How can spices manage to enclose in such a potent way the intrigue and exotic mystery of their countries of origin? How is it that just a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves or cumin is enough to evoke far away lands, tastes, colours and odours which are at the same time familiar and arcane? Spices possess the magic power to transport us far away, to recreate in our imagination the atmosphere of “A thousand and one nights” of seduction. Spices have always been considered a luxury good, mainly used for cooking and for their medicinal virtues, they are known and appreciated since ancient times. Goods for barter, which were at one time more highly valued than gold, was one of the reasons for which merchants and explorers searched for new commercial routes around the world. The Egyptians used herbs and spices for embalming and for make-up; the Phoenicians re-sold them throughout the Mediterranean basin; for centuries the Arabs were the privileged intermediaries in exchanges with the Far East and Africa and the south of the Sahara and kept the secret of their origin so as to ensure their exclusivity. During the Renaissance Venice and Genoa became the main centres for the arrival of spices which then reached the whole of Europe.
 In the XV century the Portuguese discovered new routes to the Far East and thus opened the spice trade routes, the maritime passages which from Europe arrived in India and beyond, as far as the Spice Islands (Molucche). Mostly spices such as pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon arrived via these commercial routes. The discovery of the circumnavigation route around Africa and the founding of the East Indian Company totally removed the commercial monopoly of spices from the ports along the Mediterranean basin. The discovery of the New World also opened new frontiers: Cortes brought back vanilla and chocolate from Mexico and the Spanish planted ginger in their new colonies. Now it is India which is at the major world exporter of spices (mainly pepper, cardamom, ginger, cumin and curry) followed by Indonesia (pepper, nutmeg, cardamom), Brazil (pepper), Madagascar and Malaysia (pepper and ginger).
 However, spices haven’t accompanied the history of mankind only from a purely culinary or medical point of view: they have been used in cosmetics and perfumed ointments since the times of the ancient Egyptians. When considering perfumed compositions which can be found in the today’s Perfumery, spices add a decisive, warm and passionate character to powerful men’s and women’s fragrances. They can never be too dominating in a fragrance, when combined with flowers for example, where the spicy facet accentuates their charm and seductive charge with warming exuberance; they can brightly underline the ethnic touch of woods; highlight with their intensity the opulent, mysterious and embracing richness of oriental notes. There are certain spices which are more frequently used in women’s fragrances, such as cinnamon and pink pepper and others which are considered more “manly” such as cardamom, black pepper and coriander.
 These raw materials which have really come to the forefront in the last two years, can be found in many compositions. We can find the liveliness of Pink pepper in many women’s fragrances such as The Iceberg Fragrance, Elle by YSL, Fico di Amalfi Acqua di Parma, Fendi Palazzo and Moschino Funny. From the Cinnamon tree, with the highest quality coming from Ceylon, it is possible to use either the leaves which have a green odour, with a slightly metallic effect, such as in L by Lolita Lempicka or I love love by Moschino, or the dried bark, with woody touches, warmer and embracing, mysterious and sensual ( Feminitè du Bois by Shiseido, Rousse by S. Lutens, Black Orchid by Tom Ford). Cardamom, with its freshness spanning from shades of camphor to citrus, characterises a great classic like Declaration by Cartier. Coriander, aromatic and slightly rosé, is one of the components of Dior Homme. Black pepper brings decisive and mysterious tonalities ( Gucci by Guccy Man, Hilfiger Est. 1985, both launched in 2008), whilst ginger has a fresh, pungent and clean effect for fragrances such as Tokyo by Kenzo, Eau de Gingembre by Roger & Gallet or Five o’clock au Gingembre by S. Lutens. Cloves with their rich, leathery odour can be found in compositions such as L’air du temps by Nina Ricci and in Opium by YSL (1977, still today one of the most sold fragrances for women).
Extremely precious saffron, one of the most expensive natural raw materials, brings its warm notes which evoke hay and cocoa to Ungaro by Ungaro, Panamaby Borsalino and Magnifique by Lancôme. Nutmeg, with its tonic freshness reminds us of familiar places and at the same time gives us images of far away lands, appears in 1919 in the composition of a great women’s classic: Mitsouko by Guerlain; then in Equipage by Hermes, Kenzo Jungle, Arpège pour Homme by Lanvin and in Cacharel pour Homme, and also enflames the dynamic spirit of recent creations such as Le Parfum by Max Mara.
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