The Legend Of Napoleon's Scent: Unraveling The Mystery

There are many fascinating details about Napoleon Bonaparte, the French political and military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. One such detail is his love for cologne. Legend has it that Napoleon favoured a specific fragrance, and in this paragraph, we will explore the story behind his preferred scent, including its ingredients, the role it played in his daily routine, and how it influenced the world of perfumery.

Napoleon's cologne obsession

Napoleon Bonaparte, the French political and military leader who rose to power during the French Revolution, was known for his love of cologne. He is said to have used cologne extravagantly throughout his life, with a preference for its cooling qualities.

The Scent

Napoleon had a standing order with the perfume house Chardin to deliver 50 bottles of their signature Eau de Cologne every month. The fragrance is believed to have had strong citrus notes with rosemary, lavender, and thyme. Napoleon particularly favoured rosemary, as it grew abundantly in his birthplace of Corsica and reminded him of his childhood home. He also enjoyed the cooling effect of the scent, especially after bathing, when he would drench his neck and shoulders with it.

The Bottle

Napoleon's dedication to his cologne was such that he had a special bottle created by Jean-Marie Farina in Paris. The long, narrow flask was designed to fit into his riding boots, allowing him to easily carry his beloved cologne with him wherever he went. This portable bottle was especially useful in his line of work, where access to the fragrance was highly valued.

The Legend

Napoleon's obsession with cologne was not just a personal preference but also influenced those around him. His followers and generals noticed his dedication to the fragrance and soon began purchasing colognes in large numbers. Napoleon, therefore, played a significant role in promoting the art of perfumery and the practice of men wearing fragrances.

A Wife's Influence

Napoleon's wife, Josephine, also played a part in his cologne obsession. He famously adored her natural scent, even dispatching orders of "don't bathe" when he was returning home to her after battle. However, he also indulged her love of fragrances, spending large sums on perfumes for her, including her favourite, jasmine. Josephine followed the fashion of the time by keeping pots of scented flowers in her rooms, such as hyacinths and mignonette, a violet-like scent.

His standing order with Chardin

Napoleon Bonaparte had a standing order with perfume house Chardin to deliver 50 bottles of their Eau de Cologne every month. This was a substantial order, but 19th-century fragrance bottles were smaller and more fragile, and the formulas were much less concentrated than those of today.

A quarterly bill from 1806 shows that Chardin supplied 162 bottles of eau de cologne, costing 423 francs. This was an outrageous price at the time. In addition to the cologne, Chardin also supplied 26 pots of almond paste for 355 francs and 20 sponges for 262 francs.

Napoleon loved the cooling qualities of the scent and, after washing, would drench his shoulders and neck with it. He was meticulous with his personal hygiene and would bathe in cologne, pouring it over his head and brushing it vigorously over his body. He also had a long, narrow flask produced that could slide into his riding boots, allowing him to travel with his beloved cologne.

Napoleon's followers and generals noticed this practice and soon began buying colognes in large numbers. He is credited with helping to promote the art of perfumery and the practice of men wearing fragrance.

The scent's ingredients

According to legend, Napoleon Bonaparte wore Jean Marie Farina Eau de Cologne, a fragrance with top notes of citrus and rosemary, which then fades to cedar, vetiver, and musk.

Napoleon was meticulous about his personal hygiene and was a great promoter of colognes. He had a long and narrow flask produced that could fit into his riding boots, allowing him to carry his cologne with him wherever he went. He was known to use large quantities of cologne, with sources stating that he used about three bottles per day, which amounted to 50 or 60 bottles per month.

Napoleon's cologne was crafted solely from natural essences of fruit and aromatic plants. The primary ingredient was rosemary, which is said to have flourished in his birthplace of Corsica. He enjoyed the cooling qualities of the scent and the emotional connection it brought to his childhood home.

In addition to rosemary, Napoleon's cologne likely contained other aromatic plants and citrus fruits. The exact recipe has been preserved and is kept secure at the Versailles Osmotheque.

Napoleon's hygiene habits

Napoleon Bonaparte, the French political and military leader, was known for his peculiar hygiene habits, which have been a topic of fascination and speculation among historians and the public alike. Here is an exploration of the man behind the legend:

• Napoleon was born on the island of Corsica in 1769 and rose to power during the French Revolution, leading successful campaigns and changing the course of European history.
• He was known for his decisiveness, intelligence, and leadership skills.
• Napoleon paid close attention to his personal hygiene, favouring water ablutions over the coquetry of dandies and aristocrats. He avoided overpowering perfumes and instead opted for a generous consumption of cologne.
• According to Madame de Rémusat, a lady attached to Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon made "floods" of cologne after his daily baths, using up to 60 rolls (flasks) of Farina's Eau Admirable per month.
• He used about 3 bottles of cologne daily, each containing approximately 75 ml of fragrance. An invoice from the French National Archives indicates that 72 bottles of Eau de Cologne were ordered for October 1808.
• Napoleon attributed his good health to this habit, which he claimed to have picked up in the Orient. He also believed that cologne had qualities similar to those of coffee.
• During his exile on the island of Saint Helena, Napoleon faced a "real privation" due to the absence of his preferred cologne. This deprivation was so great that he begged his Mameluck Ali to create a cologne for him, resulting in the only olfactory memory we have of Napoleon today.
• Napoleon's chosen fragrance is believed to have had strong citrus notes of rosemary, lavender, and thyme. Rosemary was said to calm him during battle preparation, evoking memories of his childhood home in Corsica.
• He also loved the natural scent of his wife, Josephine, and would dispatch orders of "don't wash" when returning home to her after battles.
• Napoleon's cologne consumption may have been influenced by the smaller and more fragile fragrance bottles of the 19th century, as well as the lower concentration of perfumes and essential oils in formulas during that time.
• Jean-Marie Farina, the creator of Eau de Cologne, designed a special bottle for Napoleon that could easily fit into his boots, proving useful for a leader always on the move.
• The original fragrance Napoleon wore is unknown, but it is believed he had a standing order with perfume house Chardin for 50 bottles of their signature Eau de Cologne every month.
• Another fragrance often associated with Napoleon is 4711, which was a copy of a popular cologne at the time, Acqua Mirabilis or Miracle Water. However, this seems to be a misnomer, and the connection to Napoleon may be due to marketing and legends.

The influence of his fragrance choices

Napoleon Bonaparte's preference for cologne is said to have had a huge influence on the world of fragrance and the way scents are produced and used today.

Firstly, his choice to wear cologne himself helped to promote the art of perfumery and the practice of men wearing fragrance. His followers and generals noticed his habit of dousing himself with cologne and soon began to buy colognes in large numbers.

Secondly, his preference for natural fragrances has been said to have influenced the way scents are produced. His cologne was made solely of natural essences of fruit and aromatic plants.

Thirdly, his choice of fragrance is said to have influenced the creation of new fragrances. For example, the popular flower mignonette, which his wife Josephine grew in pots in her rooms, was sent by Napoleon from Egypt, its native home. It soon became popular with the French elite, who placed it on balconies to mask the foul stench of the streets.

Finally, his choice of cologne is said to have influenced the design of fragrance bottles. He had a long, narrow flask produced that could slide into his riding boots, allowing him to travel with his beloved cologne.

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