Papier d'Arménie
It is well known that the French have a good nose, and when it comes to smells, there is no one who can beat them. Since the 14th century, they have been unwavering leaders in the perfume industry, and if we think of cheese, chocolate and wine, we can only reaffirm this idea. With the Papier d'Arménie, the same.
At the end of the 19th century, at the height of the Ottoman Empire, a certain Auguste Ponsot travelled to Armenia. There he discovered that the inhabitants of Armenia used to scent and disinfect their houses by burning a natural resin called benzoinand decided to share this good practice with his French compatriots.
His partner and pharmacist, Henri RivierHe discovered that by dissolving benzoin in 90% of alcohol, its odour persisted. He then added various flavourings to the solution until unique formulations were obtained.
All that was left was to find the medium: the blotting paper absorbed the solution, retained the original benzoin aroma and combusted slowly, without flame. Success was not long in coming, until the Papier d'Arménie was crowned at the 1889 International Exhibition..
The benzoin is a substance appreciated for the sweet and vanilla notes that emanate from its combustion, and in the East it has been used for centuries to treat asthma and coughs, as a digestive, soothing, healing and antiseptic. But its best known properties are spiritual, as it drives away negative energies and bad thoughts. It is used in Malaysia during the inaugural ceremonies of rice cultivation, and in India it is believed to be the sacred aroma of the goddess Shiva.
With a neat retro aesthetic, an unmistakable aroma and an environmentally friendly production process based on a "secret" formula that has been produced in the same Parisian laboratory in Montrouge since 1885, the Papier d'Arménie is an icon of French culture..
If you are fed up with incense cloying and you want to give your home an evocative aroma and très chic as long as you clear it of bad stuff, this is an excellent option.
