About History of Perfume
We are a small research-led team documenting how fragrance is made, traded, regulated, and experienced across time.
Our Mission
History of Perfume exists to treat scent as a cultural record. We trace the people, places, materials, and technologies that turned incense burners and attar workshops into a global industry worth billions. Every article, timeline, and ingredient dossier is built on documentary evidence before any commentary is added.
We write for curious beginners, practicing perfumers, archivists, and anyone who wants a clear view of how fragrance evolved. Transparency comes first: if a claim cannot be traced to a primary or credible secondary source, it does not make the page.
Document the Record
We sift museum catalogues, trade journals, patents, and technical briefs so that each story is anchored in verifiable documentation.
Recognise Every Region
Fragrance history did not start in Grasse. We highlight artisans, botanicals, and trade routes from Southwest Asia, North and East Africa, South Asia, East Asia, Europe, and the Americas with equal care.
Explain the Craft
Our ingredient profiles, timelines, and technical explainers break down formulation logic, regulation, and chemistry in approachable language without diluting the nuance.
Share the Archive
Researchers, perfumers, and collectors are invited to contribute primary material and corrections so the archive stays useful for everyone.
How We Work
Each feature begins with a research log that documents every source consulted—museum catalogues, IFRA amendments, patent filings, lab analyses, perfumer interviews, and trade publications. Drafts are written only after the evidence is catalogued.
We fact-check timelines, ingredient percentages, and historical claims against at least two independent references wherever possible. If uncertainty remains, we note it explicitly instead of smoothing it over.
Updates are logged on a rolling basis—when reformulations are confirmed, regulations change, or new scholarship emerges, we refresh the relevant pages and record the revision date. Readers can flag corrections through the contact page.
Sources & Standards
Research Sources
- • Museum accession records and archaeological catalogues
- • Historical ledgers, patents, and perfumery manuals
- • Industry publications, IFRA documentation, and safety data sheets
- • Interviews with perfumers, chemists, distillers, and cultural historians
Editorial Standards
- • Source notes and publish dates accompany long-form features
- • Conflicts of interest (press samples, sponsored travel) are disclosed when relevant
- • Placeholder copy is never published—sections remain unpublished until research is complete
- • Subject-matter experts review technical pieces before they go live