Evocative scents. Disappointed.

Erm.... She not I!

seadragon I bought the original Fragonard perfume from their factory in Grasse and it was lovely and, kept in a dark drawer, it lasted for ages. O wonder if the one you ordered on line was a cologne rather than the perfume? I was delighted when M&S started stocking some of their products and I'm currently wearing Grain de Soleil.

When it comes to nostalgia I chiefly remember Old Spice which was very big with teenagers in the 60s, Tweed which I wore because I thought it would make me sophisticated, and the smell of Max Factor make up which my mother always wore. Sadly Max Factor doesn't seem to have much scent at all now.

BRUT after shave or cologne from the 70s. I still seek it out and buy it for my husband.

“You’ll be a little lovelier each day
With fabulous pink Camay”.

Takes me back to schooldays!

Astral soap reminds me of being in hospital in my late teens. I don’t know if it exists any more. Probably not.

Wright’s Coal Tar soap = my grandmother’s bathroom.

I’d love to find some Je Reviens that smells exactly like it used to.

I wore Je Reviens when DH and I first met and he always loved it. I was given a bottle of cologne for Christmas that instantly reminded me of one that he used to wear, so now that is my go to for everyday.

Just a side issue but I always try to wear nice perfume for my hospital volunteer shifts. This was after a patient said it was so nice to have a change from 'hospital' medical smells. I could see her point. I collect small samples of nice hand creams to give patients for that reason too.

That’s kind and thoughtful of you Aveline

My Mum always has Imperial Leather soap and it gives me a comforting sort of feeling, am told it’s sandalwood.
I bought her a bottle of Sunflowers a couple of years ago as she said she used to like it, but she says it has no scent at all!
I thought maybe it was her, but after trying it I realised it was nothing more than coloured water ( bought online) so only buy fragrances from Boots now.

Smell is so evocative and can be mood enhancing (or the opposite.) So many memories wrapped up in scent.

Brut aftershave. It was a thing when we were at school and girls wore it as perfume.

Oh I agree about Chanel 5. I used to like it. My late husband made special arrangements for the delivery from France of the last bottle I had. I didn't have the heart to tell him I hated it.

I love Bromley lemon soaps (also used by the late Queen) and citrus smells generally now.

Bronnley!

BigBertha1

Imperial Leather reminds me of my Dad using it to shave with which insisted on doing in the kitchen despite having a bathroom.

Same as my Dad. This made me laugh.

So sad when they change the formula of a beloved perfume and it doesn't smell or last the same.
Used to love Pears soap but we tried the liquid version and it was vile. I used to love th4 smell of coal star soap, imperial leather with the small label and was envious of my friend who had the pink Camay soap as I loved the smell.

Imperial Leather was my mother's favourite and I still use it today. A few years ago they stopped making the large 200g bar and now the bars are quite small. But going through my mother's things after she died I found a pack of large bars she had bought years before so I took them for everyday use. Wonderful!
My first teenage perfume was Femme. I found that it was being made again and bought a small bottle. What nostalgia.....!

I suppose it must be that expensive ingredients have been omitted is the reason why beloved scents can't be got now. I stopped buying Pears soap when it was no longer Pears soap

I love sandalwood. I went to a farm in West Australia where they grow it and bought up big but it is expensive now . I am glad they are growing it because it has become scarce and endangered apparently.

There was a lovely perfume called Ecusson, long disappeared I think.

Imperial Leather and Pears are my bathroom must-haves, but I agree, they don’t smell as nice as before. My sister in law always had a bar of soap, under her pillow …

I think it's a sign of being older but I really like good soap. The texture and scents are a real treat for me. I used to feel sorry for old aunts and grannies being given 'smellies' at Christmas but now it's me and I'm very glad to receive them.

My maternal grandma always used Imperial Leather and my other Grandma Wrights Cold Tar soap, she also used Tide wash powder which smelt lovely (no fabric conditioner in those days). My mum
used to buy Knights Castile or Fairy.

hollysteers

I love Bromley lemon soaps (also used by the late Queen) and citrus smells generally now.

I remember getting Bromley soaps as gifts when I was young. The lemon one was lemon shaped and you got three 9I think) in a lovely box.

I also like citrusy smells but prefer orange these days as some of the lemon reminds me of cleaning products.

I used to love Aqua Manda when I was a teenager. The brown glass bottle with the fancy lid. Also Kiku which was in a yellow bottle but I can't remember if it was a lemony smell.

Other favourites were Yardley Caprice and Yardley Sea Jade. They revived Sea Jade a while ago but it didn't smell like I remembered it

Yardley Sea Jade was my very first perfume PinkCosmos I loved it. I then moved onto Stevie B & Cachet which I wore through my late teens/early 20’s. My sister always liked Aqua Manda, it had great packaging, really captures the era.

Anyone remember Avon Pretty Peach soaps, we often got them as a stocking filler.

*SachaMac - I also had Cachet and, later on Fidji.

When I was quite young I had Avon Pretty Peach. The little perfume container like a basket of peaches and the bottles, peach coloured with a peach on the lid. And the soap on a rope shaped like a peach. I loved them