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Original poster

Smells that evoke memories

67 replies

Hepzibar · 03/09/2018 20:36

Bought some Wrights Coal Tar soap (for reasons I won't bore you with). As soon as walked into the bathroom this evening I was transported right back to my grans house. Lovely memories, although I complained about the soap at the time, I wanted Camay or Lux Grin

The smell of a certain detergent reminds me instantly of nursery school, and yet my DM insists I couldn't possibly remember going there.

OP posts:
LucheroTena · 03/09/2018 22:08

Cut grass reminds me of lounging around the school fields at lunch.

Creosote reminds me of autumn. Walking past newly painted fences.

Fahrenheit reminds me of snogging this boy I had a massive crush on.

Smells are so evocative.

Justgivemesomepeace · 03/09/2018 22:15

Imperial Leather soap- my paternal nanna
Pears soap - maternal grandad
Coal fire- manna
Bonfire- grandad
Brill cream- grandad
Tobacco- cleaning my dad's pipe when I was a kid
Cut grass- hanging about on the fields in a big gang in my teens

Maybethistime8 · 03/09/2018 22:17

Joop. It reminds me of being a teenager. I used to love boys wearing it!

SoundofSilence · 03/09/2018 22:22

The smell of newly laid chipboard takes me back to my teenage years and putting down fresh wood shaving beds for our pony. That and saddle soap transport me instantly.

schoolday · 03/09/2018 22:27

parma violets - auntie Jen

A certain cooking smell but I’ve never identified it - my paternal grandmother’s home. I think it’s a sort of mince and pastry mixture!

AdaColeman · 03/09/2018 22:36

Je reviens perfume for my Mum, and Eau sauvage after shave for my Dad, I've got a little of both for when things are really bleak.

That almondy glue takes me right back to the school art room.

vampirethriller · 03/09/2018 22:37

Imperial Leather is my Grandad.
I've still got a bottle of my grans Kiku perfume from the 80s, I smell it when I miss her.
Elderflower is the orchard of the house I grew up in.

highlandcoo · 03/09/2018 22:44

The sense of smell is closely linked to the memory part of your brain isn't it? (You can tell I'm not a scientist by that inaccurate explanation)

A few weeks before I started in P1 (Scottish equivalent of Reception) I got a leather satchel and it hung in the hall cupboard waiting to be used. I was so excited about starting school and used to often try it on and smell it .. so the smell of leather reminds me of that lovely sense of anticipation. It was a fab satchel with a wee pocket on the front for my play-piece if anyone remembers them?

I can also remember my mum made me a tutu for a ballet show. The net in the skirt had a certain smell (I know this sounds odd but it definitely did!) and also reminds me of being so full of excitement .. lovely memories.

And when I went into hospital to have my first DC my mum gave me a little bottle of Anais Anais as a gift. I don't wear it now but sometimes have a spray of it in the Duty Free shop and it takes me right back to these first days with my beautiful new baby.

highlandcoo · 03/09/2018 22:46

Oh, and peat fires!

Holidays in the north-west of Scotland in the 60s. We used to help cut the peat.

Needsleepneedsleep · 03/09/2018 22:46

So many.

Body Shop Dewberry scent - my teenage years.

Honeysuckle and hyacinth flower - childhood summers.

BBQ's - childhood summers.

Cigar and pipe smoke - Christmas and my uncle.

Roast dinners - my nan and her house.

Kerosote - very early childhood.

Impulse Hint of Musk - late teens, used to wear it a lot.

Poison and Anais Anais - again late teens and early 20s. Nowadays I think they smell awful, but if I catch a whiff it takes me right back to those days.

TwentySmackeroos · 03/09/2018 22:50

Atrixo hand cream, on the window ledge in the kitchen.

White Musk from the Body Shop - school!

Issey Miyake Ghost - one summer chambermaiding, I had a long stay guest whose room I cleaned. I used to sneak a daily spray. Just a little spray. She started to hide it. There are limited places to hide perfume in a hotel room. I’m embarrassed now, but it was like a drug when I was 19!

On the flip side, the smell of Bombay Sapphire gin makes me (also 19)

Queenofthedrivensnow · 03/09/2018 22:54

Dove soap - my grandmothers house. I had no grandparents by the time I was 21.

Gaultier cologne. My lovely and dead stepdad.

Ecover washing liquid. My mum and all her houses.

I can't name it but my best friends house smells like generic washing powder. I remarked the other day she must have used the same brand forever. She said she hasn't but I'm not the first to comment on the very familiar smell.

The one about fairy liquid and nursery was really lovely.

Queenofthedrivensnow · 03/09/2018 22:56

That ourdoor string is it treated with tar? Reminds me of trago mills when I was a child in Falmouth

OhNoGroken · 03/09/2018 23:03

How funny, I started a very similar thread with this exact name about a year ago. It’s of course expired now as I posted it in chat. I posted about the smell of coconut Alberto balsalm reminding me of those first few showers after my firstborn was born. Of the rawness, the tiredness and the blood in the shower. Seeing my baby sleep in his Moses basket all blurry through the shower door, and of snuggly still damp baby snuggles as I nursed him back to sleep with my hair still wet.

They ‘improved’ the scent shortly afterwards and I still crave the old smell.

Poor second child has the smell of greasy hair and dry shampoo Grin

Moonflower12 · 03/09/2018 23:16

@Needsleepneedsleep

I love the smell of ImpulseHint of Musk. It reminds me of my teens and my first boyfriend.

30 years later I'm back with him so wear it for old times sake!

ginghambox · 03/09/2018 23:23

Napalm , but only in the mornings for some reason.

Grandadwasthatyou · 03/09/2018 23:43

Lakeland Violet perfume which my dgm loved.

4711 fragrance which my DM used to put in the iron to make the clothes smell nice.

Garden Bonfires in the autumn so that we all came in after playing out all day smelling of woodsmoke.

Aquamande bubble bath and Gingham edt when I was about 14. Also juicy fruit chewing gum.

Kouros aftershave which my late DH wore.

AdaColeman · 03/09/2018 23:49

Oh Moonflower how lovely to be back with your first boyfriend!

UsedToLoveMorrissey · 04/09/2018 07:13

Cigars. Until I was 9 my papa lived with us and he smoked cigars now and then, but at Xmas both he and my dad smoked them non stop (so it seemed to me). I’ve not smelled cigars for many many years, papa is gone, my dad stopped smoking long ago and no on3 I know smokes anything, but I’m sure one whiff of a cigar and I’d be transported back to Xmas 1970s. That would be a good smell to smell.

Deathraystare · 04/09/2018 07:54

Bought some Wrights Coal Tar soap

This was Dad's soap. We had Camay or Lux!

Dad had something by Yardley which had 'electric shave' on it. I used to pur his stuff into my bath. I was worried i'd be electrocuted!!!!!

JynxaSmoochum · 04/09/2018 08:10

Tinsel: childhood Christmases
Drying cut grass: playing on the school fields
The sweet plasticy smell of a new My Little Pony

My neighbour used to smoke a pipe and his tobacco had a lovely warm smell that was throughout their cosy living room.

schoolday · 04/09/2018 08:14

Tinsel has a smell?! Shock

BikeRunSki · 04/09/2018 14:31

Pine needles on a warm day - DS as a newborn.

Openup41 · 04/09/2018 15:29

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 04/09/2018 15:32

Atrixo handcream is the most evocative smell for me... Reminds me of my beloved nanny. I use it to keep her with me, iyswim

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