What is Perfume?
[[File:Flickr - ParisSharing - Guerlain, merchandising.jpg|thumb|right|A perfume advert]] '''Perfume''' is a [[liquid]] that gives [[wikt:people|people]], things and rooms a good smell. It is made of [[oil]]s which give off [[scent]] to the surrounding air.<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfume Merriam-webster.com]</ref> The odoriferous compounds that make up a perfume can be manufactured synthetically or extracted from plant or animal sources. Perfumes were used in the earliest human civilizations. Modern perfumery began in the late 19th century with the commercial [[synthesis]] of aroma compounds such as [[vanillin]] or [[coumarin]]. The [[Chemical compound|artificial compounds]] gave a wider ranger of scents than natural materials. Perfume smells more when [[temperature]] is warmer. So people put it on the [[neck]], [[wrist]] and back of the [[knee]], because these parts are warmer. [[Eau de Cologne]] is a type of perfume which can be splashed on the body. It is not so concentrated as the usual perfumes. == Sources == === Plants === Today, most common essential oils, such as [[lavender]], [[peppermint]], and [[eucalyptus]], are [[Distillation|distilled]]. Raw plant material, the [[flower]]s, [[leaf|leaves]], [[wood]], [[bark]], [[root]]s, [[seed]]s, or [[peel]], is put into a distillation apparatus over water. As the water is heated, the steam passes through the plant material collecting the scents. The steam flow through a coil, where it is condensing back to liquid, which is then collected. Most [[citrus]] peel oils are cold pressed, like [[olive oil]] production. Citrus-fruit oils are cheaper than most other essential oils. Lemon or sweet orange oils got as [[by-product]]s of the [[citrus]] industry are even cheaper. ===Animal sources=== [[File:Ambergris.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ambergris]]]] *'''[[Ambergris]]''': lumps of fatty compounds, secreted and expelled by the [[sperm whale]]. Because the harvesting of ambergris causes no harm to the whales, collecting it is not controversial. *'