Anisha Riggs
The use of perfume dates back to ancient civilizations, with archaeological evidence of perfume usage discovered in Mesopotamia and the Indus civilization. In the colonial era, perfumes were used to mask body odors and the stench of summer, with fragrances applied directly to clothing and handkerchiefs. Women in the 18th century also concealed smelly pastes and essential oils within their jewelry to create a pleasant aroma. While perfumes were available for purchase in colonial stores, they were a luxury that not everyone could afford. The perfume industry evolved in the 1920s, with Frenchman François Coty's line of fragrances successfully marketing scents across a wider economic spectrum.
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What You'll Learn
Women in Colonial Times Used Perfume to Mask Body Odor
The use of perfume has a long and varied history, with ancient texts and archaeological excavations revealing its use in some of the earliest human civilizations. In the colonial era, perfume was used by women for a variety of reasons, including to mask body odor.
During the colonial era, which occurred at different times in different regions, perfume was a luxury item often applied directly to clothing and handkerchiefs to mask body odor. Women who could afford it likely used perfume for this purpose, as deodorants and antiperspirants were not widely marketed until the early 20th century.
The specific fragrances used in perfumes during the colonial era varied based on geographical location and cultural influences. For example, in the Islamic-controlled cities of Spain (Al-Andalus), women used perfumes for courtship, as they were allowed more freedom to socialize outside the home. These perfumes were likely influenced by the Islamic tradition of using fragrance in devotion to God, adding a layer of cleanliness to their religious practices.
In the 18th century, perfume was also considered a luxury in Europe and was worn by female courtiers to demonstrate their social status. However, it had multiple other uses, including as a medicine to prevent and cure illnesses like the plague. Perfumed tongue scrapers, tooth brushes, and toothpaste also reflected a new obsession with oral hygiene during this time.
The development of synthetic scents and new scent extraction technologies in the 19th and 20th centuries made perfumes less expensive to produce and purchase. As a result, perfume became more accessible to a wider range of consumers and was no longer restricted only to the wealthy.
While the specific reasons for their use may have varied, women in colonial times did use perfume, and it played a significant role in their daily lives, whether for masking body odor, courtship, or displaying social status.
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Perfume Was Applied to Clothing and Handkerchiefs
In colonial times, bathing was not a common practice. People in the New England region of the United States may have only bathed once a year, while those in the Mid-Atlantic region bathed three to four times a year. The belief that bathing opened up the pores and allowed germs to enter the body was widespread, and many also thought that sickness was caused by "miasma" or "bad air". As a result, perfume was used to mask body odours.
Perfumes were one of the first cosmetic products to be carried by American pharmacies, and fragrant essential oils, dried herbs, tinctures, extracts, and mineral salts were used by pharmacists to prepare medicines and cosmetics. Oils such as lavender, rose, sandalwood, and musk were used in toilet waters and to camouflage the less agreeable scents of various salves and ointments.
Perfumes were applied directly to clothing and handkerchiefs. Handkerchiefs were commonly used accessories, especially by workers and older women, and they served to protect the wearer from exposure to cold or excessive sunlight, to provide greater modesty when fashion dictated low necklines, and to cover sneezes. They could be made of silk and hand-painted, and they came in a variety of sizes, types, materials, and functions. Printed handkerchiefs could also be used to proclaim political or personal beliefs.
Perfumes were also applied to other accessories, such as gloves, rouge, garters, and hair powder. Gloves and perfume were so commonly used together that in 1656, the Guild of Glove and Perfumers was formed.
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Perfume Was Sold in Colonial Stores
Perfume has been used for thousands of years, with ancient texts and archaeological excavations revealing its use in some of the earliest human civilisations. In the 18th century, perfume was a luxury item, worn by female courtiers to demonstrate their social status. However, evidence suggests that during this period, perfume also had medicinal uses and was believed to be an effective cure for the plague.
In the late 1700s, perfumers in major European cities sold scented waters, soaps, powders, pomades, tongue scrapers, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. These products were advertised with trade cards and broadsides, which often included a simple picture, the shop's name and address, and a list of available products.
In the 19th century, modern perfumery emerged with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds, allowing for the creation of perfumes with new scents. By the early 20th century, synthetic scents and new scent extraction technologies had made perfumes more affordable and accessible to a wider range of consumers. During this time, American pharmacies began to stock name-brand cosmetic and hair products, many of which were perfumed.
The success of Frenchman François Coty's line of fragrances in the American market in the 1920s marked a significant change in the fragrance industry. Coty employed a jewellery designer to create exclusive-looking bottles, and consumers were willing to pay for small amounts of perfume in luxurious containers. This shift transformed the perfume industry, which was previously dominated by small perfume houses selling scents in generic bottles, into a market composed of large companies offering designer packaging.
While the term "perfume" is often used as a generic term for fragrances marketed towards women, it specifically refers to fragrances with a higher concentration of aromatic compounds. Historically, women's fragrances had higher levels of aromatic compounds than men's fragrances, which were typically sold as eau de toilette or eau de cologne.
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Perfume Recipes Were Available in Books
While the use of perfume in colonial times cannot be ascertained with certainty, it is known that perfumes were one of the first cosmetic products to be carried by American pharmacies. Fragrant essential oils, dried herbs, tinctures, extracts, and mineral salts were used by pharmacists to prepare medicines and cosmetics. Oils such as lavender, rose, sandalwood, and musk were used in toilet waters and to camouflage the less agreeable scents of ointments.
Perfumes were also applied directly to clothing and handkerchiefs by those who could afford to mask body odours. In the 1900s, name-brand cosmetics and hair products began to appear on the shelves of American pharmacies, and many of these products were perfumed. The development of synthetic scents and new scent extraction technologies made perfumes more affordable and less of a luxury item.
During the eighteenth century, perfume was a luxury item worn by female courtiers to demonstrate their social status. However, evidence suggests that perfume had multiple other uses during this period. For example, perfumers' business records show that they sold tongue scrapers, toothbrushes, toothpaste, snuffs, wash-balls, hair combs, powders, skin products, and medicines in addition to scented waters and perfumes.
Printed and manuscript recipes for perfumes also existed during this time. Recipes in pharmacopoeias, such as Pharmacopoia Bateana (1706), described the creation of "Royal Essence", an "odoriferous water" made from musk, civet, balsam of Peru, clove oil, rhodium oil, tartar salt, and cinnamon, which was believed to prevent fainting fits. Other recipes included instructions for masking stenches, purifying the air, and preventing agitation.
The art of perfumery has a long history, with ancient texts and archaeological excavations revealing the use of perfumes in some of the earliest human civilizations. One of the world's first recorded chemists is considered to be a woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker mentioned in a cuneiform tablet from Mesopotamia in the 2nd millennium BC. Additionally, archaeologists have uncovered perfumes in Cyprus dating back more than 4,000 years.
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Perfume Was Worn Differently by Women of Good Repute
The use of perfume dates back to some of the earliest human civilizations, with ancient texts and archaeological excavations revealing the use of perfumes in ancient times. The art of perfumery in Western Europe was reinvigorated after the Islamic invasion of Spain and Southern Italy in 711 and 827, with the Islamic-controlled cities of Spain becoming major producers of perfumes.
In the 18th century, perfume was a luxury item worn by female courtiers to demonstrate their social status. However, it was also believed to have medicinal properties, with some claiming that it could prevent and cure the plague. During this time, perfumers in major European cities sold scented waters, soaps, powders, and pomades for the hair, as well as an assortment of tongue scrapers, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
In the 19th century, the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds marked the beginning of modern perfumery. By the early 20th century, soap manufacturers were adding fragrances to their products, and name-brand cosmetics and hair products were making their way onto the shelves of American pharmacies, many of which were perfumed. The development of synthetic scents and new scent extraction technologies around this time made perfumes less expensive to produce and purchase, allowing them to become more accessible to the general public.
During the Elizabethan era, people kept scented nosegays, which they called 'tuzzy-muzzy', and Elizabeth I included sugar, likely imported from the colonies, in her perfume.
While the term "perfume" is often used as a generic term for fragrances marketed towards women, the type of product worn may be an eau de parfum or an eau de toilette, depending on the concentration of aromatic compounds.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, women in colonial times did use perfume. Perfumes were one of the first cosmetic products to be carried by American pharmacies. Women would use fragrant essential oils, dried herbs, tinctures, extracts, and mineral salts to create their own perfumes.
Scents such as musk, cloves, lavender, civet, and ambergris were used in perfumes. Essential oils such as lavender, rose, sandalwood, and musk were also used in toilet waters and to flavour other medicinal products.
Perfumes were often applied directly to clothing and handkerchiefs. Little sponges soaked in essential oils could also be hidden in jewellery to give the wearer a sweet aroma.
Deodorants and antiperspirants were not widely marketed until the early 20th century. People in colonial times would use scented soaps and toilet waters to mask body odour.
