13 DAYS OF FRIGHTFUL FRAGRANCES: DAY 1, THE BLOOD PERFUME OF ELIZABETH BATHORY

A Hungarian Countess

Erzabet Bathory was a Hungarian countess who according to legend, was the most prolific serial killer in history with more than 650 murders.

More frightening, legends abound of her obsession with remaining young and beautiful indicate that she bathed in the blood of her victims – all young ladies in the village surrounding her castle. One such extreme beauty ritual, was the use of blood in her perfume as a means of vampiric allure.

This legend is thought to have influenced future vampire stories from Carmilla, to Dracula to the hunger.

Blood Perfume

Now, I have no idea how that would work…it would have to be really diluted to combat coagulation and I did a whole podcast on how I think Erzabet Bathory was the victim of a political hit since she was a strong powerful woman. Listen to it here.

But blood CAN be a note in perfume. It doesn’t mean that blood is actually in the perfume just that it has a sharp metallic smell. Some perfumes that contain a blood note include Imaginary Authors Bulls Blood, Tuskovat Inexcusable Evil, Liquides Imaginaire Bloody Wood, and my perfume, Carmilla, which actually looks like blood more than it smells like it.

Check back for day 2!