Make-up and Fragrances
A functional symbiosis between cosmetics and perfumery
In alabaster jars and coloured glass vessels, the ancient Egyptians stored scented ointments and oils that they applied to their bodies.
Roman powders and creams were infused with aromatic essences.
The relationship between cosmetics and perfumery can therefore be traced back to ancient times, forming a complete and functional synergy.
Within this symbiotic relationship, skin decoration and care met the sensory and emotional sphere, stimulated by natural fragrances. Today, perfumery continues to extend its reach into cosmetics, while make-up brands enrich their formulas with olfactory notes inspired by trends in the fragrance world.
Daily moisturising thus becomes a true sensory ritual through scented creams and oils, while fragrances evoke the comforting, clean scents of face powders, talcum powder and natural soaps. This stimulating combination transforms self-care into a gratifying, all-encompassing experience of beauty. It is no coincidence that perfume and fashion brands now offer their own make-up and skincare lines, extending their brand identity across the entire cosmetics market.
Make-up trends and inspirations
But what are the latest make-up trends being enriched by an olfactory dimension? According to Roberto Basilone, Artistic Director of Nee Make Up Milano, today’s landscape is fluid, directly reflecting cultural and social change.
Digital technology has accelerated everything: inspirations emerge and evolve in real time, blending styles, eras and identities. One of the most significant changes, however, has been the shift from an ideal of perfection towards a concept of authenticity. Skin, for example, is no longer masked but enhanced: natural textures, luminous glow and hybrid products combining skincare and make-up have taken centre stage.
At the same time, two apparently opposing yet complementary souls coexist. On the one hand, sophisticated minimalism, defined by essential gestures, neutral shades and harmony. On the other, a decisive return to creative expression: vibrant colours, graphic eyeliner and bold details that convey personality and freedom.
This duality can also be found in perfumery, where bold, sensual olfactory notes alternate with comforting, soft fragrances, embracing and following contemporary tastes, but above all personal inspiration. The expression and enhancement of personality are precisely what characterise both perfumery and make-up: both are
free tools at the service of those who wear them.
Personality and authenticity
Today’s inclusive and fluid approach to make-up
offers infinite possibilities for self-expression, allowing every trend to be reinterpreted with authenticity.
Identity is expressed through lines and colours on the skin, while a trail of perfume communicates one’s presence in harmonious accord. It is precisely this sincere representation of personality and mood that lies at the heart of the relationship between perfumery and decorative cosmetics. Two creative and deeply evocative arts, capable of reinforcing an image or recalling a sensation through the visual and olfactory stimuli they create.
Colours, nuances and material tones have always found a counterpart in our perception of scent. On the one hand, cosmetic ingredients naturally possess distinctive smells; on the other, colours are instinctively associated with fragrant notes. This is the phenomenon of synaesthesia: a sensory or cognitive overlap between smell and sight, whereby sharp, powerful scents are associated with intense, vibrant colours, while muted and delicate shades evoke sweet, soft fragrances.
Make-up and perfume
The synergistic relationship between make-up and perfume can also be found in the professional experiences of creatives working in these two areas of self-care. This is the case of Silvia Martinelli, co-founder and perfumer of Giardini di Toscana, who began her career as a make-up artist.
I have had the pleasure and honour of doing make-up for many women, often at important moments in their lives. I gathered their emotions in order to make them even more visible, studying their expressive features to enhance them.
It was there that I recognised the relationship between the colour I applied to their faces and the fragrance I perceived, which I would rediscover in the chromatic tones of the beauty I was bringing to light. I therefore see a continuity between make-up and perfume, an intense relationship that gives value and beauty to each individual personality.
Silvia has gathered her experience in a manual that has recently been republished.
For years I have devoted myself exclusively to creating perfumes. Nevertheless, I wanted to revisit and update this collection of suggestions, techniques and information about make-up precisely to emphasise the relationship between these two aspects of beauty.
Make-up and perfume accompany women from adolescence to maturity, from the discovery of their femininity to the affirmation of their uniqueness. For this reason, I believe this contribution can still be a useful tool for making conscious and imaginative use of everything that is available today in the service of beauty, while affirming one’s own uniqueness.
