Scent has been a major factor in human communication for thousands of years. Since the dawn of ancient civilizations, essential oil fragrances have been a key to our definition of self-perception, and self-expression as to our gender. The story of scent and gender roles is a fascinating journey of history that points to how society has perceived this, what social norms prevailed, and what personally appealed to man. So in this exploration, we take a look at how scents have historically been defined as masculine and feminine, that sense of smell about masculinity and femininity, and how it’s changed over time, and by looking at how these fragrances can play into your life today.
Origins of Scent and Gender: An Introduction
Ancient Civilizations: Fragrance is A Social Indicator
One of the things about scents was that they were related to deities, rituals, and the social hierarchies of many ancient civilizations. Men and women used fragrances for fun, as well as for signaling social status. For example, elite people wore scent profiles that were all complex, a profile made of rare essential oils, indicating wealth and sophistication.
The Rise of Gendered Scents
Fragrance became associated with different things about gender as societies evolved. Both in the 18th and 19th centuries, scents came to be more sharply differentiated by gender. All floral; rose, jasmine — feminine scents. Musky, woody, or spicy — masculine scents. It wasn’t just a matter of taste, but it was indicative of more general views of the masculine and the feminine.
In the 20th century, artificial fragrances helped reinforce these divisions. In line with their expected scent, women were encouraged to wear floral and sugary smells while men went for not blooming or sugary smells.
Cultural Perceptions: Essential Oils and Shaping Identity
Women and Fragrance
Women’s fragrances have a long history linked to beauty, romance, and domesticity. Women were supposed to wear soft and floral scents in order to complete their femininity and attractive appearance. These scents were marketed along the lines of traditional gender roles as they promoted the idea that a woman’s worth equates to her attractiveness and charm.
Lavender, ylang-ylang, and bergamot all became necessary in women’s fragrances and were often used to produce images of gentleness, and grace, or to charm away evil. For example, the scent of jasmine is linked with sensuality and romance and is a choice often chosen by women who want to improve their appeal.
Men and Fragrance
However, men’s fragrances have been a synonym for power, strength, and authority. Other woods such as sandalwood and cedar were marketed as woods with woods to men providing a sense of stability and ruggedness. This binary approach to scent shaped not only individual preferences but also how society understood and realized the male.
Notes of leather, tobacco, or spices would often be placed within ‘men’s’ fragrances, giving a less precious identity. Patchouli and vetiver essential oils, as well as other oils—also graced the men’s fragrances, filling them with an exotic tone that was also sophisticated.
Changing Attitudes: Gender Stereotypes Breakdown
Gender Fluidity and the Feminist Movement
The feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s challenged gender roles in general — and this included the marketing of and perception of fragrance. Women also started trying different scents, going well beyond floral scents to embrace much more intricate and provocative profiles. But this shift in attitude means that, instead, women found they could express their identity with fragrance, choosing the scents that suited them and not the societal expectations.
At the same time, masculinity also changed. Feeling the need to break down rigid borders, men began to explore floral and citrus-laden scents. Widely viewed as a sign of changing cultural attitudes, this diversity of fragrance choices was enabled by the fluidity of buyers between men and women.
The Rise of Unisex Fragrances
These days, even if they are still not mainstream, the fragrance industry has adopted unisex scents in reaction to cultural change. Instead of fitting into certain societal expectations, brands are starting to create essential oil blends that contain floral, citrus, and woody scents so people can choose their perfumes depending on their preferences.
Largely overlapping with this shift is the growing popularity of niche fragrance brands that are well known for breaking rules — these brands typically focus on unique scent profiles that don’t necessarily correspond to gender. The democratization of fragrance lets everyone embrace a more personalized ‘scent footprint’ and the complexities of modern life.
Essential Oils — the Personal Expression Role
Combining essential oil’s impressive fragrance profiles makes them a great choice for anyone’s personal taste. Versatile with the ability to blend together for unique combinations of personal taste! For instance, here’s a woman layering a fresh citrus essential oil over a warm earthy base note or a man choosing a floral-based blend similar to a shoot adventure.
Scent layering
Scent layering is very much a ‘thing’ these days — the fact that essential oils can combine and mix to make a scent distinctly you. Not only will you find out how to create a signature type of scent for yourself, but also how to blend various essential oils to create your very own unique scent that is based on your personality, experience, and mood. From wide and citrusy to deep too musky, the perfect scent is there for you during the day and all-night events.
HBNO and Essential Oils
Essential oils from brands like HBNO come in an array of high-quality essential oils that are suitable to many various scent preferences. Investigating what they have to offer helps you find essential oils that feel like your personal fragrance identity; whether you are drawn to the fresh bergamot or the warm, welcoming sandalwood.
Adding a few drops of essential oils to your daily routine can help you represent yourself and conform to the changing definition of what is man‘s scent and what is woman‘s scent. The most important thing of all is layering scents, making an essential oil blend or even just taking in the smell of the oils you love most.
Conclusion: Scent as Identity’s Reflection
Scent and the history of smell speak to how ingrained scented vernacular cultural perceptions and personal identity are. From the distinctly gendered fragrances of old to the unisex scents of today, there is no denying that fragrance through the decades has continued – and continues – to change.
These oils are essential to this journey: a way for people to show up authentically for themselves. No matter where we are in life’s journey right now, nothing can stop you from using the power of scent to express yourself!
With that in mind, you are drawn to floral notes to celebrate your femininity or bold, earthy notes that further your masculinity that is all about a choice of fragrance. Join HBNO and explore the world of essential oils and find the scents that are you. You’re not just wearing a fragrance but embodying your individuality, however, charged — yes idiosyncratic — and embracing the legacy of scent as it has been recalibrated to reflect the contours of our conceptions of masculinity.
