Patchouli

For hundreds of years Patchouli leaves were used to keep moths and other insects out of silk, linen and woolen shawls and rugs. This caused people in Western countries to associate the mysterious smell of Patchouli with authentic textiles imported from the East.

During the Hippy revolution of the 1960’s, many imports from India were suddenly fashionable, such as yoga, meditation, the sitar…and Patchouli. It is not unreasonable to say that Patchouli became the unofficial scent of the sixties, and Patchouli incense and oil is still associated with that time period by an entire generation of people. Many theories explain Patchouli’s popularity with the hippies, but it didn’t hurt that it arrived from India with a reputation as an aphrodisiac!