On the nose

We heard from the extremely knowledgeable Perfumer of Dr.Hauschka at an afternoon tea lecture today on ‘The Secret of Natural Fragrances’ and the theme of smell as experience…

We heard from the extremely knowledgeable Perfumer of Dr.Hauschka at an afternoon tea lecture today on ‘The Secret of Natural Fragrances.’

Jorg Zimmerman, a German who studied at Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France, is the world’s only fulltime perfumer employed to work with natural fragrances. His employer, Dr.Hauschka, is well-known for its use of botanical extracts in its skincare and they refuse to use any synthetic fragrances, so in effect, Jorg’s perfumery resembles that of 1830 before any synthetics were introduced.

Pictured left: Dr.Hauschka Body Moisturisers that nurture the senses with perfume while nourishing dry skin. With Almond, Lavender Sandalwood, Rose, Lemon Lemongrass, and Quince, there is a perfume for every body.

I enjoyed how Jorg talked about the emotive energy of fragrance, and the theme of smell as experience. He said that in times past, we found good food – and good mates – through a sense of smell. Objects emit molecules so we can smell them; fragrance hits the olfactory bulb then the limbic system of the brain, and electrical impulses are linked with memory to produce a reaction.

After our science lesson; a history lesson: in Egypt of 5000 BC, Cleopatra bathed in goats milk and rose petals to be attractive. In Rome 100 BC, it was a decadent time of fragrance. In old Europe, people wore pomanders to cleanse the senses and to feel as though one is in a different environment.

Nowadays, there are 1200 perfumes launched every year.

Below: Jorg Zimmerman.