Learn the basics of historical perfumery at your own pace, in the comfort of your own kitchen/still room/whatever place you prefer.

We have currently 12 fragrances posted, each with step by step instructions. I cover not only the fragrance itself, but also details on preparation of compound ingredients needed to recreate it. And we have also our first beauty care recipe!

This is the list of the current fragrances:

#1 Telinon – a fenugreek oil made according to Pedanius Diocorides recipe.

#2 Krocinon – a saffron oil made according to Pedanius Diocorides recipe.

#3 Linden perfume– a fragrant oil from Mochlos, Crete, ~1500 BCE.

#4 Perfumed powder for rubbing body before bath – from 9th century India, made according to recipe from ‘Haramekhala’ by Mahuka.

#5 Perfumed water from 16th century Venice – made according to recipe from ‘Notandissimi secreti de l’arte profumatoria’ by Giovanventura Rossetti, 1555 edition.

#6 Incense shaped like small birds – from recipe included in ‘’I secreti de la signora Isabella Cortese: ne’qvali si contengono cose minerali, medicinali, arteficiose, & alchimiche, & molte de l’arte profumatoria, appartenenti a ogni gran signora : con altri bellissimi secreti aggiunti’’ by Isabella Cortese, 1565 edition.

#7 Imperial Courtyard Incense – from Song Dynasty China, made according to recipe from Chen’s ‘Fragrances.’

#8 Perfect Royal Oil – made from recipe included in ‘’I secreti de la signora Isabella Cortese : ne’qvali si contengono cose minerali, medicinali, arteficiose, & alchimiche, & molte de l’arte profumatoria, appartenenti a ogni gran signora : con altri bellissimi secreti aggiunti’’ by Isabella Cortese, 1665 edition.

#9 Rhodides – spicy rose petal beads made according to Pedanius Diocorides recipe (translation by Lily Beck).

#10 Incense for moist method of scenting clothes – redacted from recipe by Wang Tao, Tang Dynasty China.

#11  “Celestial being” kneaded incense – recipe #5 from ‘Secret Recipes for Blending Fragrances’ text from Yōmei Bunko collection.

#12 “New Pillow” kneaded incense – recipe # 45 from ‘Secret Recipes for Blending Fragrances’ text from Yōmei Bunko collection.

Beauty care recipes

#1 Face treatment – Goji berry night mask from Imperial Grace Formulary (982), a Chinese materia medica text which was a staple at the Goryeo court.

Come and join us! Brag about your creations! We love pictures!

I let the members of the group decide what fragrances are desired next. I post surveys on regular basis, and the fragrance with most votes is the next one to be redacted.

This is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807436473052978