ever since, French perfume has become famous worldwide and today sets the standard for excellence.
The word perfume comes from Latin, meaning ‘through smoke’. Perfume came into being in the early days, through the burning of incense and aromatic herbs. Ever since, it has influenced mankind up to a point to become a product of desire.
For those purchasing perfumes, it is wise to become familiarized with basic fragrance groups which will help to find the perfect perfume one might be looking for.
The citrus fragrance category derives from different fruits such as lime, lemon, tangerine, mandarin and others, creating a sort of refreshing aroma. Mostly used during the summer. Appropriate for office wear, day or evening wear.
The floral fragrance category derives from large varieties of flowers such as vanilla, jasmine, roses and others. It is the most popular and used fragrance group. The scent of romance and starry nights.
The oriental fragrance category derives from mixtures of spices, resins, amber, balsams and other exotic essences, creating a warm and exotic feeling. Widely used during the winter season in the evening.
The chypre fragrance category derives from different wood-moss mixes, providing earthly aromas such as oak moss and other types of wood. Chypre fragrances smell slightly dry, not very sweet. Chypre perfumes are rich and tenacious, usually for those who tend to prefer slightly out of the norm fragrances.
The green fragrance category derives from scents of pine, leaves, herbs, juniper and others, providing a sharp outdoor scent. Good day wear and occasional evening wear in warmer weather.
The Fougere category of perfume scents derives from bergamot, oakmoss and geranium, and is mostly used my men. It has a classy style. Great fragrance choice for distinguished gentlemen.
These diversified fragrances will evoke different feelings and people just seem to enjoy that very much. Now that the basic fragrance groups have been explained, it’s up to one to make the best of his next perfume purchase and make use of the perfume fragrance that best suits his lifestyle.
However, while purchasing perfumes one should bewared that famous brand name perfumes are fairly expensive. If one is looking for genuine perfumes, he must be willing to spend fairly amount of money. However evoking memories of romantic moments thru fragrances may just be priceless and the expensive perfume price may just become fair.
Roberto Sedycias
IT Consultant for PoloMercantil
This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Articles section of page PoloMercantil
Roberto Sedycias has a bachelor degree in Business Administration and over 20 years experience in systems analysis and computer programming. Currently working as IT consultant for http://www.PoloMercantil.com.br
History of Perfume & Fragrance
Posted by admin | Filed under Articles
Perfume is one of those products that may influence our emotions. People`s sense of smell influences behavior and sets different moods. It may even bring up memories of the past. As a marketing tool, perfume is also present in our everyday lives and it can be found in lots of consumer products. Besides the fact that perfume is so popular, have you ever wandered how it came into being what it is today? What`s the history of perfume?
Some anthropologists say that perfume was used by primitive man thru the burning of gums and resins for incense. Eventually from 7000 to 4000 bc, richly scented plants, animal and fatty oils of olive and sesame are thought to have been combined with fragrant plants to create original ointments.
Three thousand years ago in ancient Egypt, historians believe that perfume was first used in rituals, as part of their religious ceremonies, creating a pleasant smell. These scents came from gums, resin trees, oil and from a variety of plants resulting in a perfume unguent that was rubbed into the skin. Hundreds of years later, women of Egypt were using perfume for their cosmetic qualities. It is believed that Egytptian queen Cleopatra had her own exclusive balms and scents used as cosmetics and aphrodisiac, which helped her to conquer Julius Caesar and later Mark Anthony. Also from this same era, it is believed that perfume was used in Mesopotamia for ritual ceremonies. And farther east, in China, aromatic herbs were used for medicine purposes.
Later on as trade routes expanded, perfume became very popular and demand for scent products increased trade among different civilizations. Africa and India started to supply Middle Eastern civilization with spikenard and ginger. Syrians sold fragrant goods to Arabia. Mediterranean civilization began buying cymbopogon and ginger from South Arabia. And so the trade of scent goods kept on, and as it continued to swell, fragrance perfume was eventually introduced thru time to several civilizations such as Hindus, Israelites, Carthaginians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans and finally reintroduced hundreds of years later in Italy and France.
By the 13th century Italy was doing major trades of spices and perfumes with Eastern civilizations. Portugal and Spain were also trying to establish important trades of spices by having exclusive routes to the East. That`s how the new world of America got to be discovered.
As Italian perfume influence swept over neighboring countries, France began expanding the use of perfume by first offering perfumed gloves, which were most often perfumed with neroli or animal scents such as ambergris and civet. From then on, French perfume has become famous worldwide and today sets the standard for excellence.
Also France played a major role in reestablishing the use of perfume for therapeutic purposes in the western world. It has been reported that during Word War II, therapeutic perfume had been used in the treatment of wounds and burns, and later in the treatment of psychiatric problems.
Perfume has brought different people together in the past thru the trade of aromatic scents. It also played a major deal, since its trade meant economical power for the nations. And so the history of modern man has been greatly influenced by this special product, enabling new worlds to be discovered. On a personal level, perfume is capable of influencing people`s behavior and that by itself sets perfume in class by itself. Perhaps that`s what makes it so desirable by all of us.
Roberto Sedycias
IT Consultant for PoloMercantil
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author´s name and all the URL´s (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page PoloMercantil
Roberto Sedycias has a bachelor degree in Business Administration and over 20 years experience in systems analysis and computer programming. Currently working as IT consultant for http://www.PoloMercantil.com.br