One use of fragrances that always fascinated me is the scented handkerchief. Nowadays, no one has a handkerchief, so you never see them.
In ancient Greece, bathing wasn’t very common at the time as it was believed it would soften the skin and increase the chances of catching diseases. The wealthy would cover their nose and mouth with perfumed cotton handkerchiefs to mask the smell.
The scent of perfume was also thought to ward off disease. You may have also seen doctors in old movies wearing raven shaped masks. Doctors would wear them throughout the plague, with the curved beaks would contain a sweet-smelling substance to ward off the disease.
It’s fascinating how far we have come with disease prevention as well as perfume being on the beauty counter rather than the pharmacy counter!