Perfume

This article is about the fragrant substance. For other uses, see Perfume (disambiguation).

Perfume (UK: /ˈpɜːfjuːm/, US: /pərˈfjuːm/ ⓘ) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent.[1] Perfumes can be defined as substances that emit and diffuse a pleasant and fragrant odor. They consist of manmade mixtures of aromatic chemicals and essential oils. The 1939 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry, Leopold Ružička stated in 1945 that "right from the earliest days of scientific chemistry up to the present time, perfumes have substantially contributed to the development of organic chemistry as regards methods, systematic classification, and theory."[2]

Ancient texts and archaeological excavations show the use of perfumes in some of the earliest human civilizations. Modern perfumery began in the late 19th century with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds such as vanillin or coumarin, which allowed for the composition of perfumes with smells previously unattainable solely from natural aromatics.

  1. ^ "Perfume – Definition and More from Dictionary". Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  2. ^ Shyndriayeva, Galina (2015). "Perfume at the Forefront of Macrocyclic Compound Research: From Switzerland to Du Pont" (PDF). International Workshop on the History of Chemistry. Tokyo. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2021.