Perfume

Perfume, blend of substances made from plant oils and synthetic materials that produce a pleasant odor. Perfumes were used in ancient times as incense in religious rites, in medicines, and later for adornment. Today they are utilized in cosmetics, toilet waters, detergents, soaps, and polishes. A main source of perfumes is the essential oils extracted from parts of plants, e.g., the flowers of the rose, the leaves of lavender, cinnamon from bark, and pine from wood. The development of synthetic perfumes began in the 19th century. There are now a number of synthetic chemicals with flowerlike fragrances.