The Sweet Smell of Literature

There is just nothing like the enchanting smell of a book. Paper, ink and glue come together to create a comforting, familiar aroma that engrosses the reader and pulls them down into the pages. But what if there was a way to indulge in this nostalgia all day long? 

"In the Library" by CB I Hate Perfume

Modeled off an old English novel, this inviting scent combines Russian and Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth, and wood polish. Quiet, bookish, and comfortable, this perfume's initial sweetness fades into the warm, musty smell of a cherished favorite. In the Library is available online from CB I Hate Perfume in quantities of 2 ml ($13) and 15 ml ($95). The scent can also be purchased as a water perfume or home spray. 

"Paperback" by Demeter

This fragrance harnesses the smell of a used bookstore or beloved library by blending the musty smell of aged paper with a sweet dab of violets and whispering hint of potpourri. Paperback can be purchased from Demeter Fragrance Library in the form of 1/2 oz ($10), 1 oz ($20), or 4 oz ($39.50) cologne spray or a .29 oz roll-on perfume oil ($10). Demeter also offers more options such as a massage oil, atmosphere spray, and bath/shower gel. 

"Paper Passion" by Gerhard Steidl, Geza Schoen, and Wallpaper Magazine

This paper-based fragrance lives up to its name by capturing the first whiff of freshness that bleeds out when flipping the pages of a new book. Osmanthus and copaiba balsam are accompanied by amber, air, paper, and musk accord to leave a clean, woody trail behind. Paper Passion arrives tucked delicately inside a book-shaped case designed by Karl Lagerfeld, and nestled inside the package are texts by Karl Lagerfeld, perfumer Geza Schoen, Günter Grass, and Tony Chambers. Paper Passion is available from LuckyScent.com in a 50 ml ($98) bottle. 

"Dead Writers" by Sweet Tea Apothecary 

Books would be nothing without the writers behind them, and while a name like Dead Writers might make this one sound a bit unsettling, there is something to be said about the comfort of being connected to the literary geniuses of the past. Dead Writers "evokes the feeling of sitting in an old library chair paging through yellowed copies of Hemingway, Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, Poe, and more." Notes of black tea, musk, heliotrope, vetiver, clove, vanilla, and tobacco play off of one another to wrap the wearer in an old-fashioned, familiar scent. Dead Writers is available from Etsy in a 15 ml ($30) bottle.