The Fascinating Journey of Honey

The world’s oldest dessert, a mystical treasure hidden on the dusty shelves of history...

Symbolically, honey; It represents sweet life, prosperity, and even immortality in some cultures. The word itself comes from the ancient Hebrew word meaning to enchant. Although honey bees appeared on earth about 20 million years ago, humanity’s experience with honey began 7000 years ago, in the Stone Age, when they collected and ate honey (if we refer to the cave paintings in Valencia, Spain). When humans and bees came together, a win-win situation of sorts emerged: The bees had a safe place to live (and a reliable food source) – and incredibly impressive amounts of honey and beeswax were harvested.

This golden nectar, which woke up with humanity on the first morning of time, was the immortal food of Egyptian pharaohs in their tombs, the ambrosia of Greek mythology and the favorite of Roman feasts. The story of this unexpected miracle went beyond luxury and divine gifts. The Egyptians cared so much about bees that the title of “Beekeeper” was recorded as one of the leading duties of the kingdom, and honey began to be used not only as a sweet treat but also as a commercial currency, and you will not be surprised; Honey was believed to be a gift from the gods.

In Greek mythology, honey is identified with divine ambrosia and is considered the immortal nectar of Olympus. We also see that in ancient culture, the power of honey seeped into philosophical texts. Ancient Greek doctors and philosophers, especially Hippocrates and Aristotle, wrote about the healing properties of honey. It is considered one of the foundations of modern medicine and is among the first documents describing the health effects of honey.

By the Roman Empire, honey had already become a symbol of luxury and wealth. Honey and bee products were prestigious products frequently used on imperial tables. Beekeeping had become part of Roman craftsmanship and agriculture; This was an indication of how honey played an important economic and cultural role in early history. During this period, bees were generally raised in natural environments, tree holes or artificial “bee houses”. Harvesting honey was seen as a process that respected the natural cycle of bees, and in a sense, it formed the basis of modern sustainable beekeeping.

Naturally, this unique journey of honey has strengthened its place in human history. From ancient times to the present, honey has gone beyond being just a food item and has found a place in many areas of human life such as medicine, art, religion and economy, and of course, it has become an important essence in cosmetics and fragrance production.

However, it is worth mentioning one difference; unlike its old usage, the honey that stands out today is generally a synthetic note; a note that has been carefully dripped onto many fragrances over the last
few decades... Rich, warm, luxurious and comforting, honey works wonderfully to accentuate floral notes or add touches of amber. And thanks to the abundance of gourmet scents, honey lovers can easily find themselves in sweet heaven.

We love what Christine Nagel says about this ingredient: “Honey has two aspects; half devil, half angel. Ambrée has a sweet, relaxing effect that takes you back to your childhood. But a little touch of a feminine structure can be extremely sexy...” Therefore, the richness and depth of honey make it a valuable ingredient in the world of fragrance. One of the most important uses of honey in modern perfumery can be traced back to the launch of Jo Malone’s ‘Nectarine Blossom & Honey’ in the early 2000s. Still one of our favorites...

Based on the trend of adding honey, Guerlain reintroduced honey to its product range with the creation of ‘Aqua Allegoria Flora Nymphea’. With this scent, honey demonstrated its ability to enhance delicate notes, offering a sweet, floral scent that was unmistakably sophisticated. We can present Tom Ford’s ‘Tobacco Vanille’ as another excellent example of how honey can transform a scent. Part of Ford’s Private Blend collection, introduced in 2007, this bold scent uses honey to soften strong notes of tobacco leaf and spices, adding a touch of sweetness that makes the scent irresistibly smooth and rich. In 2011, Hermès launched ‘Eau des Merveilles Au Bal des Étoiles’, a limited edition fragrance that exemplifies the innovative use of honey. This scent elegantly weaves honey into a woody-amber framework, demonstrating how honey’s rich, syrupy quality can enhance and balance the volatile components of a scent, giving it a longer- lasting, more evocative trail.

Then...Honey’s newer and an innovative use of it appeared in Marc Jacobs’s ‘Honey’. Released in 2013, this perfume was paired with pear, tangerine and orange blossom to create a vibrant, energetic scent that captures the lighter side of honey. ‘Le Parfum Royal’, introduced by Elie Saab in 2019, was a magnificent interpretation of the use of honey in fragrance. Here honey served to enhance a bouquet of roses and amber, with an almost velvety layer...

Before going to conclusion, we would like to mention a few technical uses.

In 2011, Hermès launched ‘Eau des Merveilles Au Bal des Étoiles’, a limited edition fragrance that exemplifies the innovative use of honey. This scent elegantly weaved honey into a woody-amber framework, demonstrating how the rich, syrupy quality of honey can enhance and balance the volatile components of a scent, giving it a longer-lasting, more evocative trail.

On the other hand, L’Occitane en Provence, known for its commitment to natural ingredients, launched ‘Miel & Mandarine’ as part of its ambiance collection. The inclusion of honey in this scent highlighted another aspect of innovation: by pairing honey with citrus to create a bright yet rich olfactory experience, proving that honey can transcend traditional sweet, floral pairings to add depth and warmth to fresher, more savory notes.

Looking to the future, significant advances are undoubtedly expected in the use of honey in cosmetics. With the development of sustainable and ethical production methods, products containing honey will become even more popular.

Additionally, thanks to the development of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, new formulations that maximize the benefits of honey can be discovered. This will enable more effective and diverse uses of honey at both the industrial and consumer levels. We encourage you, our readers, to experience the benefits of this natural miracle by experiencing honey-based products.