A global fragrance. An international footprint. When our scent wafted across the world. We do not know for fact what the first perfume was but we do know that the world’s first recorded chemist, who was also a perfume maker, is a woman named Tapputi. She lived in Babylonian Mesopotamian around 1200 BCE. It is said that she developed and recorded methods for scent extraction techniques, laying the foundation for today’s perfume making. The first actual ‘factory’ dedicated to the production of perfumed oils dates back 4000 years on the island of Cyprus. The Egyptians were the first to make perfume truly a part of their culture 3000 years ago, inventing stone and glass vessels to hold their precious scented oils and balms
Ever wondered why the smell of perfume changes throughout the day? This is due to the Top, Heart and Base notes in a perfume. When creating a fragrance, the chemistry of the skin and the raw materials used causes a perfume to evolve over time. A perfume is a very complex composition of top notes, heart notes and base notes.
The top notes are the most delicate and do typically not last very long. Heart notes tend to be herbal, floral and spice notes which last longer than the top notes but you will be able to smell the base notes the longest. Base notes are usually composed from wood, amber and musk.
The composition of a perfume might change over time. This is why it is recommended to use your perfume within 3 – 5 years. Once the bottle is opened and came into contact with air (by opening the bottle or spraying the atomiser) it should be used within the first three years. The older the fragrance gets the more different it can smell, Eau de Toilette for example might only smell of alcohol after a few years. The higher the perfume concentration, the higher the chance that it will last longer – in the bottle and as well as on your skin. Commonly, Perfumes with heavier (oriental) base notes last the longest.
