What is a sexy perfume?
All specialists agree that it is the animal odors that create the most attraction and addiction in a perfume. Only today, these materials are almost no longer used and some are even banned.
"In the Middle Ages, says Annick Le Guérer, the alchemists concocted perfumes aphrodisiacs by mixing plant substances such as aloe, camphor, with products of animal nature such as musk, amber and civet. They even put human products like woman's blood (menstruation), or urine. "
One can easily imagine the reaction of our contemporaries if they read this type of formulation on their perfume !
All these animal materials - amber, musk, civet and castoreum - mixed with plant products, gave perfumes very attractive.
The search for sex appeal, the quest for the grail in perfumery
For several years, environmental or animal protection lobbies have eliminated these materials from perfumes, in favor of synthetic equivalents.
Yet, the search for sex appeal in perfumery is still relevant. "The human odors, like the animal odors, have a strong power of attraction, says the specialist." It is said that Henri IV had an olfactory thunderbolt feeling the smell of sweat on the shirt of Gabrielle d'Estrées! "
We can not help thinking about Perfume from Süskind and this quest for the scent of a woman's skin, the quest for the grail in perfumery!
But animal odors are not the only ones to provoke an addiction. The perfumes in the wake of this, especially the Orientals, have a more addictive reputation than perfumes light, marine or floral. They have a larger catch effect. Some flowers, such as patchouli and tuberose, have a very sensual reputation.
"Today, concludes Annick Le Guérer, the compositions have nothing to do with the aphrodisiac elixirs of yesteryear, but we find very beautiful perfumes to wake like Carnal Flower of Dominique Ropion at Frederic Malle around the tuberose or Borneo of Serge Lutens. "
To read :
The Perfume from origins to today and Powers of smell by Annick Le Guérer, published by Odile Jacob.
