Since perfumes and fragrances had been so integral to our childhood, we all grew up with the sense that having your signature scent was a rite of passage. How could you not know what you wanted to smell like? To us it was another part of our personality. I can recall exactly what scent I have worn at different stages of my life. These days my scent is white woody and floral. Most of my favorite people also have scents associated with them; my mom with her intense citrus scents, my dad with his intense musky ones, my friends who squirt on their fruity body sprays just before heading out of the house, even my husband and child who smell like nothing because they have eczema and use no fragrances. It is only natural that I would want to learn more about how these perfumes come to be created, if only to figure out what my next signature scent should be. This time I am taking you along with me as we talk books about perfumery. Our sense of smell and the scents that surround us are such an innate part of our living experience that we often forget to take a moment to “smell the roses.” Maybe after making your way through this list, you’ll realize just how precious those roses can be. If you still can’t get enough after reading these books about perfumery, check out this list about books featuring fragrances as a character.
