Eau de cologne: history and our days

Cologne has a rather complicated story - it was invented by the Italian Giovanni-Maria Farina, it was produced in the German city of Cologne, and it is called in French. But there is an explanation for this fact. It turns out that Giovanni-Maria Farina in his young years went to foreign lands in search of happiness and by fate decided to go to Cologne, where he became a seller in a shop. Among other things in a modest shop there were also spirits, which prompted Farin to create a new "fragrant water" in composition, which he called "Cologne water" in honor of the city, and it was in 1709.

Initially, the novelty was known only to the inhabitants of Cologne, but in 1756 in Europe, the Seven Years War began and French soldiers who passed through the city, bought the water in huge quantities. For a man who was in military conditions, but who loved cleanliness, the cologne was very useful. Other war participants learned about this invention from the French soldiers - Englishmen, Swedes, Prusaks, Russians ... So, thanks to the French, Cologne water went to Europe, and then all over the world. Cologne in French is pronounced "Colon". In the Russian language the word "colony" was first of a feminine gender.

The first cologne, which appeared in the XVIII century, was more a means of hygiene, even medicinal, and not aesthetic. It was widely used in medicine, impregnated with cologne sugar, disinfected the oral cavity, it was added to bathing water and wine. Even the instruction was applied to a bottle of eau-de-cologne, which recommended to young people to dilute with water or wine twenty or thirty drops of cologne, and the elderly - up to sixty drops and take from headaches and heart palpitations.

The subject of luxury cologne, which began to blend floral notes, is only in the second half of the twentieth century. "Cologne water" produced a real revolution in perfumery. The recipe offered by Jean-Marie Farina was made from grape alcohol with the addition of bergamot, citron, rosemary, Malabar cardamom and orange, he remained a mystery for a long time and was inherited. But gradually other factories have established the production of cologne based on grape alcohol and essential oils. Interestingly, in ancient Egypt, the woman-pharaoh Hatshepsut used a liquid that included bergamot, incense and alcohol.

In Russia, the mass production of cologne began in the years of Soviet power. At that time, cologne was not particularly cared for about the observance of the technology of production, but Soviet men willingly used domestic brands of cologne. Such legendary brands as Cypher cologne, Triple or Ogen cologne, are produced by domestic perfumery till now.

Triple cologne, from which the Russian perfume production began, stood at that time in every hairdresser on the nightstand and in the first-aid kit of every mistress. The smell was a little harsh, some kind of hooliganism. Cologne water became a Triple cologne thanks to Napoleon, who in 1810 ordered the development of a disinfectant for soldiers with a threefold protection. It should have a curative and hygienic effect, and also it is good to refresh. And such a tool was invented - it was the Triple Cologne, which even a hundred years later at the exhibition in Paris receives the Grand Prix.

Another popular cologne, produced by domestic perfumers, was consonant with the French version of the pronunciation of the name of the island of Cyprus. If you believe the legend, the creators of "Shipra" visited the island and were delighted with the smells of exotic plants that grew there, in particular, sandalwood. It was decided to perpetuate these aromas in the cologne, which immediately became part of the colognes of the group "Extra" - this is GOST 1971.