Seven Facts That Nobody Told You About Perfume

Who doesn’t love to smell phenomenal? Perfumes (“Per fumus” – through smoke in Latin), have taken such a prominent role in our lives that leaving the house without a spray of it will leave you feeling naked. Perfume as you know has gone through some pretty interesting times and changes in our history since its’ inception in Egypt, which has helped it gather some rather interesting facts about its fragrances, ingredients and even products! Here are some of the 7 most mind-blowing facts that nobody has ever told you before.

01. Ambergris – Whale Vomit?

Have you ever got that ocean-ey smell in perfumes and wondered how and why you get it? Well, you might wish you never questioned it. Ambergris is a component used in perfume creation and is naturally a product made in the intestines of the Sperm Whales and is found floating in the ocean. Some even say that it is “whale vomit” and considered one of the most valuable raw materials in perfumery. This fragrance exuded from this rare component is as rare as the component itself in its natural form, hence luckily for you and me, it is synthetically created today. So if you thought of throwing out those ocean-ey perfume bottles, you might want to hold onto it a little while longer.

02. Bacon perfume?

Ever loved bacon so much that you wanted to smell like it? Well, now you can! -as weird as it may seem. Considering the growing love for bacon in some parts of the world and the incorporation of bacon in things such as chocolate, salt, popcorn, etc. the perfume industry too joined the bandwagon with the help of Fargginay.inc where certain perfumes are made with the amalgamation of 11 essential oils and bacon to achieve that savory and tasty scent of roasted bacon. If you’re allergic to bacon, always remember to check the ingredients of not only popcorn and chocolate but also perfume!

03. Jasmine – or so you thought…

Have you ever had that favorite Jasmine smelling perfume? Well let me burst your bubble, they don’t really add in Jasmine to get that sweet smell, they add in Indole; a chemical naturally found in flowers. Not bad right? Well not until you realize that in its natural habitat, Indole it smells like poop and is also present in coal tar and feces. The trick here is that a lot of this matter together smells like fecal matter while a bit of it helps amplify the smell of flowery perfumes. A synthetic jasmine base will never truly smell like jasmine until a few drops of Indole is added to it.

04. Is there a cat in your perfume?

As weird as perfume making has begun to sound, I didn’t think anyone thought it could go to the extent of using cats in its procedures. Well, unfortunately, they do. Maybe not your household cats per say, but they do use a Civet, which is a certain breed of cat. Which part of the Civet do they use, you might ask? It’s an oil from the sex glands from the Civet which is also called Civet; an unrefined, buttery-yellow paste which at full strength smells of fecal matter but whose small amounts can produce a velvety, radiant, floral smell.

05. Perfumes for mood swings?

Feeling down and want a lift-me-up? Use perfume. Feeling stressed and want to de-stress yourself? Use perfume. Yes, it actually is possible. Studies show that certain fragrances can affect and change your mood, also known as “Aromatherapy”. To match the mood that you intend to have you need to know which scents to spray. For example, Chamomile, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Rosewood, etc. will help you achieve a calm and relaxed mood while Orange, Eucalyptus, Spearmint, Ginger, Lemon, etc. will help you feel refreshed and revitalized. I think it’s time to go perfume shopping, am I right?

06. Perfume can turn on men!

The scent is a very special and personal thing that has the power to not only change your mood but also to remind you of a certain someone. Studies show that there are certain smells that are irresistible to men! Wondering how? Well, our sense of smell invigorates and stimulates nerve endings which are at the back of our nose which awakens a part of the brain called the limbic system. This system is responsible for the human sex drive, emotions and behavior. Hence, there are certain scents that send these neurons in the brain into a frenzy, causing men to be turned on by just a perfume fragrance. Want to know more? Use fragrances such as Vanilla, Jasmine, Lavender, Ylang-Ylang, Orange, Wood, etc. and find your for yourself.

07. Sweat contributing to the smell of perfume

Hold up before you run and throw away your bottles of perfumes! It’s not just any sweat that contributes to the smell of perfume but yours. A bit of relief right? I guess your sweat is better than another human or animals sweat. Ever felt that although your friend’s perfume smells great on her it doesn’t smell so great on you? Well, here the reason; your body chemistry has everything to do with how a fragrance smells on you. It depends on the pH levels of your skin which is also where your sweat comes into play. Since everyone’s odor smells different, the way that perfume smells on different people differently.

 

 

Considering throwing away all your perfumes and switching to walking around fragrance-free? I think I considered that option too after finding these quirky facts about perfumes. However, considering its ability to enhance mood, boost confidence and health, treat insomnia, make you attractive and act as an aphrodisiac, I decided to hold onto my bottles a little while longer and I think you should too.