Florida Water is an American version of

Eau de Cologne Eau de Cologne (; German: ''Kölnisch Wasser'' ; meaning "Water from Cologne"), or simply cologne, is a perfume originating from Cologne, Germany. Originally mixed by Johann Maria Farina (Giovanni Maria Farina) in 1709, it has since come to be a g ...

, or Cologne Water. It has the same citrus basis as Cologne Water, but shifts the emphasis to

sweet orange An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...

(rather than the

lemon The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...

and

neroli Neroli oil is an essential oil produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree (''Citrus aurantium subsp. amara'' or ''Bigaradia''). Its scent is sweet, honeyed and somewhat metallic with green and spicy facets. Orange blossom is also extract ...

of the original Cologne Water), and adds spicy notes including

lavender ''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and easte ...

and clove. The name refers to the fabled

Fountain of Youth The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring which allegedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted around the world for thousands of years, appearing in the writings of Herod ...

, which is said to be located in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, as well as the "flowery" nature of the scent.

In the Americas

According to current

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...

holders, Lanman & Kemp Barclay, Florida Water was introduced by the New York City perfumer (and founder of the original company) Robert I. Murray, in 1808. In 1835 Murray was joined by David Trumbull Lanman and the firm became Murray & Lanman, then David T. Lanman and Co., and in 1861 became Lanman & Kemp. The company states that their product, now sold under the Murray & Lanman brand, still uses the original 1808 formula, and that the current label is also a slightly modified version of the 1808 original. ''Florida Water'' was regarded as a unisex cologne, suitable for men and women alike. Victorian etiquette manuals warned young ladies against the "offensive" impression made by a strong perfume, but Florida Water and Eau de Cologne were recommended as appropriate for all, along with sachets for scenting the linen and fresh flowers in the corsage. Large quantities were also used by barbershops as cologne and aftershave. In the 1880s and 1890s Murray & Lanman Florida Water was advertised as "The Richest of all Perfumes" and "The most Popular Perfume in the World". Like other colognes of the era, Florida Water was valued for its refreshing and tonic nature as well as its scent, and could be used as a skin toner or as what we would now call a "body splash". It was also used as a toilet water (

eau de toilette Eau de toilette (, meaning "grooming water") is a lightly scented perfume. It is also referred to as aromatic waters and has a high alcohol content. It is usually applied directly to the skin after bathing or shaving. It is traditionally composed ...

), by adding it to the bath or wash-water.

Use in religious practices

Florida water is occasionally used as a cleansing liquid in certain religious practices, most notably hoodoo. It may be used in a similar fashion to that practice's equivalent of holy water.

In East Asia

Florida Water () has also been manufactured in

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

since the turn of the 20th century, the most famous of which is the hundred-year-old Kwong Sang Hong "Two Girls" Brand of Hong Kong. Once a common household item throughout Hong Kong, particularly as a refreshing

topical application A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...

on skins during summer months, "Two Girls" Florida Water remains moderately popular as a “retro” toiletry product in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, complete with elaborate, nostalgic packaging designs.For example, see the

-base
Two Girls
website

China

After the Chinese Communist Party took over mainland China in 1949, private cosmetic companies were all nationalized, brand names such as "Liu Shen" (), "Maxam" () and "Butterfly" () were then created and made popular. The formulations in these products are quite different from Murray & Lanman and Two Girls, having morphed into a summertime skincare product containing menthol (or borneol) and traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. Such products are most commonly used for reliving itchiness caused by insect bites and

miliaria Miliaria, also called heat rash, sweat rash, or prickly heat, is a skin disease marked by small, itchy rashes due to sweat trapped under the skin by clogged sweat-gland ducts. Miliaria is a common ailment in hot and humid conditions, such as in ...

. Further developments include formulations with added insect repellents.

References

{{Reflist, www.floridawater1808.com Perfumes 1808 introductions