Interesting Facts

According to the news website Deutsche Welle, explosives detectors can give false alarms in the presence of substances such as chocolate or perfume. (It makes you wonder how any woman makes it onto the plane then.)

Almost half the expensive rose oil used in perfumes and cosmetics comes from a single valley in Bulgaria. (The valley, unimaginatively called Rose Valley (Розова долина, Rozova dolina),is in a region of Bulgaria south of the Balkan Mountains. Roses have been cultivated there for centuries.)

Whale vomit is used by perfumers, to whom it is known as ambergris, and it costs £11 per gram. (So, now you know what you're getting in that lovely expensive Valentine's Day present.) ;-)