The ancient Greeks dabbled heavily in perfumes and incense to create an aura of seduction. Burning resins or wood created pleasant fragrances that were considered enticing to lovers. Various scents were used for particular parts of the body. Roman baths contained shelves of jarred oils and powders used to perfume the body in pleasing scents. Some places were also synonymous with certain fragrances. For instance, the ancient women of Crete were known for their enchanting scents composed of lilies. Middle Eastern women were noted for their fragrance of frankincense and myrrh. Scent was intrinsic to ancient sexuality, and of course, it plays no small role today either.
Myrrh, prized as a fragrance, was also said to be used by the Queen of Sheba to entice King Solomon. Its ability to enhance seduction was widely known, but it also had many attributes as a beauty tonic. It was regularly used to repair chapped skin and prescribed to treat eczema-like rashes. It has been on beauty regimens for more than four thousand years. Similarly, frankincense was also used in perfumes, but ancient women believed it helped diminish wrinkles and slow down the aging process.