Katrina Rosales
The 18th century was an odorous time, with modern sanitation yet to be invented, and open sewers, unwashed bodies and animal carcasses filling the streets with a pungent stench. Perfume was therefore an important tool for covering up body odour and unpleasant smells, and it was used lavishly by the upper classes. In fact, perfume was so important that perfumers guarded their recipes closely. However, today we have access to some of these historic recipes, which often included ingredients such as coriander seeds, marjoram, calamus aromaticus, and yellow sandalwood. During this time, perfumes fell into two general categories: floral and musky. Floral scents were made from flower oils or waters distilled from blooms such as roses, orange flowers, and jasmine. Musks, on the other hand, were heavier base notes that were often animal-based. In addition to being used for their scent, perfumes were also considered effective medicines, thought to prevent and cure illnesses such as the plague.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To demonstrate social status, cover body odour, and counteract foul smells |
| Scents | Floral, citrus, sweet, spicy, milky, musky |
| Examples of scents | Rose, musk, jasmine, violet, coriander seeds, marjoram, calamus aromaticus, sandalwood, frankincense, nutmeg, myrrh, juniper |
| Uses | Medicinal, fumigation, scenting accessories such as gloves, handkerchiefs, clothes, wigs, beads, pomanders, sachets, handfans |
| Production | Aromatic plants grown in Grasse region of France |
| Consumption | Worn by both sexes, with little difference between men's and women's perfumes |
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What You'll Learn
- Perfume was used to cover up body odour and counteract foul smells
- It was also believed to have medicinal properties, such as preventing and curing the plague
- th-century perfumes fell into two categories: floral and musky
- They were often made from flower oils or distilled blooms
- The upper classes would spend hours perfuming themselves
Perfume was used to cover up body odour and counteract foul smells
The 18th century was an odorous time, with smells from eviscerated animals, open sewers, unwashed bodies, and horse excrement being part of everyday life. Perfume was thus used to cover up body odour and counteract foul smells. The use of perfume was lavish, with the wealthy drenching themselves in it. Marie Antoinette and Napoleon took perfumed baths almost daily, while most other aristocrats found it difficult to manage daily immersion.
Perfume was also used as a substitute for soap and water. Inconsistent bathing practices meant that perfume served as a popular odour equalizer in the merchant and noble classes. It was also believed to have medicinal properties, preventing and curing the plague, strengthening the body and mind, preventing spasms, and curing lethargy. For example, in the 1770s, physician Pierre Lalouette invented a fumigation machine that used perfumes to treat venereal disease.
The 18th century saw a variety of fragrances, with floral and musky scents being the most general categories. Floral scents were made from flower oils or waters distilled from blooms such as roses, orange flowers, and jasmine. Musks, on the other hand, were heavy yet subtle and often animal-based. They were favoured by both sexes because they blended well with the natural human scent.
The use of perfume was not limited to the skin but was also applied to clothing, fans, furniture, gloves, and wigs. In addition to liquid perfumes, scented accessories such as sweet bags, handkerchiefs, beads, pomanders, sachets, and hand fans were also popular.
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It was also believed to have medicinal properties, such as preventing and curing the plague
In the 18th century, perfume was believed to have medicinal properties. This idea is supported by medical treatises from the time, which show that perfume was considered an effective medicine against the plague and other illnesses. For example, in the 1770s, a physician named Pierre Lalouette invented a fumigation machine that used perfumes to treat venereal disease.
The belief in the medicinal properties of perfume likely stemmed from the fact that the 18th century was an "odoriferous time", with many unpleasant smells from sources such as eviscerated animals, open sewers, unwashed bodies, and horse excrement. To cover up these unpleasant odours and prevent the spread of disease, people, especially the wealthy, often doused themselves in perfume. The use of perfume as a substitute for bathing is also evident in the French court of Louis XIV, where perfume was applied daily to the skin, clothing, fans, and furniture.
In addition to its use as a disinfectant, perfume was also believed to strengthen the body and mind, prevent spasms, and cure lethargy. This belief in the medicinal properties of perfume is reflected in the Latin root of the word "perfume", which is "per fumum", meaning "through smoke". While the marketing of perfume in the 18th century may have focused on its medicinal uses, by the early 19th century, dictionaries began to refer to these medicinal uses as anachronistic, with perfumes now sought after for their refined and luxurious scents.
The ingredients used in 18th-century perfumes also reflect the belief in their medicinal properties. For example, scented waters, which were among the best-selling products available from perfumers in major European cities, were believed to have therapeutic properties. Other ingredients such as frankincense, nutmeg, myrrh, and juniper were burnt in fumigation machines to treat various ailments. However, some ingredients like mercury and sulphur were considered dangerous and were only sold by druggists and apothecaries.
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18th-century perfumes fell into two categories: floral and musky
The 18th century was an odoriferous time, with many foul smells from eviscerated animals, open sewers, unwashed bodies, and horse excrement. Perfume was thus an important commodity, used to cover up body odour and counteract the foul smells of the time. 18th-century perfumes fell into two main categories: floral and musky.
Floral scents were made from flower oils or waters distilled from blooms such as roses, orange flowers, and jasmine. These scents are considered light and float near the top of the modern note range. Rose water, in particular, was wildly popular in the 18th century, having been popular since ancient times as both a scent and beauty treatment.
Musks, on the other hand, are base notes—heavy yet subtle at the same time. They are often animal-based and were favoured by both sexes because they blended well with the natural human scent, which is itself musky. Examples of non-floral scents include anise, balsam, bitter orange, cedar, cinnamon, cloves, frankincense, grapefruit, juniper, leather, lemon, lime, mint, moss, musk, myrrh, nutmeg, peach, pine, rosemary, sage, and smoke.
Perfumes in the 18th century were also used for medicinal purposes. Some considered perfume an effective medicine against the plague, and in the 1770s, physician Pierre Lalouette invented a fumigation machine that used perfumes to treat venereal disease.
There was very little difference between men's and women's perfumes in the 18th century. A man might wear rose water to freshen his skin, while a woman might wear a heady amber toilet for a candlelit dance. Josephine Bonaparte, for example, often wore just jasmine or violet, and Napoleon wore the citrusy Eau de Cologne. Aristocrats typically had their own perfumes mixed especially for them.
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They were often made from flower oils or distilled blooms
The 18th century was an odiferous time, with many unpleasant smells from eviscerated animals, open sewers, unwashed bodies, and horse excrement. Perfume was used to cover up any body odour and counteract the foul smells. During this time, perfumes generally fell into two categories: floral and musky.
Floral perfumes were often made from flower oils or distilled blooms, such as roses, orange flowers, and jasmine. These scents are now found near the top of the modern note range. Rose water, for example, was wildly popular in the 18th century and had been used as a scent and beauty treatment since ancient times. Other floral scents included lavender, rosemary, and grapefruit.
The process of distilling the scent of flowers was not a new concept in the 18th century. Romans and Greeks extracted perfumes from diverse sources such as flowers, woods, seeds, roots, saps, and gums. Theophrastos, Pliny the Elder, and Dioskourides wrote about perfumes in their works. The world's first recorded chemist is also believed to be a woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker in Babylonian Mesopotamia around 1200 BCE.
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The upper classes would spend hours perfuming themselves
In the 18th century, perfume was a luxury product, used by the upper classes to demonstrate their social status. It was also used as a medicine, to prevent and cure illnesses such as the plague. The upper classes would spend hours perfuming themselves, their homes, and even their pets.
Perfume was often used to cover up body odour, as bathing was not a common practice during this time. The upper classes would drench themselves in perfume, with heavy notes of musk and spices being particularly popular. The hair was often powdered, and servants would bring perfume burners to scent the home.
To create their desired scent, the upper classes would often have their own unique perfumes mixed for them by professional perfumers. These perfumes could be made from a variety of ingredients, including flower oils or waters distilled from blooms such as roses, orange flowers, and jasmine. More complex recipes might include coriander seeds, marjoram, calamus aromaticus (a water plant used as a substitute for ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg), or yellow sandalwood.
In addition to being worn on the body, perfume was also used to fumigate rooms and clothes. Perfume cakes were set upon hot coals, and floors were covered in blossoms. Pomanders made from ambergris and benzoin were hung from belts, and trinkets of scent were placed upon the neck.
The use of perfume as a status symbol continued into the 19th century, where it became associated with the court of Louis XVI and the wealth of the upper class. However, with the rise of the bourgeoisie, cleanliness and hygiene became more important than expensive scents, and soap became a popular alternative to perfume.
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Frequently asked questions
An 18th-century perfume comfit is a small sweetmeat or confectionery item flavoured with perfume.
18th-century perfumes fell into two general categories: floral and musky. Floral scents were made from flower oils or waters distilled from blooms such as roses, orange flowers, and jasmine. Musks are base notes—heavy yet subtle—and were often animal-based. Other ingredients included coriander seeds, marjoram, calamus aromaticus, and yellow sandalwood.
Perfume was worn by both men and women in the 18th century. Women’s perfumes often featured deep musk and other animal smells, while men's scents could be much more floral and sweet than they would be today. Perfume was particularly popular among the upper classes, who used it to cover up body odour and counteract the foul smells of their surroundings.
No. Some circles considered perfumes to be effective medicines. In the 1700s, perfume was believed to strengthen the body and mind, prevent spasms, and cure lethargy.
