While commercial hand sanitizers are selling out worldwide, the Turks have a traditional perfume that can be used as a sanitizer that feels both safe and stylish. It’s called Kolonya perfume!
traditional products during covid
Kolonya simply means cologne. Kolonya perfume has been a symbol of hospitality and health in Türkiye since the Ottoman Empire. It is often called the “national scent” of the people here.
Traditionally, this sweet scent is made from: fig, jasmine, rose or citrus, gently applied to the hands of guests when they enter homes, hotels, hospitals, when they finish a meal in a restaurant, or during religious ceremonies. Unlike other natural scents, this high alcohol content perfume can kill more than 80% of germs and can be used as an effective antibacterial hand sanitizer.
Dr. Hatira Topaklı, a family physician in Istanbul, explains: "Kolonya has the ability to kill bacteria because it contains at least 60% alcohol (usually 80%). So, it is not surprising that commercial hand sanitizers/gels are not popular in Türkiye. In particular, people do not need to learn how to protect themselves from the coronavirus, when they have been using kolonya every day for a long time!"
On March 13, the Turkish government officially ordered a reduction in the supply of ethanol in gasoline to boost the production of Kolonya and other disinfectants in the fight against Covid-19. This decision inspired a wave of national media coverage of the traditional perfume’s anti-viral powers and made people more aware than ever about how to protect themselves with Kolonya.
Normally, Kolonya is sold in pharmacies, supermarkets or stores and is widely distributed throughout Türkiye. But during the Covid-19 pandemic, some families took the initiative to mix kolonya at home.
Kerim Müderrisoğlu - CEO of Rebul Holding - one of the oldest and most famous commercial Kolonya brands in Türkiye, said that the production of Kolonya is quite simple and can be done at home using the traditional method. First, the basis of Kolonya is ethanol, which is an ingredient for making traditional homemade cherry wine that is very available in Turkey. In addition, people can also make pure ethanol from fermented barley, grapes, molasses or potatoes mixed with distilled water. After having ethanol, people just need to add natural flavors such as magnolia, lemon or rosemary, then seal it for a period of 10 days to 3 weeks before being able to take it out, bottle it and use it.
Kolonya in history and culture
The history of Kolonya is rooted in rose water. In the 9th century, people of the Arabian Peninsula knew how to use rose water for fragrance, culinary, beauty, religious ceremonies, and medicine. Persians and Egyptians also used it for cleansing and welcoming guests. By the 19th century, eau de cologne (a type of perfume, or simply cologne) traveled along the “silk roads” from Cologne, Germany, to the Ottoman Empire. When Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamit II first encountered it, he adapted the formula by mixing traditional rose water with the novelty of foreign alcohol-based perfumes to create Kolonya.
There are many famous types of Kolonya in Türkiye such as: Kolonya from lemons from the coastal town of Çeşme, Kolonya from lavender, Kolonya from lemongrass, honey, amber,... And in turn, large and small cities in Turkey have also started to make Kolonya from the typical products of that land such as: Isparta produces Kolonya with a sweet rose scent, communities near the Black Sea have Kolonya with a hint of tobacco scent and other places have Kolonya with fig flowers, pistachios, jasmine, magnolia.
There is not much difference between Kolonya and other perfumes because they have the same ratio of ethanol and essential oils and are combined with scents like orange and lemon. What makes Kolonya unique is the way people use it. Kolonya is present in every family of all classes in Türkiye to the point that people say: Kolonya is as necessary in the house as food in the refrigerator. It is also indispensable in the lecture on etiquette and politeness. Because it has the convenience of antibacterial hand sanitizer, but has the special fashion style of classic perfume.
Any Turkish child is taught to welcome visitors to the house with three things: candy, cigarettes, and Kolonya. Because Kolonya is not only a welcome gift, but also a gift of health. Besides killing bacteria, Kolonya has many other health benefits. Putting a few drops on a sugar cube will aid digestion. Rubbing Kolonya on the temples can relieve headaches. So, whenever Turks visit patients, they give them Kolonya.
Traditionally, Turks place them in bedrooms, living rooms, and especially bathrooms. Kolonya is also a staple at traditional gatherings and religious holidays. Travelers to Türkiye may have encountered a bottle of Kolonya in their hotel rooms, high-end restaurant dressing rooms, or even at the end of a long-distance bus ride.
As a symbol of hospitality and health, Kolonya is more than just a disinfectant. It has also been a source of comfort for many Turks during uncertain times. And now, as the world and Turkey are going through difficult times due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Turkish people have looked to Kolonya not only for its versatility and essentiality but also for its closeness and connection to the culture and history of this land.
