By Trisha Martill
The Ancient Greeks and Romans mastered the use of fragrance to disguise body odor and to make them more attractive. In Greece, the natural oils from eucalyptus, lavender and musk were applied in scented baths and body scrubs. The Roman patricians used fragrant cloths or leather bags hung around their neck to control the smell of body odor and rotting food from disturbing them in places with high-density populations. In the Coliseum, there were mechanisms to feed floral and citrus scents throughout the stands.

For women, floral, earthy and oriental spice scents are the most sought after on the market today. Men prefer their fragrance to merge musk, almond oil and spice. There is fierce opposition in the perfume industry. A lot of major clothing designers and cosmetics manufacturers create a new scent every few years. They develop, create and market the fragrance with a precise target audience in mind. For the younger consumers, they typically focus on fruity or sweet smells with a soft powdery base.

Women prefer floral aromas that settle into something warm, with amber, bergamot or patchouli at the base. Men's fragrance often uses mandarin, grapefruit or other citrus scents as top notes. They settle in to lavender, sage or nutmeg and finish with a musky or woody undertone. Master perfumers are hired to create scents for various couture houses and cosmetics companies using a variety of aromatics. They use scents as well as the chemical structure of individual components to create the product.

Aromatherapy uses the fragrance of aromatic plant extracts, essential oils and flower petals such as orchids, lavender and lily of the valley in bath salts and massage oils to calm the senses and help the body unwind. Shower gels and scrubs generally contain mint, eucalyptus and citrus to awaken the senses and revitalize the body. Essential oils are the liquid extracts from different types of trees, grass and plants. These oils vanish quickly when exposed to the air.

Most perfumes have a food equivalent. These are called notes. Scents that contain fruit notes are usually some type of berry such as strawberry, cranberry and black current. Almond, hazelnut and coffee are considered nutty notes. If you are considering giving the gift of fragrance, take into consideration the person's favorite foods. Do they like citrus or vanilla? Perhaps they are crazy about mocha. With the hundreds of scents available you are certain to find one that is perfect for them.
About the Author:
Find that perfect Fragrance for either you or a loved one and maintain that attraction through the sense of smell. Choose from a large variety available now from the MakeUp Direct site. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service