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Perfumeáis a mixture ofáfragrantáessential oilsáoráaroma compoundsá(fragrances),áfixativesáandásolvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeableáscent.áPerfumes can be defined as substances that emit and diffuse a pleasant and fragrant odor. They consist of manmade mixtures of aromatic chemicals and essential oils. The 1939áNobel Laureateáfor Chemistry,áLeopold ástated in 1945 that "right from the earliest days of scientific chemistry up to the present time, perfumes have substantially contributed to the development ofáorganic chemistryáas regards methods, systematic classification, and theory.
Ancient texts and archaeological excavations show the use of perfumes in some of the earliest human civilizations. Modern perfumery began in the late 19th century with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds such asávanillináorácoumarin, which allowed for the composition of perfumes with smells previously unattainable solely from natural aromatics.