The use of perfumes by mankind dates back four thousand years. Before modern day perfumes were produced by chemists and sold in shops, they were made by dissolving natural plant extracts in an alcohol solution. Plants are the largest source of aromatic compounds utilised in Perfumery. Many segments of a plant can be used for their aromatic properties. For instance petigrain oil is derived from orange leaves, neroli oil is derived from orange blossoms and orange oil is derived from orange zest. Other sections of a plant made use of in Perfumery are bark, fruits, twigs, resins roots, rhizomes, bulbs, seeds and woods. It is known that perfumes produced in the traditional way are imbued with a depth of character and beauty rarely found in modern perfumery.
Sep 30