Perfumes are thousands of years old. They date back to Ancient Egypt. And the English word “perfume” comes from the Latin per fume, meaning “through smoke”. And , although, the oldest perfumes ever found were discovered in Cyprus by archeologists , perfumes were also found in India at the time.

One of the first common uses for glass, was to hold perfume. We can thank the Egyptians for this.

King Louis XV, in the 16th century, is responsible for perfuming everything from furniture to gloves, and other clothing. His court was known as “the perfume court”. This , of course, was prominent in the upper classes and the nobles at the time. I can tell you that on one of our visits to France , specifically to Versailles, we were informed by one of their very scholarly tour guides , that the use of perfumes was to masquerade the not so pleasant odor in the atmosphere from lack of hygiene. Those beautiful hankies that they constantly held up to their noses were not just for drama; they were there to serve a very distinct purpose.

Today, the perfume business is a multi billion dollar industry. And perfumes are not restricted only to the wealthy ; anyone can purchase a fragrance to wear that will make them feel special and attractive . It’s as though your perfume can secretly dominate those near you in a very seductive way. Here’s the thing , fragrances are not just for being worn by women and men everywhere . There are all sorts of inventive ways of perfuming your homes, offices, and even cars. There are fragrances and scents that can make you feel relaxed , others can conjure up feelings of romance or festivity and joy. Pick a feeling. Pick a time of the year. The choice is yours to be had.

Just as in King Louis XV reign. Having a favorite perfume gives you a sense of relevance to a certain degree. I have had a love affair with fragrance for as long as I can remember. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my mother and grandmothers always smelled so beautiful when ever they walked past me ,or gave me a hug. It was such a feminine and delicate way about them. I always admired them and wanted to emulate them. I also believe that it is a way of being considerate and thoughtful in wanting to smell beautiful for those that are near you. Don’t laugh but, at night when my husband and I go to bed and fall asleep , if I have to get up for any reason, I’ll spray myself with perfume just in case my husband turns over in his sleep and then he can inhale just a little bit of me. I suppose I’m inviting myself into his dreams without his knowing. How smart am I !

Fragrances evoke all kinds of memories. Dancing up close with someone special, going to a wedding or a party, sitting inside a car, walking into someones home or shop. Which brings me to my shop. The first thing anyone says when they walk in is “it smells beautiful in here”. And that is exactly what I want to hear. Then I point them to the direction of the many fragrant candles, sprays, diffusers, soaps, and cologne lines that we carry. It’s great fun to introduce them to lines that will make their surroundings so pleasant by just opening their door to a sense of smell. But I warn you, that it is addictive – in a good way.

I’m very particular with the kinds of fragrances that we carry. We have tried and experimented with many; and we like and insist on quality fragrances . They are a little more expensive than some products; but so worth it. One of the best products to use in any home is Lampe Bergere ; a French company since 1930 that has mastered the art of fragrancing through their catalytic lamp; which not only purifies the air but also eliminates disagreeable odors and offers unique scents to grace your home or office. Now they have also introduced candles , sprays , porcelain diffuser, car diffusers and gifts sets . This line is territory protected so we are the distributors in Coral Gables.

We also carry the Thymes Home and Body Collection , Aquiesse Candles , Hillhouse Fragrances for Home and Body. Zodax diffusers and Cadentia a French line of colognes and soaps that was featured in Victoria Magazine last month. . These fragrances also offer seasonal scents that are extremely popular and evocative of each season . There’s quite a bit to choose from today but we’ve narrowed it down to quality lines that we know you’ll be as happy with as we are. Come visit us or call us and we can ship these lines out to you immediately . The Rose Tree Cottage 305 448-9688 awaits your call or, better yet, a visit from you.