Writing about perfume, and smells in general, is one of the greatest challenges for a journalist/author: how to evoke scents, with words…? But over the years, quite a few have done so very, very successfully. And if you want to build a ‘perfume bookshelf’, to deepen your knowledge of perfumery, start here…
We’ve awarded each title stars out of five, as a guide to which we think are the most important, and the all-round best reads. Nothing less than a three-star book is feataured here, though – so we reckon any of them are a worthwhile read.
As you become ever-more-obsessed (and we know how that feels), you may want to add to your collection – and of course, we’ll add to this section whenever new releases catch our eye…
We’d always prefer you support an independent bookstore rather than One-Clicking on Amazon – these indie stores can happily order most in-print books. However, in a super-busy world, we know it isn’t always practical. (And if you’re happy to buy secondhand – most titles are available via Amazon – this does often support smaller bookstores.)
Looking for out-of-print perfume titles in secondhand bookstores can be like searching for a needle in a haystack, meanwhile. If you’re in a hurry, we generally recommend abebooks.com, which links thousands of secondhand bookstores around the world, while Amazon can be a source for remaindered books…
Sandalwood and Carrion: Smell in Indian Religion and Culture, by James McHugh.
India is a country of sensory overwhelm – colours, sounds and in particular smells. This 300+ page goes back through millennia, looking at the fragrant element of Indian culture right back to the first millennium CE, explaining how perfumery influenced many of the materials, practices and ceremonies which are associated with India's religious culture. (Did you know that evil literally 'stank', in Indian religion?) In an extremely readable style, the book looks at the gifts of flowers and incense, dives into Sanskrit texts on perfumery, explores in depth the significance of sandalwood and traverses the 'smellscape' of traditional South Asia, via poetry, literature, ancient texts (and even a smattering of Evelyn Waugh).
Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Subversive Perfume
Scent & Subversion: Decoding a Century of Subversive Perfume, by Barbara Herman
Far more than merely a way to smell pleasant, those of us obsessed by fragrance know well that perfume has historically been seen as subversive – and still can be used to break the rules and unsettle cultural conventions. Highlighting the use of perfume to play with society's gender conventions, Barbara Herman analyses vintage perfumes and perfume advertising – a theme that she began on her popular blog, YesterdaysPerfume.com. Lavishly illustrated, and lovingly detailed descriptions of vintage fragrances through the ages – and the femme fatales and mysterious stars associated with wearing them; Herman includes essays on scent appreciation, a glossary of important perfume terms and ingredients, and tips on how to begin your own foray into vintage and contemporary perfume. Written with great insight and humour, this is a book that any vintage lover would be delighted to read.
Scents of Time: Perfume from Ancient Egypt to the 21st Century
Scents of Time: Perfume from Ancient Egypt to the 21st Century, by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Out-of-print (but copies were available via Amazon for just a few pence, at time of writing), this a very worthy addition to the fragrant bookshelf of anyone who's fascinated by the history of perfume. It time-travels back through 1000 years and across many cultures, exploring and celebrating the role of fragrance in our world, showcasing many fragrance-related artefacts. There are brief sections on techniques for extraction, fragrance families and a basic glossary, but beyond that, the book beautifully uses paintings, lithography, photography and sculpture throughout – as you might expect from a book produced by one of the world's greatest museums.
Secrets of the Lavender Girls by Kate Thompson [Hodder Paperbacks, 2021]
This utterly charming story follows the fragrant history of Yardley, and the remarkable stories of the women who worked there. A fictional account, author Kate Thompson always undertakes a great deal of research, and her genuine fondness for the real life women she found (and who shared their tales with her) truly shines through. In the novel, though World War Two is still raging across Europe, for the Lavender Girls (the nickname for the workers at the Yardley cosmetics factory in East London) the challenges they face are also on the home front. Battling their own demons while striving to put a brave face on it (and wearing Yardley's wartime-named lipsticks to keep their spirits up, because it was rumoured Hitler hated women who wore red lisptick!) we meet newly married Esther, trying to juggle her home life while being a working woman for the first time. West End starlet Patsy has many secrets to hid from her controlling mother, and works at Yardley by day while shining in the spotlight at night. Lovely Lou, meanwhile, is hiding a forbidden love that's tearing her apart – something that's forcing her to choose between happiness and her own family. 'Can she be brave enough to forge her own path in the chaos of a war? One thing is certain: the Lavender Girls need one another more than ever if they are going to survive.'
What you really take away from this novel is how vitally important fragrance and makeup and making the best of things (yourself included) was for these women, during the most violent and devastating time. They found courage and pride in working for a company who helped boost women's confidence, and the scents of April Violets and Freesia and many of the other classic Yardley fragrances would literally waft a scent of courage for them.
Sensehacking: How to Use the Power of Your Senses for Happier, Healthier Living by Charles Spence (Viking Books)
'How can the furniture in your home affect your well-being? What colour clothing will help you play sport better? And what simple trick will calm you after a tense day at work?' These are the questions posed (and answered) by Oxford professor Charles Spence – an expert on the senses who we've seen speak at IFRA Fragrance Forums over the years, and whose research has often sparked or informed many fragrant features of our own. As head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Spence focuses on how our senses often overlap – sometimes very confusingly – and this book aims to demonstrate how '...our senses change how we think and feel, and how by 'hacking' them we can reduce stress, become more productive and be happier.'
There's some fascinating sections on how we're 'led by the nose', too. Ask most people about how they think large corporations try to entice us with smell and many will say something about supermarkets and the 'fake' but tempting waft of freshly baked bread. Spence reveals that no research is available on this subject – 'It's not that the research hasn't been done, you understand, for it most certainly has. It is just that the supermarkets have chosen not to share their findings.' But at least that baked bread smell is 'unlikely to be artificial' he explains, because 'the delectable smell of freshly baked bread is one of the aromas that, at least until very recently, chemists struggled to imitate synthetically.'
From the tricks of 'Subliminal seduction' and 'Multisensory shopping online', the way are senses are appealed to and why we find certain things/people/experiences more appealing than others, to what the future holds for ways we can hack our senses; it's certainly a thrilling read. And will provide you many ready answers to the inevitable questions we fragrance-lovers always get: 'Why are you so obsessed with perfume? Doesn't it just smell nice, and that's it?' Well, we've always known there's far more to it than that, and now you can recommend this book for any olfactory nay-sayers you might meet!
Sensehacking: How to Use the Power of Your Senses for Happier, Healthier Living
Sensehacking: How to Use the Power of Your Senses for Happier, Healthier Living by Charles Spence [Published September 2020]
Showing us how our senses change how we think and feel, and how by 'hacking' them we can reduce stress, become more productive and be happier.
We like to think of ourselves as rational beings, and yet it's the scent of expensive face cream that removes wrinkles (temporarily), a room actually feels warmer if you use a warmer paint colour, and the noise of the crowd really does affect the referee's decision. Understanding how our senses interact can produce incredible results. This is popular science at its unbelievable best.
