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.”
These fragrances will give you a great opportunity to try a variety of "Old Book" smelling fragrances.
You will receive a 1/2ml sample (1ml sample vial filled half full) of each of the fragrances in this sampler.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Little Book Eater Old Books Perfume Oil - The only thing better than new books is - - old books! With the layered fragrances of spicy gingersnap, 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.
- 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. It was inspired by The Magnus Archives. It is a dreadful blend of ozone, old paper and worn leather.
- Simons Nest Woodland Fables Perfume Oil - It celebrates a love for old bound books, ancient forest adventures and cozy afternoons spent baking. So comforting, just like reading a stack of your favorite books in the ancient forest. This fragrance is unisex and leans green and woodsy with library notes and a smoky woodsy base. With top notes of cedarwood, leather book bindings and polished mahogany wood; middle notes of pages from old books, smoked vetiver and turmeric spice; and base notes of sandalwood, aged patchouli and rich benzoin.
