Title: 8 Ways People Made Themselves Smell Good Before Deodorant | Mental Floss
Headings: 8 Ways People Made Themselves Smell Good Before Deodorant
8 Ways People Made Themselves Smell Good Before Deodorant
1. Ostrich eggs
2. Porridge balls
3. Carob
4. Scented olive oil
5. Perfume baths
6. Ambergris
7. Musk
8. Carbolic acid
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Content: To achieve the desired aroma—sweet, earthy, and sensual—the gland must be harvested and left to dry. The substance was such a popular perfume ingredient for centuries that musk deer were placed on the endangered species list in the '70s. Today, perfumes with a “musky” scent use synthetic ingredients. 8. Carbolic acid
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, cosmetics brands realized they could make money by telling women they stink. Human body odor was actually less pungent for most of history than it is now (according to a recent study, using antiperspirants consistently could make sweat smell worse ), but insecure consumers were convinced it was a problem. The deodorant used 100 years ago was different from the product most people are familiar with today. It contained acid that could damage skin and clothing; one home recipe from 1903 included carbolic acid, which burns on contact with the skin. Health History News
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