In all the samples, upward of 80% of the perfume belonged to one of three salicylates, chemicals that provide sweet, floral aromas. Humans use a lot of these chemicals for products such as soaps, shampoos, and fabric softeners. They’re fairly inexpensive to produce, Vecchiato noted. He said his team chose to analyze fragrances with a strong smell that can last for weeks or months.

— Scientists take a look at an ice core from Mount Elbrus in Russia, looking at the fragrance molecules embedded in the snow from 934 to 2005. Read more in Fragrances in an Ice Core Tell a Story of Human Activity at Eos.