Perfume was first used by the ancient Egyptians as part of their religious rituals. The Greeks and the Romans refined its use, applying perfumed oils to the skin for either cosmetic or medicinal use. But it was within the Islamic world that perfume making, or perfumery, became commonplace. By the 16th century, western Europe too was beginning to smell good. Today, the global perfume market is worth a staggering US$38.8 billion. So, why is wearing an agreeable scent so popular?
Click through the following gallery and sniff out some amazing facts behind the art of perfumery.