Perfume - The Invisible Accessory

Tue., Oct. 1, 1996

Shanna Southern Peterson Correspondent

Perfume is described as an invisible fashion accessory. It helps make a statement about us, one that others (we hope) will find pleasant.

Fragrances have been used since time began to help set the mood for a variety of situations, especially religious and worship events. The burning of incense can be traced back to the time of cave dwellers who soaked wood in fragrant oils before burning it as an offering to the higher powers.

Egyptians used perfumes in their embalming process to help preserve the dead. They passed the art of perfume-making on to the Romans and Greeks.

During the Middle Ages, people feared bathing would lead to catching a cold which could result in death. So they took baths only three times during their lives: the day they were born, the day they married and the day they died. In between these significant events, they used perfumes to mask their pungent body odors.

Today we have a much better understanding of human physiology. We know frequent bathing will not lead to our untimely demise and can, in fact, contribute to our popularity.

We also know fragrances can affect that popularity by making it more pleasant for others to be near us.

Fragrances are generally made of three basic ingredients: essential oils from plants and flowers, a fixative such as alcohol, and water.

Perfumes contain the most essential oils. They are usually made of 10 percent to 20 percent essential oils, with alcohol as the remaining ingredient.

Colognes contain up to 5 percent essential oils with 80 percent alcohol and 15 percent water.

Toilet water, or eau de toilette, contains only about 2 percent essential oils, 60 percent alcohol and 38 percent water.

The more essential oils in a fragrance, the more expensive it will be. It will also have a stronger aroma and the scent lasts longer.

As with any fashion statement, when using fragrance as an accessory, remember, subtle is best. Too much perfume is just plain too much, no matter how expensive it was.

MEMO: Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist. The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or e-mail shanptr@aol.com.

Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist. The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or e-mail shanptr@aol.com.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.