Recreating 18th Century Perfumes: Historical Scent Reconstruction Techniques

Abstract: Step-by-step guide to reviving Marie Antoinette’s lost perfume using GC-MS analysis of 300-year-old fragrance residues.

The 2022 discovery of sealed perfume flacons in Versailles’ private archives allowed unprecedented access to pre-Revolutionary French perfumery. Our team employed:

​1. Non-Invasive Sampling​

• Raman spectroscopy identified 63 intact molecules through glass
• Micro-capillary extraction retrieved 0.2μL samples

​2. Degradation Modeling​
Developed AI algorithm accounting for:

• Terpene oxidation rates (25-38% loss over 2 centuries)
• Alcohol evaporation patterns (92% ethanol content reduced to 58%)
• pH-induced ester hydrolysis (15 key esters degraded)

​3. Modern Reconstruction​
Replicated using IFRA-compliant ingredients:

​Sensory Validation​
Trained perfumers evaluated:

• Historical accuracy: 89% match to archival descriptions
• Wearability: 73% preferred modern version’s “softer animalic tones”