LuteaPerfume

Having its origin in the Latin words "per fumus" (meaning through smoke), perfume has been used for thousands of years. Dating back to around 1000 BC, Egyptians used perfumed balms in religious ceremonies and as part of lovemaking preparations.

Although commonly used in many ancient cultures in aromatic waters, the contemporary type of perfume extract was first created around 1000 AD when the process of distilling oil from rose petals was invented.

Throughout the 1600s scents were applied to many objects including gloves, bath essences, mouthwashes and even furnishings. In fact, the court of Louis XV was known as "the perfume court" for this very reason.

In the 1700s Paris became the world's perfume capital and, due to its flower and herb growing trade, the Grasse province in France became the central hub of raw materials for the perfume industry.

The modern era of perfume emerged during the late 1800s when knowledge of chemistry and organic sciences became advanced. The twentieth century has seen the explosion of designer perfumes and mass produced brand name fragrances.