PEONIES IN PERFUMERY WORLD
Peonies in Perfumery world
Flowers have been used in perfumery for a very long time. Moreover, they were the first plants to have their moment of glory during the time of Ancient Egypt, thanks to Queen Cleopatra. In particular, she liked to take baths filled with rose petals. However, these are no longer the only ones to adorn our cosmetic products today, far from it. Also, among the most enticing plants on the planet, the peony can boast of enhancing many feminine perfumes.
The history of the peony
The peony is a plant native to various regions from Europe to the Far East. It is particularly prevalent in China and now encompasses around forty different species. In this country, it is associated with the city of Luoyang. The peony is a flower that belongs to the category of plants with tuberous roots. It was classified in the buttercup family for a long time but has belonged to a separate family since the 1950s, the peony family. Its green leaves contrast with its ball-shaped flowers of different colors depending on the categories. The peony is a plant that was already known to the Greeks as a remedy. It was used especially in case of possible miscarriages. Likewise, many magical properties were associated with it. Although these may seem completely perplexing in our time, Theophrastus wrote that "this plant should be uprooted at night; if it is uprooted during the day, and a woodpecker is seen picking the fruit, he said, one risks losing their eyes, and if the root is cut, one risks rectal prolapse." Similarly, the Chinese believed that the peony enriched the blood and strengthened the yin. It was also supposed to regulate the liver and relieve pain. Finally, note that Greek astrologers claimed that there was a unity between the cosmos and the elements of the earth. They described vertical chains linking deities, stars, stones, animals, plants, and parts of the body. For them, the peony was directly linked to the moon. Thus, it grew and diminished according to solar phases, and it was from this celestial power that it derived its numerous virtues. Today, all of these practices seem to have disappeared. However, we are left with its subtle scent...
The refined scent of peony in perfumes
Peony is one of the most famous flowers in perfumery. It is generally highly regarded for its floral and tender aroma. However, this scent cannot be captured in nature itself and must be reproduced in the laboratory from other raw materials. Additionally, the scent of peony is quite costly to create. This makes it an ingredient exclusively used in fine perfumery. In many aspects, peony closely resembles the scent of rose. However, it combines this with lighter vegetal accents somewhat reminiscent of lily of the valley or dew.
Peonies in contemporary perfumes
Today, there is no shortage of feminine fragrances containing this radiant flower. Among the most famous are the iconic Alaïa Paris by Azzedine Alaïa, Amethyst by Lalique, Amor Amor Forbidden Kiss by Cacharel, and Ange ou Démon by Givenchy. Hayari Paris use white peonies in his fragrance "Only For Her" and many others