Eau de Cologne: From Miracle Cure to Emperor’s Perfume

Medicinal Origins: Hungary Water

The Queen of Hungary Water, dating from 1370, is one of the first alcoholic preparations that highlighted its medicinal virtues; at that time, these potions cured miasmas and were drunk. Hygiene conditions were far from excellent, and consequently, this kind of product was a sort of miracle water, a scented water that also possessed a pleasant smell.

This distillate or spirit was based on rosemary, sage, and marjoram associated with cedar and lemon balm.

This Hungary Water was a precious medicine that was drunk and also rubbed onto the body for internal and external purification.

The Renaissance and the Court of Versailles

The art of perfume prospered during the Renaissance period, notably thanks to the personal perfumer of Catherine de Medici (1519-1589), René the Florentine. Louis XIV (1643-1715), the most perfumed king in history, preferred rubbing his body with perfumed towels rather than taking a bath.

He had the will to promote French perfumery; it was under his reign that glove makers received the authorization to proclaim themselves perfumers. Under the reign of Louis XV (1710-1774), the Court of Versailles was nicknamed the “Perfumed Court,” and Eau de Cologne made its appearance.

The Birth of Eau de Cologne

It is a story that began three centuries ago and started at Santa Maria Maggiore, in Lombardy, north of Milan. A young Italian, Paolo Feminis, invented the recipe for Aqua Mirabilis in 1695, perhaps inspired by the citrus accord of the nuns of the convent of Santa Maria Novella, the Acqua di Regina. He allegedly transmitted his recipe to his nephew Jean Antoine Farina, who had settled in Cologne in 1709.

But another version given by Roger & Gallet tells that Giovanni Paolo Feminis invented it without being inspired by Acqua di Regina. Or even, that he was inspired by a recipe entrusted by an English officer returning from the Indies; he transmitted his recipe in 1734 to his son-in-law Jean Antoine Farina. In short, the history of this Eau de Cologne is complex and confusing, and the legend continues to make its way.

Today, the original Eau de Cologne is still produced by the eighth generation of Farina’s descendants in Cologne; it is said that he kept his Eau de Cologne in cedar wood barrels.

Global Success and Imitations

One hundred years after the creation of Eau de Cologne, this composition found itself in competition with countless imitations that the family managed to have banned after long lawsuits. Nevertheless, legal proceedings lasted nearly 80 years, resulting in the generalization of the term Eau de Cologne.

The success was incredible, and other firms were to launch into manufacturing. Another famous Eau de Cologne, dating from 1792, is notably still sold today: the No. 4711 by Muelhens, named after the number of the street in Cologne where it was manufactured in the 18th century.

Eau de Cologne as Medicine

Eau de Cologne was primarily a medicine, a sort of miracle cure. Originally, the beneficial character of Eau de Cologne was such that a small leaflet indicating the uses and effects of this miraculous water was attached to each bottle sold.

• Young people could swallow 20 to 30 perfumed drops of this Eau de Cologne, mixed with water or spirit of wine.
• Older people could swallow 50 to 60 drops to slow down a too-rapid heart rate.
• It was also indicated that Eau de Cologne cured headaches when breathing in this fragrance for a few minutes.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s Passion

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), a fanatic of this Eau de Cologne, would slip a very long and thin bottle of it into his boots before leaving for a campaign. It is said that he consumed an average of 43 liters of Eau de Cologne per month. Very sensitive to smells, he appreciated its scents to perfume his apartments and his horse.

The Emperor consumed it without moderation; it is claimed that he drank a few drops before each battle to give himself energy. Later, he was led to publish a decree requiring the disclosure of formulas for all ingested medicines. As this decree prejudiced the secrecy of the formula, it was then prescribed for external use and became the product we know today.

Guerlain’s Eau de Cologne Impériale

Born in 1798 in Abbeville, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain began as a merchant clerk at Maison Briard, which manufactured and sold perfumes. Very quickly, he was hired by Maison Dissey and Piver, where he integrated the fundamental notions of perfume creation. He settled in Paris in 1828, at 42 rue de Rivoli.

While the majority of products were imported from England at the beginning, he quickly launched into the creation of Eaux de Cologne and thermal preparations.

Empress Eugénie’s Remedy

Empress Eugénie suffered from horrible migraines; she asked Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain to create a bespoke Eau de Cologne for her with a lot of freshness but very calming. He did this with mastery, using an overdose of petitgrain, which is the essential oil of the essence of the orange tree leaf, neroli, and orange blossom with calming properties.

She used this Eau de Cologne Impériale for her personal use for a few years.

Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain asked for authorization to market it, which she accepted. On the occasion of this great olfactory success, he received from Napoleon III the title of Official Supplier to the Imperial Court. It is sold in the Bee Bottle, a superb bottle still sold today in their boutiques and points of sale around the world.

69 bees is a symbol of the Empire; 69 is the figure corresponding to the number of provinces at that time.

For Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain, this was the beginning of the fame that gave rise to a lineage of 5 generations of perfumers. Initially, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain tried to sell his perfumes in the department stores of the time, but being poorly received, he decided to create his own perfumeries. He also created many bespoke creations and only created Eaux de Cologne, as Eau de Toilette did not yet exist.

From Classic Cologne to Modern Eaux Fraîches

The traditional structure of Eau de Cologne consists of tonic top notes: bergamot, lemon, orange, neroli, petitgrain, mandarin, grapefruit, and sometimes some aromatics like verbena and orange blossom.

Eau de Cologne, with a concentration of 4 to 6%, is now supplemented with synthetic notes for better tenacity. True Eaux de Cologne like Eau de Cologne Impériale are made of 99% natural products, which is why this product has very little tenacity. In the same register, there is Eau du Coq and Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat by Guerlain.

The Advent of Eaux Fraîches

From the second half of the 20th century, Eaux de Cologne provided inspiration for Eaux Fraîches. The latter possess slightly chypre base notes (fragrant moss, patchouli) and woody notes (vetiver, cedar) and floral notes.

An addition of the famous hedione from Firmenich contributed to making the fresh notes last. These Eaux Fraîches thus become, through their more faceted construction, more tenacious and diffusive.

Modern Cologne

We then witnessed the arrival of ultra-modern, transparent, refreshing Eaux de Cologne with a musky sillage. CK One by Calvin Klein has the air of an Eau de Cologne added with its tonic accord of a very specific tea note borrowed from the Eau de Toilette of the fragrance Thé by Bulgari. This modern Eau de Cologne is for men or women, like all Eaux de Cologne.

We also have, in the same style, the superb Eau de Cologne by Thierry Mugler, the Dior Eaux de Cologne, Chanel’s La Cologne, and Cologne d’Allure Homme Sport. L’Eau by L’Artisan Parfumeur, Eau d’Orange Verte by Hermès, or very fresh fragrances like those in the Aqua Allégoria line by Guerlain are more Eaux Fraîches or Eaux de Toilette that have the tenacity of Eaux de Parfum.

At Guerlain, the Cologne du 68 (68 components are listed on its label) was a nod to the prestigious address on the Champs-Elysées, created in collaboration with Sophie Labbé from IFF.