At ISEO 2025, a Multisensory Journey Through Scent and Heritage with Dr. Rana Babaç Çelebi

This year’s International Symposium on Essential Oils (ISEO 2025) hosted a uniquely stimulating session—one that was not only scientifically enriching but also deeply sensory and culturally resonant. One of the standout contributors to the symposium was Dr. Rana Babaç Çelebi, a medical historian and clinical aromatherapist.

Dr. Çelebi’s keynote lecture, titled “Alchemy of Scent”, took the audience on a compelling journey through the evolving relationship between scent and humanity, spanning from antiquity to the present day. Tracing the ritualistic uses of scent in ancient civilizations, she highlighted how the development of distillation technology in the medieval period enabled the emergence of essential oils, and how these aromatic substances found medical and perfumery applications within their historical contexts.

Drawing connections to contemporary consumer trends, Dr. Çelebi emphasized that essential oils today are no longer confined to the realm of aromatherapy. Rather, they are gaining prominence in increasingly interdisciplinary and innovative domains such as:

• Functional perfumery (mood-enhancing, neuroactive formulations)

• Multi-tasking cosmetics (active skincare with aromatic dimensions)

• Edible cosmetics (ingestible beauty and wellness products)

Her talk framed Alchemy of Scent as a powerful reminder: scent is not only a vessel of ancestral wisdom, but also a wellspring for future innovation.

An Experiential Glimpse into Ottoman Perfumery at ISEO 20245

In a second session—closely aligned with her personal and scholarly expertise—Dr. Çelebi introduced participants to the world of Ottoman perfumery through an experiential presentation. Drawing upon rare historical manuscripts such as the Bahname, Tuhfei Muradi, and the Helvahane Register, she explored how perfumes were meticulously formulated and used for therapeutic, spiritual, and sensory purposes in the Ottoman world.

During the session, participants were invited to experience a historical formula for an Ottoman oral perfume, recreated from manuscript sources. As a multisensory gift, each participant received a traditional solid perfume (unguent) prepared using freshly harvested Isparta roses, macerated in cold-pressed olive oil, and thickened with natural beeswax. This exquisite preparation served not only as a fragrance, but also as a cultural memory object, embodying the transmission of ancient aromatic knowledge into the present day.

ISEO 2025: A Symposium Marked by Scientific Depth and Gracious Leadership

The realization of these impactful sessions, and the overall success of ISEO 2025, was made possible thanks to the exceptional leadership of Prof. Dr. Hurija Džudžević - Čančar, whose meticulous academic and organizational efforts earned the deep appreciation of all attendees.

Dr. Rana Babaç Çelebi repeatedly expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Dr. Džudžević - Čančar for the kind invitation and warm hospitality that allowed her to contribute to such a high-caliber international platform. Under her direction, the symposium was not only a scientific achievement, but also a graceful and inspiring gathering that will remain vivid in the memories of those who participated.