Some French scientists have recreated in the laboratory the original perfume used by ancient Egyptian Pharaohs to improve their love lives. The French researcher, Sandrine Videault has worked for years trying to recreate the mythical aroma, and has managed to complete this task only with the help of the Greek historian Plutarco, who wrote that Kyphi was able to “help sleep and promote pleasant dreams, relax and brush away everyday worries, giving a sense of peace.
Among the numerous ingredients used pistachio, mint, cinnamon, incense, juniper and myrrh are included. The faithful reproduction of the fragrance was a long and difficult task, due to the presence of numerous recipes, all different, some with only 10 ingredients, others with more than 50. According to historical documents the fragrance, unlike its modern imitators, does not have an alcohol base, and was applied by the Ancient Egyptians to their hair and  intimate parts, to improve their sexual pleasure.

A Kyphi recipe has been reconstructed by studying ancient documents, and contains 16 ingredients. A very patient research job was needed starting from the inscriptions that describe its preparation found in the temples of Edfou (from the so-called  "Laboratory Chamber" situated in the central corridor of the temple) and from a recipe taken from Plutarco’s "Iside and Osiride".
He writes: "Kyphi is a perfume composed of 16 ingredients: honey, wine, raisins, cypress, resin, myrrh, rosewood; bitumen, fragrant rush, patience, juniper, cardamom and aromatic quill is added".