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Perfumes ( and aftershaves ) from our youth.

(170 Posts)
Kandinsky Tue 09-Apr-19 09:21:07

I always remember a bottle of Youth Dew on my sisters dressing table, plus my brother used Aramis. My dad used Old Spice. grin
As a teenager I used Charlie & Cachet - I even remember the magazine adverts for those!
But I look back most fondly on the little pots of cream perfume from Avon. I think I had every one.

What did you wear in your youth?

Mapleleaf Wed 10-Apr-19 12:42:29

What fond memories!
I'd forgotten all about some of these perfumes.
I liked Kiku, too. My sister bought me some one Christmas.
I'd forgotten all about Avon's Occur, which I liked. I seem to recall you could get it in a solid version - not really a cream, more like a slightly mire solid Vaseline consistency. (Or am I going mad ??).
Tweed is another that I liked.
Dad used to splash on Old Spice - you could smell him coming downstairs before you saw him! ?
Mum liked Blue Grass and 4711, but as a treat, had some Chanel No 5 bought for her which she wore for special occasions.

I'm sure there will be many more I remember as this thread grows.

oldgaijin Wed 10-Apr-19 12:36:02

Loved Guerlain Mitsuko...is it still on the market? Ditto Vent Vair but can’t remember who made it.

inishowen Wed 10-Apr-19 12:32:39

I bought Youth Dew when I started work. One of the men said "you can't wear that, it's Florence's perfume". So Florence had got there first! I loved Avon Honeysuckle which came in a tube like a lipstick. A boyfriend bought me Channel No. 5 which to me smells like an old ladies perfume.

Chrishappy Wed 10-Apr-19 12:30:11

Loved aqua Amanda in my teens. Went on to buy Charlie and moondrops when I started work. felt very grown up walking round the perfume counters in Lewis's at 16. I moved on to yardley Sea jade , tabu , dewberry , poison and youth dew . Today I'm more toned down as I'd choke on some of the perfumes of my youth. I'm more of an issy myaki or jo malone fruity girl now.

Suers Wed 10-Apr-19 12:25:42

I liked French Almond, can’t remember who made it. I couldn’t afford anything pricier. My mum had L’Aimant although I never knew her use it. She was more of a 4711 gal. I hated the smell of it...

Grannyboots1 Wed 10-Apr-19 12:21:14

Mitsouka by Guerlain is always on my dressing table. Very hard to find in the shops. I read somewhere it was Margaret Thatchers favourite!

missdeke Wed 10-Apr-19 12:19:46

Dad used to buy mum Tweed, whereas our pocket money for presents for her only ran to Californian Poppy or Evening in Paris from Woolies. My perfume of choice was Here's my Heart from Avon, Now I only like light fresh perfumes, everything seems to make my headache.

GrannyBettie Wed 10-Apr-19 12:07:30

Knit nuts - I too had the peach Soap on a rope from about 9, I loved it. In my teens I used Charlie and sometimes Tweed. Early 20s moved into Rive Gauche and then Opium. I now like Boss perfumes or Aqua di Palma - Iris Nobile.
When I was in my early 20s I had a crush on someone a bit older who wore Aramis and I still love the smell of that after shave?

annifrance Wed 10-Apr-19 11:52:09

My mother used Blue Grass, 4711 and L'Aimant. I liked Coty Imprevu, Fidji and Helena Rubenstein Apple Blossom. An American friend gave my mother a gift of a perfume I loved, and I have since identified it as Giorgio Beverly Hills.

I started using Miss Balmain when I was 18 and then Lanvin Arpege when I was 20 and still love it.

Knitnuts Wed 10-Apr-19 11:42:22

I was given Avon Pretty Peach soap-on-a-rope and perfume for Christmas for a few years from age 9. I felt so grown up! Later moved on to Charlie, along with all my other Jackie-reading friendssmile. Later on I loved Anäis Anäis, Moon Drops and Musk oil. My favourite now is YSL Paris which everyone says smells lovely on me. I wouldn’t know as, having worn it for so long, I can’t smell a thing! Keep wearing it because others say it’s nice.

Camelotclub Wed 10-Apr-19 11:34:42

You can still find lots of the aforementioned perfumes in old fashioned chemists! There's one in Moreton in the Marsh that has Tweed and Charlie to name but two.

Most modern perfumes smell to me like you've just opened a tin of peaches. Horribly sweet and sickly.

Millie22 Wed 10-Apr-19 11:33:59

Charlie with a free triangle pendant which I still have somewhere.

VIOLETTE Wed 10-Apr-19 11:31:16

Oh yes ! Youth Dew ..the shape of the bottle !! and then Tweed ! I love perfume and treat myself whenever possible ...I thought I would like La Vie est Belle or L'Interdit ...so at the airport the other day I bought a box full of trial size perfumes ...glad I did before I wasted money I HATE La Vie est Belle and L'Interdit ……..smile In my first job one of the staff was an Avon lady, and I used to buy a cream perfume called WISHING and the talc to go with it ! Happy memories ! My mother always used Lilly of the Valley in a grape shaped bottle she kept for years and years ……………...

Maidmarion Wed 10-Apr-19 11:22:45

I go back to the early sixties.... used to buy a tiny square bottle of ‘ White Mink' .... and a red one called ‘ Red Fire' from Boots.. I was only In my early teens, but perfume is my one addiction and I’ve worn it every day!! My darling mum used to wear Coty L’Aimant and I still do, for sentimental reasons ... and the fact that I love it!!!

grandmaz Wed 10-Apr-19 11:20:16

So many fondly remembered fragrances mentioned here...lovely thread! My first ever perfume was a little bottle of Wishing by Avon, given to me on my 13th Christmas by a friend of my parents. I really loved it. Then as I started to earn money it was Kiku and L'Aimant...followed by Envol in my late twenties and thirties. Now in my late sixties, I've settled on 24 Faubourg by Hermes..and although I've tried others from time to time - I always come back to it. The boys in my young days used to douse themselves in Brut or Old Spice...looking back I wonder whether, as my friends mum suggested, it was because they were 'bathroom shy'! grin

nanarossi Wed 10-Apr-19 11:19:06

Gingham perfume for the girls and Brut for the lads. I had Kiku talc in a yellow ball with a tassel. It had a fluffy puff to dab it on. Seemed very sophisticated then.

Gin Wed 10-Apr-19 11:17:30

Anyone remember Gin Fizz? I loved that. Other favourites were Je Reviens and Ma Griffe.

Purplepoppies Wed 10-Apr-19 11:15:58

My first serious boyfriend bought me youthdew!! Bless him.
I remember Charlie, you can still buy that! And I remember cachet. For guys I remember dad wearing old spice. Fond memories

harrysgran Wed 10-Apr-19 11:11:35

Avon moonwind in a dark blue bottle, Alyssa Ashley musk and Dewberry and fuzzy peach from body shop all bring back good memories

Annaram1 Wed 10-Apr-19 11:02:30

I too loved Tweed. Is it still around?
My mum adored Evening in Paris with its blue and silver bottle and the label with the Eiffel Tower. Sadly I think it is discontinued now.

jeapurs54 Wed 10-Apr-19 11:02:03

I recently was having a clear out of some old boxes and found a bar of 4711 soap, not sure if the smell would still be there although still in its wrapper, may put on antique road show smile

jeapurs54 Wed 10-Apr-19 10:57:32

Kiku was a favourite of mine and Rive Gauche but when I looked at Rive Gauche recently the price scared me over £50.

Willow10 Wed 10-Apr-19 10:53:09

I still buy Charlie - Red, Blue and Gold - in Boots, for everyday use. Also wore Coty L'aimant and Hartnell In Love.

Nanny27 Wed 10-Apr-19 10:50:02

kandinsky Estée Lauder White Linen is gorgeous. I can’t afford it now but always look for a tester if I go to Boots and put plenty on.

lolarabbit Wed 10-Apr-19 10:45:50

My mum wore Apple Blossom and it obviously did live up to its name - whenever I walk through apple trees in spring it evokes memories of her smile
For me growing up it was Charlie, which I seem to remember had the added benefit of repelling mosquitoes!