A trip down fragrance lane
Glamor is like Hollywood movie stars, but they are newcomers to the world of perfume, which goes back a long way. Perfume is thousands of years old.
Using herbs and flowers to scent the air was how the love of fragrance began. It was common for people to wear a flower garland, hang scented plants inside, and add scented plants to the sweet-smelling rushes scattered on the floor.
One of the oldest uses of perfumes comes from burning incense and aromatic herbs used in religious services, often scent gums, frankincense, and myrrh, which are collected from trees. And the word “perfume” comes from the Latin per fume, which means “through smoke.”
The Egyptians were the first to incorporate perfume into their culture, followed by the ancient Chinese, Hindus, Arabs, Greeks, and Romans. The Egyptians invented glass, and perfume bottles were one of the first common uses for glass. The first use of perfume bottles is Egyptian, dating to around 1000 B.C. That’s right, people have been rubbing their earlobes for over 3,000 years.
From the 9th century, large-volume trade between Byzantium and Venice brought perfumes to Europe. There was much trade within Arabia, bringing perfumes from Baghdad to Muslim Spain.
Arabian perfume was a highly developed art. With ancient formulas from the Persians, they used ingredients from China, India and Africa, producing perfumes on a large scale. They had been using distillation since before the 9th century.
“Al-Hawi”, a book by Rhazes, who lived in the 9th or early 10th century, contained a chapter on cosmetics. It was translated into Latin in France at the end of the 12th century.
That was around the time, 1,000 years ago, that musk and floral perfumes were brought to northwestern Europe from Arabia, through trade with the Islamic world and with returning Crusaders. The perfume trade was also involved in the spice and dye trade.
So there’s so much more than “Ooo la la” in the next puff of French fragrance! The exotic factor goes back thousands of years, and Hollywood is buying it.
For 240 years, the Anglo-French house of CREED has been the choice of celebrities, royalty and connoisseurs of finery around the world. He still employs techniques largely abandoned in the perfume industry and crafts his own infusions from the finest botanicals and most precious essences the world has to offer.
CREED’s newest creation, Love in White, debuted in 2005. It was the first to be released in the US, and among the first to receive a bottle was actress ANGELINA JOLIE because she and the new fragrance share a bond with The United Nations. . Sales of CREED’s Love In White support in part the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It’s also the first time a CREED fragrance has supported a charity, and actress Angelina Jolie is a UN Goodwill Ambassador working on refugee issues.
CREED Jasmal was supposedly created just for NATALIE WOOD, and was the lovely classic Hollywood star’s scent of choice. Natalie’s warmth and mystery seem to match the fragrance’s notes of Italian and Moroccan jasmine.
CREED Fleurissimo is a floral fairy tale of tuberoses, roses, violets and irises. Once a thoughtful groom gifted his bride the beautiful bouquet in an elegant glass bottle. The bride was GRACE KELLY, and Creed was commissioned by the late Prince Rainier of Monaco to develop a fragrance especially for his princess.
The fragrance was also a treasured favorite of JACEQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS, a lover of art and culture.
In 1954, Hollywood teamed up with CHANEL by accident. Screen goddess MARILYN MONROE was asked what clothes she wore to bed at night and she gasped, “Just a few drops of No 5.” As an icon of seduction, she popularized the fragrance,
inspiring Chanel’s then publicity director to start casting the world’s most stunning actors to keep Chanel No 5 alive in people’s imaginations. ALI MACGRAW and CATHERIN DENEUVE and most recently NICOLE KIDMAN are among the chosen beauties.
Today, MADONNA, JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT and GOLDIE HAWN are among the icons of the pop world who also savor the roots of tradition, all sharing a love for CREED’s Tuberose Indiana scent.
In January 1957, GIVENCHY created the fragrance L’Interdit especially for the charming movie star AUDREY HEPBURN, allowing Hepburn to wear it exclusively for a year before it was released to the public the following December. After all, it was Hepburn who, at the height of her fame, convinced the producers of the movie Sabrina to let her wear the creations of the young designer Hubert de Givenchy.
The tradition of Hollywood beauties associated with perfume continues, but unlike Hepburn, today’s actors are generally not the inspiration for the fragrances they promote, but rather chosen for how they embody the spirit of the perfumers. aromas.
Today, the fairy princess from The Lord of the Rings, LIV TYLER, is the face of Givenchy’s new fragrance, Very Irresistible.
One of the latest to be the face of Calvin Klein’s fresh new Eternity Moment fragrance is rising star SCARLETT JOHANSSON.
But do those faces really wear the fragrances they promote? Ignited by the spontaneous innocence of Marilyn Monroe, successful marketing campaigns have launched a million bottles.
One would say yes, the fragrances have been worn as advertised at least once. But there are fragrances for every season, daytime and nighttime, and today’s celebrities are launching their own.
So what do they wear behind the billboards? Here are some boudoir moments of who wore what.
While movie stars walk the red carpet looking gorgeous, they also smell great, and that makes Zents common!
In preparation for Oscar night. CHARLIZE THERON, ANGELINA JOLIE, JADA PINKETTT-SMITH, SHARON STONE and KATIE HOLMES chose one of the newest on the scene, ZENTS. The fragrances are created entirely by hand following the same tradition as in Paris at the turn of the century.
UMA THURMAN was the first person to receive the “Fresh” Zents scent at the time of its creation.
LAURA DERN loves Fresh. The delicate simplicity of heliotrope, linden blossom, cucumber and green apple are innocent and pure, in contrast to Dern’s other pick from the line, Fig, which is a warm and spicy blend of Himalayan cedarwood, vetiver, balsam, cinnamon, capsicum berries… warm, invigorating and sensual.
Some other fans of the line include JULIA ROBERTS, who loves Ore, a deep, spicy, and seductive blend of iris, bay, coriander, jasmine, and patchouli. The style is described as sexy, fiery and euphoric.
CHRISTINA AGUILERA uses Zents Concreta solid balm on her hair, which is the line of fragrances in pomade form.
Every year, perfume designers launch new creations and compete for the attention of the public and the stars that intrigue the world. Some are passing favorites and some classics still reign.
The tuberose allure of Fracas Parfum by Robert Piguet was appreciated in the 1940s by the legendary diva MARLENE DIETRICH, and is appreciated today by MADONNA and KIM BASINGER.
CHARLIZE THERON and KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS are said to love the blend of magnolia, rose, cinnamon and peach that stands out from the base notes of vanilla and sandalwood in DOLCE VITA, created by Christian Dior in 1996.
And who can argue that some of these choices reflect the qualities of those who float them?
EXOTIC and SWEET
GWEN STEFANI, OPRAH and CAMERON DIAZ are among the celebrity clients who opt for exotic flowers, including gardenia, at Monyette Paris. The scent is created using only the purest perfume oils with no alcohol or cologne base, making it long-lasting and adaptable to the wearer. The carefree CAMERON is also said to like HAPPY by Clinique.
FRESH, FRUITY and CALM! “Pass me the perfume, honey!”
SARAH JESSICA PARKER and MATTHEW BRODERICK are a celebrity couple who have worn BRANDY Parfums. The unisex appeal of this fragrance is fresh and elegant, with top notes of apple and peach, and herbaceous heart notes that help reduce stress. Other famous users of this fragrance for each season are NATALIE PORTMAN, JUDI DENCH, GOLDIE HAWN and TOBY MCGUIRE.
SPICES OF CHOCOLATE WITH HONEY!
Today’s Hollywood divas KATE HUDSON and RENEE ZELLWEGER love ANGEL perfume, designed by THIERRY MUGLER in 1993. Pop star BRANDY and poetic princess VANNA BONTA are also known for wearing this winged journey of a perfume that explores the essences of honey, chocolate and caramel and blends with notes of vanilla, patchouli and sandalwood. It seems that these fragrances give perfect wings to these page and screen beauties.
Much talked about Hollywood writer VANNA BONTA is true to the poetic fragrances of France of ANNICK GOUTAL, who came to perfume making after a career as an award-winning pianist. One of Bonta’s favorites is the airy Eau du Ciel, a subtle interpretation of innocence in rosewood, violet, Florentine iris, and basswood. Goutal’s description is “delicate as the shiver of an angel’s wing”.
BONTA indulges its favorite terrestrial signature flower, the pure white gardenia, with Goutal’s Gardenia Passion, a fragrance famous for its natural and faithful reconstitution of this untamed flower.
NICOLE KIDMAN is also a fan of ANNICK GOUTAL’s Eau du Sud, an invigorating unisex blend of orange, mint and basil.
THE PERFUMES ADAPT TO THE CLIMATE
After all, fragrances are created to meet the demand for moods, rainy, sunny, day, night, cold, hot, and any occasion.
The sensual blends of amber and incense are perfect for winter, warming up the cold months. VANNA BONTA is a client of the famous Santa Maria Novella apothecary, run by monks, in Florence, Italy, and of Profumi di Firenze. Both lines use fragrance recipes that are hundreds of years old, some originals unchanged since the Renaissance Medici family commissioned them in the 13th century.
Summer brings out bouts of citrus and tropical vanilla, and COMPTOIR SUD PACIFIQUE is a favorite of many celebrities for its pineapple, apricot, lime and milk vanilla variations. A refreshing pineapple favorite is ARTISAN Annanas Fizz.
MICHELLE PFEIFFER loves Acqua di Gio, and the fresh marine notes with a sea floral scent reflect the cool and refreshing charisma of this beautiful star.
Fans of the singing diva WHITNEY HOUSTON and the famous LISA KUDROW from Friend are fans of BULGARI pour Femme.
MIRA SORVINO and THORA BIRCH adore Chanel’s Coco, and CALISTA FLOCKHART shines beautifully in So de la Renta.
THE DIRT ON THE STARS
Pilar & Lucy’s new fragrance, Tiptoing Through Chambers of the Moon, was a hit with some stars this year, as was The Exact Friction of Stars, unsurprisingly a VANNA BONTA choice if only for name. Reportedly a huge fan of vanilla, Bonta was a patron of the cosmic friction of vanilla, coconut, and orange interwoven with the warmth of cloves.
And the bad thing about SHARON STONE, always at the forefront of invention, is that she loves DEMETER fragrances, especially Dirt, which is also a reputed favorite of KATE MOSS. In fact, Dirt is one of the most popular, a fresh, clean scent of potting soil with the citrusy smell of fresh grass. Demeter’s Library of Food, Beverage, and Natural Scents lists comfortingly familiar and less-forgotten pleasant scents like Russian Leather, Play-Doh, Laundromat, Grass, Thunderstorm, Ocean, Cotton Candy… Ahhh. We could continue.