I wish I had one, truly. All of my memories that get recalled because of a perfume are all rather recent (as in, the past five years or so), as I was not allowed to wear perfume or anything too scented growing up. I suppose the closest is “kitchen lemon” (which is a soap by Bath & Body Works), which just reminds me of my Dad washing dishes–I remember we used a lot of Joy dishwashing soap, because it didn’t have too strong of a scent.
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Bath & body works’ wild honeysuckle. It reminds me of the Summers spent upstate in the Catskills (NY) such a carefree time. I remember the way to the pool and the mart… I didn’t quite see it but everything smelled of honeysuckle. It always takes me back there
Lou Lou by Cacharel; I’ve worn it continuously since it was released in the US, when I was about 14 or 15. It’s been my signature scent, and although I’ve tried many others, and even loved some, Lou Lou is just “the one”. It’s become increasingly hard to find over the years, so I wear it primarily for special occasions, so I associate the scent with good times. Plus, I always seem to attract alot of attention when I wear it, but that could just be because I just always feel good when I do.
I see Lou Lou a lot on eBay, Amy, so if you ever want to get another bottle, it’s easy to find. I think I actually sent you a link to one eBay auction a while back. The prices are usually pretty good too!
I LOVED Lou Lou when I was younger. I still have an empty bright blue bottle of it on my vanity thats prolly 22 years old!
Neiges by Lise Watier reminds me of Christmas so I love it! But Armani code has to be the best, because it’s the perfume I wore when I started dating the love of my life, I still bring it out for special occasions! I guess I lied because Marchesa has to be the most memory envoking one, my boyfriend and mine first anniversary… Such a wonderful weekend!
Japanese musk by “THE BODY SHOP”. I bought this perfume when I was in high school. Ooooooh I remember so vivid that it was Christmas and we were having a great time with my friends (as we had no classes to attend), strolling around the city with all the festive Christmas lights and Christmas songs….Drinking hot beverages at coffee shops, and buying gifts for our family. It’s like I am there every time I smell it. I swear I feel the cold in my skin. It’s been over 12 years and I still have a little bit left. I wear it every Christmas. Just a little bit because unfortunately it was discontinued.
Does anyone know where I can find it again? I know it’s a European brand and probably you have no clue but……just asking.
Billie, have you tried eBay? I just did a quick search for you and found a number of Japanese Musk by The Body Shop selling right this minute. (But I don’t know if they’re exactly what you’re looking for as they all seem to be body oils. Is that the version you used?) You can get one small 15 ml bottle for about $17, while the large 240 ml sizes are going for about $100.
I wouldn’t worry about buying perfumes from eBay, btw. I buy a LOT from there because I either go for vintage fragrances (old versions of things that haven’t been reformulated and changed under the new rules) or else I go for niche fragrances. Neither thing is sold in most regular stores. (Actually, vintage formulations are not sold anywhere except via online retailers. And given the massive changes in perfume formulas these days, I think vintage is almost always best.)
Randomly found some old Body Shop perfumes in my storage space..Oceanus, Sweet Pea, Fuzzy Peach. Good Times Good Times. Back when The Body Shop was still owned by The Body Shop.
Taylor Swift Wonderstruck! This is a very new fragrance for me but has a ton of memories, I actually bought this on the day of mine and my boyfriend’s first date and I’ve worn it every day since then so it holds a lot of happy memories with him since I’ve started wearing it 🙂
White Diamonds reminds me of my grandmother going to church. 🙂 And Dancing Waters from BBW remind me of when I first started dating my girlfriend.
Rose. Perfumes like rosewater, YSL Paris, everything linked to this wonderful flower.
Victoria’s Secret Cupquake. My host student when I was in the States wore it every day, so it reminds me of my adventures with her. The smell of pine is also pretty special. We get a real Christmas tree every year and we’ve done so my whole life, so the first few days of decorating, etc. are always associated with pine!
Pine trees, campfires/marshmallows, and old books…doesn’t really sound like that pleasant of a scent, but it smells like happiness to me. I’m not good at making up names, so “unassuming” sounds fine, and it would be in an unassuming bottle 🙂
Eternity- Calvin Klein. My mom always wore that when I was a kid.
I don’t know about memories, really, but I definitely felt happiest when I smelled cacharel’s gloria. It was the first sort of “expensive” perfume I ever bought, and if it hadn’t been dc’d, it would still be my main perfume today.
Serge Luten’s Feminite du Bois reminds me of times when our family was together to celebrate Christmas and New Year, that doesn’t happen now((( And also reminds me of loads of stuff, I totally love it))))
La Balenciaga which I bought in 1988….smells like pressed powder makeup….very powdery…soft and romantic…not fragrance or over-powering….In fact, I put on so much that my crush at that time said I put too much on….so embarassing, but I didnt care.
The other one was Chanel 19 Parfum…not cologne, not eau de parfum..but Parfum…just a tad was all I needed. Got it for my 14th birthday 1/2 oz.
I still own both of them since these versions no longer exist…just for memories…when you get to my age…everything is just memories, especially romance.
Not exactly a perfume, but Bath and Body Works’ Cucumber Melon body spray was HUGE when I was in middle school, so every time I smell it now I am immediately transported back to that time. Also Clinique’s Happy Heart was something I wore for years–probably from 18 to 23 or so. When I broke up with my boyfriend of 5 years I immediately switched fragrances. Now whenever I smell it, I recall that time period (but can look back on it fondly now)
As for an actual bottled fragrance, my father had a bottle of CK One when I was younger. He never wore much cologne, so it was the one fragrance that I always remembered. I still buy it.
Just for scents? Cigarette smoke makes me think of hugging my grandfather. It was never abnormally strong. You couldn’t smell it just be being around him. But I’d bury my head in his jacket when we hugged and that smell was stained on all his clothing. A weird scent to have a fond memory of. But I feel like he’s still around whenever I pass someone smoking. It feels nice.
For a perfume I bought for myself because of a fond memory! There’s a seller on Etsy called Madame Scodioli (ScodioliCreative is the shop) that sells a perfume called Fiji Mermaid. I was born in a California town on the shore. The home we lived in was a few blocks from the beach. It has that crisp, slightly briny scent that lingers with jasmine. It’s perfect. Like standing in the garden with that beautiful salt air. Very much the scent of my home.
Oh, I have lots of olfactory memories! Great question, Kafka, thank you!
Paloma Picasso reminds me of my early childhood because my mom wore it all through the eighties and nineties. Even though it’s technically a serious, seductive chypre, to me it smells like bedtime stories and cuddling. Sometimes, if she happened to be working late, I’d pull out a scarf she’d worn recently just to get a whiff of Paloma. Later, I’d hear her heels clicking in the hallway and smell cold air and Paloma. (Which may sound sad, but it’s actually a fond memory.)
Givenchy III – my late grandmother’s signature perfume. To me, it’s the ultimate non-conformist, authentic scent – daring, independent, strong, feminine. Just like she was.
Versace Baby Rose Jeans – the first perfume I ever wore. My Dad bought me a bottle for Christmas ’97 (I was 15) and I felt so grown up and elegant when I wore it. (It is in fact a watered-down, nondescript scent, but at the time I thought it was chic in a bottle, lol!)
Estee Lauder Pleasures for Men – my first boyfriend wore it and it still smells like puppy love and that uncomplicated, carefree way of being in love.
Guerlain Shalimar – (the original, none of that Parfum Initial flanker nonsense) I only ever had a sample vial of this, but I wore it constantly the last time I truly (madly, deeply :D) fell in love. I promised myself I won’t purchase it until I feel that way again.
Love, Chloe by Chloe – I bought it after my first significant professional achievement and it always makes me feel confident and in control, even though it’s actually a rather mellow, powdery scent.
Also, musical and olfactory memories tend to overlap for me. It’s probably the songs I listened to tirelessly while wearing a certain scent. For example, Shalimar reminds me of Leonard Cohen’s Dance Me to the End of Love, while the Killers’ song Bones always brings back the smell of Versace Versense.
LJana, what a beautiful post! I loved reading your list and your memories, and comments like the one about “puppy love” were things I could definitely relate to. Your reference to Paloma Picasso also made me smile. I haven’t heard someone mention it in a very long time. In fact, about 5 months ago, I bought a La Perla perfume because it was compared to Paloma Picasso and Ungaro’s Diva. (I don’t think they’re super close, but then it’s been a while since I smelled true/original, unreformulated, un-gutted Paloma Picasso.) And a big HA at your “none of that flanker nonsense.” LOL!
Thank you, I’m glad you liked it, it was an inspiring question! I’d love to come across a bottle or two of vintage PP, but I’ll try to smell the La Perla if I get the chance.
Flankers are a pet peeve of mine. I just don’t get the reasoning behind them – ‘let’s make something exactly like Shalimar, but you know, lighter, inoffensive, pinker?’ Well, that’s like saying ‘I want to read something exactly like War and Peace, only shorter and without the tedious battle scenes!’. I understand everyone’s tastes are different, but there’s plenty of well-made original fragrances to choose from.
The only flanker I remotely like is Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere, but I’m still not sure I’d invest in a full-size bottle. If you don’t mind my asking, what do you think of it?
Ljana, I actually snorted out loud at “that’s like saying ‘I want to read something exactly like War and Peace, only shorter and without the tedious battle scenes!’.” ROFL!!! You write really well. 🙂 As for Chanel’s Eau flanker to No. 5, I think it all really depends on the kinds of scents you gravitate to and how much you adore No. 5 original.
The Eau Premiere is a lighter, fizzier, more citrus-y version of No. 5. It’s basically No. 5 at half strength but with things like the aldehydes toned down. Paler, softer, perhaps more wearable for everyday, etc.
If you’re asking about me personally, I’m not into the Eau type of scents for anything, and usually opt for orientals or florientals (floral orientals). Crisp, green or crystalline soft fizzy things don’t seem super on my body. I like things spicy, warm, smoky or with a POW! lol Have you thought about just buying a large decant or large-ish sample vial of the No. 5 Eau to see if you’d like it after repeated uses? I use Surrender to Chance (adore!) for samples or larger decant sample size, as well as eBay. It’s the best way to see if something would work on you in the long term before shelling out serious money. 🙂
Thank you for your answer, the compliment and the suggestion!
I don’t particularly adore No. 5 (I prefer No. 19 among Chanel’s classics), but I respect it immensely, if that makes sense. I usually keep a small bottle and wear it once or twice a year. Eau Premiere struck me like a good mix of relaxed and sophisticated (though certainly not legendary), but I worry I’d tire of it quickly. I’ll try to find a decant sample and test it for a while. 🙂
Obsession by Calvin Klein
Armani diamonds
My fondest scent memories are pretty recent too, but it does ask for fondest and not the earliest you can remember.
My fondest scent memory is associated with Tom Ford Black Orchid. I bought it on a holiday trip in New York City with my first boyfriend more than five years ago. We picked the scent for me together and I wore it all winter, spring and summer long when I fell in love for the first time. We’re still together and I still wear it whenever I want to be relive that first falling in love experience. He still loves it and always remarks on it if I wear it.
Miss Dior “Cherie”, my husband gave it to me when my first child was born and it always brings me back to that time in my life, good memories!!!
Prada. it’s what i wore in college. I somehow lost my bottle and I’m still bummed 4 years later.
L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci reminds me of my mom when I was a kid. I guess she used to wear it because it reminded her of her sister (she passed when I was 2). I actually have a tiny bottle just for reminiscent sniffing, lol.
Oooo, lovely question 🙂 There are a few but I would say Burberry Brit, which I wore during the happiest months of my life when I was living in Barcelona. I kept the bottle and just a whiff brings back the warm, carefree, beautiful time I spent there.
This is going to sound funny, but the fondest memories I have that are scent related have to do with my grandma. Now, that’s not the funny part, the funny part is what reminds me of her. A hint of Wind Song perfume, some tortilla dough (kind of a wet flour smell), a dash of bleach, and a touch of clean lemons. The bottle would look like a Mexican serape, and the lid would be a sombrero. She was super proud of her Mexican heritage, so I think this would sum it up nicely. It would be called “Abuela”
Prescriptives Calyx…first serious perfume, my first boyfriend and first year in college. Also Yves Sant Laurent’s Fahrenheit, which was his first signature scent. That is my all-time favorite scent on a man…I get a whiff of that and it makes me hungry for contact.
only Kafka can ask this question …. as by now i know along with 2 – 3 NARS staples she lovessss perfumes 😀
babyyyy i follow you very closely XOXO 😀
and heyyyyy transeurope express is lovelyyyyyyy shade 😀
and did i told you ?? I already picked the 2 pure matte NARS ( one your fav and one “C”‘s fav.) , hubby is going to USA early jan and I will get my stuff by 3rd week 😀 am soooooo excited 😀
and kafka i wanted to ask rather I wanted to know your thoughts for NARS “Yachiyo” brush ( the blush brush ) ? pls share na dear 😀
and heyyy any new NARS FAV . ?? I like their semi – matte lipstick and have 4 but do share your fav shades dear 😀 😀
sorryyyy “C” I know this is the perfume post but i cant stop myself from asking this question 😀 😀
LOL, Rashmi! You know me well, sweetie. 🙂 I’m afraid I’m not much help on any new favorites; I haven’t bought makeup in about 2 months. My perfume obsession has taken over completely and I even started a blog that focuses, mostly, on the subject. I don’t have the big NARS blush brush but those few reviews I’ve seen of it have been positive. But, again, I can’t say one way or another. I only really trust Christine’s assessment of things and she hasn’t covered it.
I’m so happy you picked up Vesuvio!! Can’t wait for you to get it. Do you really like Transeurope Express or are you simply being sweet as always? As for other NARS semi-matte favorites, I wear Schiap (a bright pink) a lot, especially with really smoky or grey/dark eyes. I think Schiap and MAC’s Pink Nouveau are my absolute favorite pinks. I’ve started wearing nude/nude-ish lipsticks more, so I reach for NARS’ Tashkent and Bangkok in their pure matte line but I can’t say that either one is a real HG product. (I also like MAC’s Honeylove a lot, btw.) NARS’ Red Lizard is a lovely red, in my opinion, and Jungle Red is really popular because of the Retro Mad Men type of thing but — on me — it’s a little too warm for my liking. I don’t really wear it much, though I adore the nail polish. Jungle Red and, in particular, Chinatown may be my favorite red polishes from NARS. Hmmm…. Chinatown, stunning. And utterly perfect with my beloved Scarlet Empress too!
i loveeee reading your comments Kafka and they always makes me feel how generous you are and how easily you get along with all of us 😀 😀
trust me i purchased transeurope express as it was avlb. online and later when you mentioned the shade i was sooooo happy with my decision , I mean see MY KAFKA too loves this ….. it was already special to me before I opened it 😀 it is wowwwww and not only me but my readers too loved that one on me 😀 😀
i dont know you have a blog ?? you have to share the name dear 😀
i am slowly gravitating towards NARS e/s and lipsticks … picked mekong and will see how it looks 😀 😀 … SCHAIP is my fav too but i need to be little more generous to that shade 😀 i mean a full blown smokey eyes with hot pink lips 😀 😀
thank you soooo much dear once again and now am going to read all the lovely reccos you shared on the perfume 😀 D:
My mom wearing Chanel .5 and dad wearing Aramis(sp?).
Heaven Sent by Helena Rubenstein from back in the ’70’sand early 80’s. It always reminds me of Christmas. It’s a shame that it is made by Dana now and it’s not the same. I scored 3 small spray bottles off of Ebay a few years ago of the original formula, but because they are old they smell a bit musty. I still occasionaly spray them into the air and I get transported back in time to my middle-school days!
Samsara & Charlie. Charlie was my Dad’s perfume. He passed away last year and I miss him very much.
My mom always wore Donna Karen’s Cashmere Mist and it’s the scent I associate with her warm, happy presence. She passed away 2 years ago from Cancer and when I miss her I spritz a bit and it feels like she’s with me again.
aw, I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s nice that you have that feeling when you need it. I was given some of my aunt’s coats after she passed earlier this year and her perfume was still lingering on them. It was such a nice experience.
I associate a lot of scents with memories. I would probably if I had to pick one I’d pick Vanilla Fields for Women. It reminds me of my first time falling in love, I wore it a lot during that those months. Smelling it makes me feel light and carefree and happy. Now I have so many vanilla scented perfumes, body sprays and lotions because vanilla is my favorite, but that one always stands out as special and I only wear it on special occasions now.
first by van cleef and arpels! it was my moms signature scent for many years before she developed an allergy. it’s just so sophisticated and reminded me of her getting ready.
Ha, First! That was one of the first serious fragrances my mother bought for me when I wanted to graduate from L’Air du Temps and Cacharel. I was 7 or so! Just the mention of the name sends me back in time and place, and triggers all sorts of memories!
It’s cliche, but Chanel No 5. My aunt worked a Chanel counter and she, my other aunt and my mom were always a big cloud of of it. She always brought me home tons of sample size little bottles so I could play too.
Kat, if you or your family still love/wear Chanel No. 5, you may want to buy another bottle of it. The EU wants to ban its production and sale COMPLETELY. It’s on a special targeted list along with Miss Dior, Shalimar and a few others. Even if they don’t get their way, regulations by the international perfume federation group may signal the end of Chanel No. 5 as we all know it. Just thought you might like to know.
Why? I googled it but could find a reason…
Stacey, bottom line, they want to protect the 0.00001% of the population who may be allergic. But, given that the international perfume federation has already gutted the formula by reducing one of the main things that gives Chanel No. 5 its oomph and character, the perfume is already emasculated for those who have allergies. Well, in my opinion at least. It’s definitely diff. now, post-2010 when the IFRA regulations took effect, than it was say, 5 years ago. You can read more about the new problem it faces with the EU’s desire to have a complete and TOTAL ban on certain perfumes (Miss Dior, Angel, Shalimar, etc.) here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/06/chanel-no-5-miss-dior-perfume-ingredients-ban-eu_n_2081648.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/06/chanel-no-5-miss-dior-perfume-ingredients-ban-eu_n_2081648.html
If the plan does go ahead, perfumers of all stripes will be deeply and hugely affected. Frederic Malle (the head of an extremely famous and high-end perfume house), has said flat out: ““If this law goes ahead I am finished.”
If you want a really proper, detailed explanation of why, a fellow perfume blogger wrote about it just yesterday in what I think is a much better and more complete analysis of what is going on: http://scentbound.com/2012/12/19/the-death-of-chanel-no-5-new-eu-regulation-may-ban-classic-perfumes/
This is scary. Discontinuing gorgeous ancient classics like Chanel 5 or Shalimar…allergies? Well we should discontinue shrimps, some people are allergic, also honey and peanuts. Let´s eliminate flowers people are allergic. And cats and dogs some people are allergic. There are also a very select few that are allergic to the Sun, let´s invent somenthing to block it from the earth. Honestly I hope this law doesn´t pass…it doesn´t have any logic and the few people that are allergic to perfume know to stay away from it. Thankfully from the poll the numbers show that people don´t agree with this law.
Let´s hope for the best.
VickyM: “There are also a very select few that are allergic to the Sun, let´s invent somenthing to block it from the earth.”
ROFL! Absolutely priceless. That is best response to the new proposals that I’ve heard yet! Brava, cherie!
Jovan White Musk. My mom wore this a lot in the 90s. It’s inexpensive so she would spray it on her sweaters when she hung them in the closet. I still associate the smell with mom’s sweaters fresh from the closet.
I would have to say my most fondest perfume memory would have to be when my mother and I went into Dillards and smelled Chanel Chance for the first time, when I was around 12 years old. She bought us a 1.7 oz bottle to share. Whenever I smell that perfume it brings me back to the happier times my mom and I shared. My Christmas present to her this year is that same perfume. 🙂
That’s my favorite scent! <3
I’d have to say White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor. My mother (who was no beauty enthusiast and never wore make up) owned a few perfumes, but this is the only one I remember her regularly wearing. I remember as a child, I would sneak into her room and sniff the nozzle because she would’ve killed me had I ever used it! LOL She was infatuated with the scent and used it any chance she got. She especially loved to wear it for special occasions such as evening dinners or formal balls for work. White Diamonds reminds me of her glowing and all dolled up! To this day, whenever I see this product I immediately think of my mother and smile. Lately, I’ve been considering getting a bottle for myself. I doubt I’d ever use it, but I’ve been wanting it to display on my make up vanity for the fond memories! 🙂
Love’s Baby Soft and L’air Du Temps. My grandma wore L’air Du Temps to church every Sunday and when I was “old enough” for a little makeup and perfume (I think 6) she would powder my nose and spritz me with Baby Soft. I will never forget how special she made me feel and those two scents mixing together in the air. There is just no recreating that! 🙂
I loved reading everyone’s answers. Thank you all so much for taking the time to share your personal memories and favorites. I think music and perfume are the fastest ways to evoke memories; it’s as though the subconscious of the brain processes things first, before even the other parts of the brain, and triggers flashbacks to a different time and place. It doesn’t matter if the trigger is dish washing liquid, cigarettes or White Diamonds and Coty Musk. Both perfume and music can also make one escape to a totally new, different world, too.
As for my own answer, I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t really have one absolute favorite. I grew up in a household where everyone wore perfume or cologne, and owned tons of each. (Seriously, tons. My mother had about 15, my father about 10, and between my siblings….) So, basically, I would have a laundry list of things that trigger very fond memories. But, if I had to choose just a few, they would be Guerlain’s Habit Rouge for men (one of my favorite things that my father wore and still wears), and Opium for both me and my mother, then… er… no, there are too many names flashing through my head to know where to begin. What can I say, I have a little perfume obsession. 😀
I would say Paco Rabanne Lady Million…it’s one of my favorite scents and my boyfriend got it for me our first Christmas together. Brings back lots of nice memories; I love how music and scents do that.
So many!
Original Juicy Couture- the first really nice thing I bought myself when I got my first job. I was so proud to walk up to the perfume counter, ask for a bottle of it and hand over my debit card to pay $65 smackaroos for it. I went through the whole bottle.
Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers- my dad and I went to Macy’s one year to get my mom a Christmas present. We went around, carefully sniffing every perfume, and then my eyes saw that one of the GWP was a little tiny radio with the Sunflowers logo on it. I, being 9, wanted it. So I managed to convince my dad to get my mom the bottle of Sunflowers so that I could get the little radio.
BBW Sensual Amber- this was the lotion my mom used a few years ago and it always makes me think of her.
BBW Juniper Breeze- the first scent I fell in love with when I first discovered BBW as a kid. So sad they don’t make that scent anymore.
BBW Warm Vanilla Sugar- this was what I wore my first two years in high school. HS friends tell me that they still think of me when they smell it.
I love reading all these memories from other people!
This is a great question. I would have to say “In Love Again” by Yves Saint Laurent. I still have the old bottle from the 98 release. So many fond memories of nights out having fun at a very young age 😉
Polo. The square, green glass bottle. My father wore cologne and let me pick out new scents for him, but if nothing caught our noses, he would always buy what we called “Green Polo.” He has been gone for 4 years now and his coats and shirts still faintly smell of it. I have not gone to a men’s counter since he died, because I cried the first time I ran into a man who was wearing Green Polo.
I know it doesn’t seem like a happy memory, but any memory of my Daddy is a fond one.
Hermes Orange, Its my fiancee’s favorite scent. I’ve since ‘borrowed’ the bottle he had (and he was forced to purchase a new one), and i spray it lightly onto my pillow.
Yasmin Ali, I used to do a lot of…. er… “borrowing” too. It’s amazing how often the guy has to go get his own bottle afterwards. LOL. :0 Hermès Orange is lovely. Have you ever tried Hermès’ Elixir de Merveilles or, in milder strength, Eau de Merveilles? It might be up your alley. 🙂
Two things I tend to attach to memories – scent & music! Idole D’Armani reminds me of New Orleans because I purchased it in the city and wore it while I visited. Unfortunately they discontinued that fragrance 🙁 I attach Chanel Chance to Florida because I wore it for the two years I lived there. I attach Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess to the beach, since that’s where I always wear it. My most recent, YSL Parisienne I attach to my husband because he always mentions how much he loves the fragrance on me. Needless to say, I’m a huge perfume collector and associate a lot of other fragrances with other memories!
Byblos- My best friend, My lost carefree younger days
D&G The One- My husband yummy
Boyfriend- My sister
Patchouli- The Grateful Dead shows and hot dreaded boys
Heh, I wear D&G The One for Men, Stacey. I really like it. And it’s most definitely sexy on a man!
HA! Ive been known to spray some on myself as well. Ever smell Tom Fords Tobacco Vanille? Thats another ‘mens’ fragrance I wear. Personally The ‘for men’ or ‘for woman’ distinction is merely a suggestion as far as I’m concerned. ;c)
Heh. I couldn’t agree more on your whole “for Men”/”for Women” distinction, Stacey. A big Phoooooey to that. (And I’m not only saying it as a complete perfume junkie.) I haven’t smelled Tobacco Vanille yet, though I am going to review a Tom Ford scent next (Black Orchid Voile de Fleur), as soon as finish writing my review for Serge Lutens’ Serge Noir. I do like tobacco vanilla scents though. Have you ever tried Habanita by Molinard? It’s a famous old classic from 1922 or so, and it’s all about powdered tobacco, vanilla and spice. I’ve answered your question, btw, on the Chanel No. 5 and it should probably appear shortly. I don’t want you to think I was ignoring you. 🙂
L’air du Temps–it’s been my mom’s perfume as long as I can remember.
Gucci Rush–I wore this all throughout college. It really takes me back to a fun time in my life. I thought about buying it again, but I really just like having it remain in that place in my history and keeping it tied to those specific memories.
White Musk from the Body Shop – brings me back to highschool.
CKOne – ditto. That perfume was HUGE when I was in grade 10.
Nag Champa or Sandalwood insence – instantly brings me back to following my favourite band around to all their shows. lol They would burn it before their sets to set the mood. LOTS of great memories road-tripping with friends with that one!
Lilly of the Valley – my childhood bubblebath
And weirdly enough – fresh cigarette smoke. My grandfather was a chainsmoker; every day from when he was 12 to his death in 2003 (the day Columbia broke apart), at 86. Brings me right back to sitting on his lap as a child.
What band?
Weirdly, I totally understand the ‘fresh’ cigarette smoke thing. Like when its first lit in a room, before it gets really burning. That smell reminds me of waking up sunday mornings because my dad would be in the kitchen with the paper, coffee and one cigarette to enjoy in the morning. Sundays were our family days, fond memories…
We must be around the same ago because CK1 reminds me of about 5 of my high school crushes/boyfriends, it was so popular. I cant smell that without a flood of memories.
The band? The Tea Party. They’re Canadian; been around since the early 90’s, and have nothing to do with the political movement of the same name (since that comes up a *lot* now. LOL). Been a fan since their first album. Their sound is described by a lot of people as ‘Moroccan-roll’; I just call it awesome. 🙂
Obsession for men brings me back to my HS crushes. Oh, memories…
For me:
White musk from the body shop, my first perfume when I was eleven, aunts gift 🙂
D&G The One, had kept the scented piece of paper for months, the first perfume I ever saved up for.
The smell of incense it reminds me of the childhoud I had, it also reminds me the orthodox church and my homecountry 🙂 .
VickyM, I love the smell of incense and frankincense. 🙂 I specifically adore that feeling of an old, byzantine, dusky, Orthodox church. Given that you like D&G’s The One (female version)(which is very nice, btw) and musk scents, you may want to see if you can try out Coromandel from Chanel’s Les Exclusifs line. It’s all incense, musk and sweetness with powdered vanilla. Justifiably famous, imo.
Thank you for your suggestion Kafka 😀 I will look for Chanel Coromandel. And yes the smell of incense from the Orthodox Church…takes me back to another time, when I was a child, in the summer, I can hear the other kids laughing, the ocean, the ice cream car, everything. Seems like an eternity far away, even though I´m in my early 20s the time when I was seven or nine seems really far away. And maybe that´s why I love musky scents, and scents reminiscent of incense, I hope I can find Coromandel.
Awwwww, how lovely and beautiful, VickyM. Your memories, I can almost see them before my eyes! The Coromandel is carried exclusively in Chanel boutiques but, depending on your country, there are online retailers where you can buy affordable samples ranging from the basic echantillon vial to much larger sizes (like 15 ml). The place I use has a $5.95 shipping charge to anywhere overseas, if I remember correctly, so if you have ever wanted to try a variety of diff. scents, that’s the way to go. At the very least, it lets you test things out before deciding whether to spent the Euro equivalent of $110 or $200. The site is called Surrender to Chance but there may be a similar sort of site in your own country. BTW, I know you like Guerlain and Guerlain has several very new, exclusif lines of fragrances that most people don’t know about. So, if you’re a Guerlain girl, one of these sites may let you try out their very luxe new perfume lines. 🙂
(And, YES, I do like to corrupt, tempt and enable people into buying more perfume! *grin*)
Thank you for telling me about this perfume now I´m really interested 😀 , but unfortunately in my country online buying is not all that popular, not saying that it doesn´t exist, but it´s very limited to certain areas, beauty not being very popular in the online market at all. We are still used to buy things that we see or smell in person lol. I don´t think we have a Chanel boutique either, only counters in malls. But I´m going to Paris this next August and I will definitely look for Coromandel there 🙂 since you recommend so much. I am more of a Chanel girl but I also love Guerlain and Ysl, the second one on the same level as Chanel actually, I´m fond of Dior aswell. I was kind of embarrassed when you mentioned Guerlain, because I remembered an older review about a Guerlain perfume that everyone seems to hate lol, La petite Robe Noir. I think my comment may have looked a little aggressive or offensive and I want to apologize I really didn´t want to sound like that at all. I still like that perfume even though I still frown at the fact it uses a Chanel creation, the little black dress as it´s image, thats a little weird lol 😀 .
VickyM, YSL used to own me heart and soul when it came to perfumes, followed by Hermès and Dior. We won’t talk about what has happened to YSL fragrances in the last 10-15 years, but especially since L’Oreal took them over. It is far, far too much of a sore point with me. :'(
As for a limited online beauty market, well, I suppose it’s better for the wallet?? LOL. Honestly, I think that would drive me a little crazy as I do most of my shopping online. (But my wallet would be happier!) You’ll have to let me know if you ever get to sniff the Coromandel.
I remember the Guerlain post and, yes, it did come across as very aggressive. That’s probably why I was snotty in my reply. But I wish to apologise to you too. The degree of my coldness (and the snottiness) was not warranted. The whole exchange took place, unfortunately, at a time when I was having some health problems and was feeling really terrible, but it’s no excuse. I’m so, so glad that’s all in the past! And I really look forward to getting to know you better on here. Happy holidays, sweetie! May yours be filled with endless joy and lots of incense. 😉
Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door, every time i smell it, it reminds me of my grandmother. This was pretty much the only perfume she would wear. And smelling it reminds me of the soft, plushy hugs i would get from her and smelling her, and then i miss her so much.
Probably Shalimar. It became my first “big girl” scent when I wore it to my first (of many) high school proms.
And Oscar de la Renta. It reminds me of Easter and Lilly of the Valley!
Moon Drops by Revlon! Maybe the best perfum ever for me, it reminds me of another era, which has now dissapeared, like the perfum itself. It’s a pity you can’t find this kind of perfumes anymore.
Just ordered Philosykos because it reminds me of a candle that imprinted on me in the mid 90’s. Oh l’amour..
Cool Water, or Coolwater. Not sure if there is a space in there 🙂
My best friend wore it when we were young-ish and it became my signature scent in my early to middle teens. I loved the smell for so long, now it evokes memories but isn’t appealing to wear.
My nose is very picky. (hah, unintentionally sounds gross there) I swear, you could do a blind smell test and I would pick the most expensive perfume everytime! I don’t purposely go for the pricey brands but if I let my nose lead the way to what I like it’s invariably from a large fashion label/expensive scent.
I can also tell a cheap perfume easily by getting a whiff.
I used to be a signature-scent kinda gal but in the past few years I prefer to switch it up. The way I’ve found to do it is by buying samples of scents on etsy. Haus of Gloi is one place that has nice scents, as does One Hand Washes The Other. Their copies of famous perfumes are nothing like the cheap drugstore ripoffs- not only do they cost less but they smell just as good if not better than the original.
I love wearing their scented oil blends and have a small collection I want to add too.
I really am enjoying reading the answers to this question. I saw in a documentary more then any other sense, smell invokes the recall of memory in the human brain. More so than sight, touch, hearing or taste.
Oh my goodness!! My grandmother always used Joy also!! 😛 I can’t name anything specific but if I’m out in the store and I get a whiff of someone’s perfume, it’ll send me right back to a certain situation or someone my memory vaguely recalls (like a family friend) but can’t quite put my finger on.
Japanese Cherry Blossom is the lotion I used all the time when my husband (then boyfriend) and I started dating.
Prada Classic together with Mulecules 01 – irresistible…. And Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille……
Molecules 01…. brave girl!!
Estee Lauder Youth Dew and Youth Dew Amber Nude are probably the scents most precious to me because they are the perfumes my beloved Grandmother wore in the year-year and a half before her death. Every time I smell them, it feels like being near her again. Elizabeth Arden Red Door is my other Grandmother’s signature scent and has been for years…her house smells like it. The scent I associate with holidays, good times at her house, lots of family, food and everything that goes with that, and so I love it for that reason.
Pure Seduction from Victoria’s Secret, immediately brings me back to being 16, and my boyfriend was coming over for the first time. It’s what I wore.
My Grandmother used to wear, Garden of Gardenia, which was her favorite scent and although she has been gone for over 32 years, till this day, every time I smell gardenias, I think of her and tears spring to my eyes.
Another scent memory, is any time I smell Chanel No. 5, I think of my mother for she has worn this perfume for as long as I remember and although I like this scent, I have never been able to wear for I associate my mother with that scent.