A brief history of perfumes

Perfumes and deodorants have been around for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations, like the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans produced perfumed oils and scented waters for both religious and cosmetic purposes.

Perfume is an ancient form of art that dates back to the 12th century B.C. It is believed that Ancient Egyptians began using scents, which were extracted from plants and flowers, to enhance their moods and to represent their countries’ respective cultures. The oldest known book on perfumery was written by an Egyptian priest named Hesy-Ra in approximately 1500 B.C.

During the height of the Roman Empire, perfume was considered to be a sign of social status, and only aristocrats were allowed to wear perfume. It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that perfumes became an integral part of all social classes.

The first synthetic perfume was invented by the Ancient Greeks using olive oil, pine resin, and rose oil. However, it wasn’t until the 19th century that chemical engineering allowed the creation of synthetic scents on a large scale. French chemist, Ernest Baourigault created hundreds of different perfumes under the name Poucheron.

Some of the most common ingredients in perfumes today include ambergris, hyacinth and oud.

The use of these ingredients, along with the traditional practices have been effortlessly incorporated by Birra Fragrances. But what makes Birra different from other fragrance brands is the seamless blend of contemporary methods. Birra Fragrances bring in 40 years of market expertise while giving tremendous importance to tradition and culture.

Head over to Birra’s product section to captivate your olfactory senses with some of our unique fragrances.