26Civet Cat
Many perfumes use the secretions from the anal glands of an animal called the civet cat to give them a ‘musky’ odor.
27. The Black Plague in the 13th century was thought to be contagious through the air because of the bad stench it made, so incense and perfumes were used to “cure” it.
28. The most expensive bottle of perfume ever sold (as of Feb 2021) was a container of DKNY Golden Delicious perfume. It was put up for sale for $1 million in 2011. Its bottle was set with tourmalines, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds.
29. Silphium was an extremely popular plant that was used as a spice, perfume, and medicine in classical antiquity. Its high demand resulted in it being harvested to extinction and thus nobody has known its taste or smell for millennia.
30. In the world of perfumery, people who craft scents are known as “noses.” One of the most famous noses of the 20th century was Jean Carles who created many of the most famous perfumes of the century. Since his nose was so important, it is said that he had it insured for $1 million.
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31Flame Body Spray
In 2008, Burger King launched its own Flame body spray that offered to bring the scent of flame-grilled meat to the perfume world.
32. Beaver’s butts secrete a substance called castoreum, which the animals use to mark their territory. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists castoreum as “generally regarded as safe” additive, and manufacturers have been using it extensively in perfumes and foods for at least 80 years.
33. Eau de Titan is a perfume made by ‘The Eden Project’ from titan arum which is the world’s smelliest flower. The flower smells like a corpse and the perfume is marketed towards men who want to take their scent to a “bold and completely new direction”.
34. There is a perfume intended for cows that makes them smell like humans, thereby luring mosquitoes to bite them instead of us.
35. Perfumes and cologne with citrus and floral scents expire sooner than those with heavier, woody scents.
