If you are like me, the first thing you do is stick your nose into a book and sniff. There is just something about the scent of a book (old or new) that is fabulous. Matija Strlic, lead scientist of a study published in the journal Heritage Science, described the smell of an old book as: "A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness, this unmistakable smell is as much a part of the book as its contents." As a book ages, the chemical compounds used—the glue, the paper, the ink–begin to break down. For instance, as the cellulose in paper decomposes, it emits Furfural, which most people perceive as a sweet, almond-like fragrance. Lignin, present in the cell walls of trees (and therefore in all wood-based paper), emits Benzaldehyde and Vanillin, which impart a faint vanilla aroma. The decomposition of paper can produce such compounds as Toluene, which can smell sweet or pungent. Hexanal, also from the disintegration of cellulose and lignin in paper, can give books an earthy, musty, “old room” smell, which could be exacerbated by mold from environmental exposure. A common smell of old books, says the International League for Antiquarian Booksellers, is a hint of vanilla: “Lignin, which is present in all wood-based paper, is closely related to vanillin. As it breaks down, the lignin grants old books that faint vanilla scent.”
Some of these fragrances will transport you to old libraries. So many scents swirling around - first of all the old books (a combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness), new books (ink, paper, leather, glue), papers, leather, binding glue, wood shelving, paneling, flooring, tables, chairs, etc. Some words used to describe old libraries are: woody, smoky, earthy, musty, dusty, sweet and vanillic.
She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust, leather, binding glue, and old paper, one book carrying the smell of hundreds. - Author: Shannon Hale
There is something about libraries, old libraries, that makes them seem almost sacred. There's a smell of paper and must and binding stuff. It's like all the books are fighting against decay, against turning into dust, and at the same time fighting for attention. - Author: Carrie Jones
These fragrances will give you a great opportunity to try a variety of "Old Book and Old Library" smelling fragrances.
You will receive a 1/2ml sample (1ml sample vial filled half full) of each of the fragrances in this sampler.
- The Little Book Eater Old Books Perfume Oil - The only thing better than new books is - old books! With the layered fragrances of spicy ginger snap, warm walnut cream, and rich, sweet maple sugar. This comfy cozy perfume oil transports you to a classic library, flipping through the pages of ancient tomes.
- Calyx Ancient Library of Alexandria Perfume Oil - In the heart of the ancient Library of Alexandria, the air held secrets of ages past, each telling a different tale of history. Upon entering, the first olfactory embrace came from the many shelves, their warm, woody aroma a testament to centuries of care and preservation. This scent intertwined with the subtle mustiness of aged papyrus and the sweet, lingering essence of ink that had been absorbed into the fibers of countless scrolls. On particularly warm days, the aroma of sun-warmed stone from the grand pillars and walls became more pronounced, adding an earthy dimension to the aromatic tapestry. The uplifting fragrance of lotus blossoms and herbs wafted gently through the arches, carried on a fresh Mediterranean breeze. With notes of aged papyrus, carbon black ink, fragrant lotus, baked earth and warm marble, subtle hints of smoke and spice. This is a sweet, earthy, dry, woody, floral, slightly smoky and spicy fragrance.
- The Little Book Eater Old World Library Perfume Oil - Inspired by magnificent and mysterious old world libraries. Made with the scents of bourbon vanilla, mahogany, cashmere, amber, and sandalwood. Sophisticated, smoky, and vintage. Reminiscent of towering wooden shelves, dusty manuscripts, bound volumes from another era.
- Poesie Bookish Perfume Oil - Like curling up with a first edition of your favorite book. The slightly sweet smell of aged pages and leathery covers. Great for layering or enjoying on its own.
- Arcana Wildcraft Haunted Forest EDP - A dark academia atmospheric with coniferous notes. A journey in olfactory form, this is the essence of discovering a darkly magical grimoire in a forest of coniferous trees. You enter the Great Forest on a sunny day, but the trees are so tall and dense that you're plunged into near-twilight. Initially your nose encounters a blast of cool, crisp fir balsam and black spruce needles. As you walk further, downed trees covered in moss greet you. A tiny creature beckons from behind a fallen log, indicating a particular patch and insisting, "Here!" He disappears and you search, only to discover an ancient book of spells moldering under the dead leaves. The odor of the book hits your nose: vanilla, parchment paper, and mildew. You open its crumbling pages, eager to read, and... what's this? The unmistakable scent of enchanted ink.
- Nui Cobalt Bibliophilia: Love of Books Perfume Oil - The vanillic scent of aging paper, the tang of fresh ink, venerable bookshelves of oak and mahogany, a sweet trace of pipe tobacco and an undercurrent of faded leather.
- Eldritch Whispers Ex Altiora EDP - Crack open a strange leather bound book full of woodcuts detailing a starless sky and the encroaching dread of a village. The smell of its old pages and ozone is sure to have heads spinning with vertigo. Inspired by The Magnus Archives. A dreadful blend of ozone, old paper and worn leather.
