Luyna

Parfums Luyna was established at 22 rue Paix, Vincennes, Seine, France in 1830; fragrance and cosmetics business; purchased by Monpelas in 1918. Company still in business in 1930.

Luyna - pronounced "LOU-WE- NA." The company produced parfums, eau de toilettes, eau de cologne, hair lotion, face powders (poudres), powder compacts (poudre compacte), vanishing cream (creme de beaute), perfumed soap and hand cream (pate Luyna)

Subtitled The Perfumes of Princesses" due to the patronage of various nobility: Princess de Faucigny-Lucinge, Princess Troubetzkoy, Comtesse Jean de Lubersac, Comtesse de Vaucelles, Comtesse de Montaigu, and Comtesse d'Hinnisdal, all who permitted Luyna to use their names on advertisements.

Troubetzkoy used Chanson d'Ete, pronounced "shan-son'day-tay" means the Song of Summer. The perfume was described by Luyna as "The song of birds and the languor of summer are in its odor. In a 1924 advertisement, the princess stated "Ce me fait grand plaisir de vous faire savoir ce que le Parfum Luyna me charme." (It is a delight to tell you how much I enjoy Luyna Parfum.)

Faucigny-Lucinge used Maya, pronounced "my-ah" and was subtitled "Illusion Hindou".

Fleur Ardente was pronounced "flur-aredaunt" and means Passion Flower. Luyna described it as "The breezes of southern passions blew across myriad flowers and blended their souls in this odor of living flame. It is for the luxuriant, the rich and joyous personality, this perfume free from care." The perfume was housed inside of a beautiful satin lined box.

Described by Luyna was a new perfume, "the grace of a slender flower is in the bottle of Verte Amande (Leaf Green).

Luyna produced several single floral odors: Iris Blanc (white iris), Le Jasmin, Le Lilas (lilacs), Le Mimosa, Le Muguet (lily of the valley), La Rosa and La Violette.

c1923 ad

The Lima Gazette, 1922:
"Here are some of the beauty tricks with the perfume bottle that have lately been cabled over from Paris. These hints come from Monsieur Luyna, to whom sich great ladies as Princess de Faucigny-Lucinge, Princess Troubetzkoy and Comtesse Jean de Lubersac go for beauty secrets. For over a hundred years his family had made the perfume which bears his name. "Discretion is the better part of perfume," he said. "The Parisienne whose ancestors hang on the walls of the Louvre has a thousand wiles for its use. Her supreme aim is to make her perfumed fragrance so ethereal, so delicate, that it seems a part of her being, not applied from the outside. For instance, the American ladies dash on perfume often in generous doses at the last minute when dressing. Such a crude practice will ruin the most perfect fragrance! Perfume must be placed upon your gown two or three hours before dressing. Good perfume attains additional charm and mellowness if thus used. " French women often pour a bit of perfume on blotting paper. This is placed under their personal belonging, such as fans, gloves, handkerchiefs. Indirect methods of perfuming such as these are more entrancing than when directly placed on the article or fabric itself." Another trick which is new to Americans is the use of bits of cotton. On these wee cotton balls a drop of perfume is placed. Then they are tucked in dozen places around one's belongings: in one's glove, in the corsage, in the handbag, in the crown of the hat, in the pocket of one's wrap. Instead of the overpowering effect of an overdose on a perfumed handkerchief, the result is a puzzlingly faint fragrance that delicately arises from a half dozen sources. 

"When the American woman realizes the importance of her perfume, there will be fewer divorces, " My Luyna states."To be alluring," he continues, "you must accent only certain characteristics with your perfumes, those which make you different from Mary Smith or Hattie Jones. The dark-eyes, sophisticated woman, indolent in her movements and eager with her eye, in other words, our old friend, the vamp, needs a heavy, penetrating fragrance to complete her score. The fair, bouyant type, suggesting radiant health, would be incongruous with sandalwood and jasmine. Her choice should be the ever so delicate fragrance of windswept garden or a May bouquet. The gentlewoman with the serene countenance would find the pale white iris her floral counterpart, and its fragrance would accentuate her type." 

"The French woman," says M. Luyna, "puts a drop behind each ear and a drop in the fur that nestles against her cheek. She perfumes her handbag and her fan, the lining of her hat and the pocket of her coat rather than her frock. She puts tiny balls of cotton, scented, in her clothing and among her accessories. In this subtle way, she makes the fragrance seem a part of herself, not something applied from the outside.""

The perfumes of Luyna:

• 1910 Ambré
• 1910 Ardente
• 1910 Cadeau de Paris (still sold in 1930)
• 1920 Bouquet
• 1920 Chypre
• 1920 Embaumée de Violette
• 1920 Iris Blanc
• 1920 La Mimosa
• 1920 La Rose
• 1920 Le Jasmin
• 1920 Le Muguet
• 1920 La Violette
• 1920 Parfum de Fleurs
• 1922 Chanson d’Été
• 1922 Fleur Ardente (still sold in 1930)
• 1922 Maya
• 1924 Le Lilas
• 1924 Verte Amande
• 1924 Vivante
• 1926 Black Narcissus
• 1927 Le Huit
• 1929 Gardenia
• 1929 Lily
• 1929 Sweet Pea

• Chanson d’Été: (Song of Summer ), an "alluring" floral bouquet perfume was presented in a bottle designed by Julien Viard - a figural fountain.
• Fleur Ardente: (Passion Flower) a warm, spicy floral bouquet perfume was presented in a bottle made by Verrières Viard.
• Maya: (Illusion in Hindu) a floral bouquet perfume.