The Odorare Circle

Avicenna and Rose Distillation in the Middle Ages

In the 10th century, the Persian physician and scholar Avicenna perfected an ancient distillation process, turning it into a precision tool for processing roses. This article explores how the alemb...

From the 1970s to today: the history of niche perfumery

Niche perfumery was not born from a marketing plan but from a break with the past: as early as the 1970s, a few creators refused to work for large groups and their volume constraints. This article ...

Eau de Cologne: The History of a 1709 Recipe

In 1709, an Italian perfumer living in Cologne developed a fresh citrus water that would give its name to an entire fragrance family. Its history combines a name that remains famous, Jean-Marie Far...

Grasse: How a Tanners' Village Became the Perfume Capital

Grasse only became the world capital of perfume by repurposing expertise born elsewhere: that of scented leather gloves, imported from Italy in the 16th century. This article traces how a Provençal...

Birth of Modern Perfumery: Guerlain, Coty, Chanel

Modern perfumery was born over a period of about thirty years, between 1889 and 1921, when synthetic chemistry joined natural ingredients in the bottle. Guerlain's Jicky, the creations of François ...