The Art of Perfumery During the Renaissance

The Renaissance was a fertile period of European culture, celebrated for its remarkable artists, its scientific advances in anatomy and astronomy, and its flowering of literature. But it was also a pivotal era for the art of perfumery. Perfume played a prominent role in the lives of the nobility: Not only was fragrance fashionable and a sign of wealth, but it also served as personal hygiene in a time when bathing was more uncommon. Transporting and heating bathwater was far more inconvenient, but more problematic was the belief that water harbored and spread disease, which prompted a general avoidance of baths.

In fact, King Louis XIV was terrified of bathing for this reason and is said to have taken only three baths in his life. This bath aversion meant perfumes of the era had to be strong, intoxicating, and capable of masking significant odor. The Sun King and his Court (“the Perfumed Court,” it was called) indulged heavily in perfumes, applying luxuriant fragrances not only to their bodies, hair, and clothing but also to furniture, home accessories, and even to their pets. Visitors were sprayed with perfume upon entering. These perfume-loving courtiers spent more on perfume than they did on food.

Perfumed preparations of the Renaissance included scented oils and ointments, distilled waters, alcohol-based perfumes, incense, and powders. After the expeditions of Magellan and Vasco de Gama, exotic flowers and plants like vanilla, cocoa, cardamom, tobacco, and pepper could be incorporated.

Common essential oils of the Renaissance included musk, amber, jasmine, tuberose, benzoin, bergamot, lavender, rosemary, violet, chamomile, lemon, peppermint, cedar, rose, juniper, pepper, and oakmoss, diluted with skin-friendly carrier oils like almond, olive, and laurel bayberry.

With the advent of the printing press, perfumists were able to print books of recipes for perfumes and scented waters. Written mostly in Italian and French, these beloved books have passed down their innovative developments in the art of perfumery and are still used to this day. As a perfumist myself, I was inspired to re-create the recipe below, which is reminiscent of the perfumes of the French court. I blended woodsy, spicy essential oils of pepper, cedar, and patchouli with notes of uplifting woody juniper and a touch of warm, sweet vanilla— all of which were used during the Renaissance period. The cedarwood, patchouli, and vanilla comprise the base of the perfume, the juniper berry provides the middle note, and black pepper the top note, creating a well-rounded scent. It smells divine, and you can easily make it at home if you wish!

Here’s how:

Ingredients

• Essential oils of cedarwood, patchouli, pepper, juniper, and vanilla oleoresin
• 10 ml glass bottle with roller
• Skin-friendly carrier oil (fractionated coconut oil works well)
• Tiny funnel specifically for perfume making
• A small glass measuring cup dedicated for perfume making (don’t use it for food once you’ve made perfume in it)
• A stirrer (I used a metal chopstick)

Instructions

Make sure your perfume bottle, measuring cup, stirrer, and funnel are clean and dry. I like to wipe them with a cloth slightly dampened with 80 to 100 proof alcohol.

Pour a small amount of fractionated coconut oil into your measuring cup. Then, pour about 5 ml of it into your perfume bottle, filling the bottle halfway.

Place the funnel on top of the perfume bottle and add your essential oils: one drop each of cedarwood, patchouli, and vanilla oleoresin; five drops of juniper berry; and three drops of black pepper.

Fill the bottle to the top with the fractionated coconut oil, attach the roller ball, and cap your perfume. Give it a slow, gentle shake for a few moments to incorporate the essential oils, and avoid the air bubbles that fast shaking creates. Gently shake your perfume before each use.