Smells that evoke memories

[Hepzibar]

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

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

Autumn bonfire smoke always reminds me of they day my then boyfriend went to university, as my dad was having a garden fire on the day of and when he came round to say bye. It felt devastating at the time (I was in the year below so staying in our hometown to do my last year of sixth form). He was only an hour up the road but I was teenage drama queen sad about it. I always feel a bit sad for a moment when I smell bonfire smoke now as a result.

Lavender. Always reminds me of dd1-I had a bad tear and the midwife ordered me to have a bath twice a day with lavender oil and milk in it for healing. I loathe baths but the smell of lavender is pure nostalgia for when dd1 was a tiny baby and it was all so scary and new.

Slightly rotting veg and cardboard - grandparents were grocers and that smell takes me right back to the shop.

Bristows hairspray (before they changed it) - my contribution to the hole in the ozone layer.

Bodyshop White musk - teenage years, going onto patchouli oil for university years.

Hugo Boss - huge crush at uni.

Ripening tomatos in a greenhouse on a hot day remind me of my uncle.

Smell of elnett hairspray and face powder my grandmother.

Smell of playdough is so comforting and nostalgic.

I think people and everyones houses have their own smell. Some I find really comforting.

My grandma had a paticular smell of tunes(cough lozenges) oil of ulay and moth balls , (not an unpleasant amell but dostinctive)

Oregano always reminds me of Greece.

Honeysuckle reminds me of my first pregnancy, I had very bad sickness and the smell of it wafting in the bathroom window must have formed an association. DH had to remove it after DC was born as it would still make me nauseous.

Acetone, nail polishy smells make me think of home.
Mum had a little salon upstairs so every time I came home from school that’s the smell I was greeted with.
Can’t walk past a salon without missing her!

Jasmine instantly transports me to my grandparents apartment in Spain.

Mint imperials - my granny Lawson who died many years ago

Fahrenheit and Davidoff Cool Water were what the boys wore when I was a teen, a whiff of either and I am 16 again!

Orange blossom - my childhood bedroom

Lily of the valley reminds me of my nanna.

And Anais anais as it was my first 'grown up' perfume. Aged 10.

Those hideous incense sticks remind me of my hedonistic hippy teenage years.

Surgical spirit. It reminds me of my lovely dad a type 1 diabetic who had to inject twice daily and used it to disinfect his needles. We lost him 20 years ago and I still miss him

Matey bubble bath. Smells exactly like I remember from childhood!

Smell of fags just generally takes me back to the good old days.

Joop! reminds me of snogging unsuitable blokes.

Tomatoes reminds me of my grandad.

New hewn wood reminds me of our wood work classes at school: which bizarrely only involved electric circuit boards. And the teacher, he did not give a fuck and wasn't afraid to show it, that fella.

Body shop apple blossom oil reminds me of being 18. Would love to smell it again but I can imagine the smell. Same with Je Reviens ( my late mums favourite), really must try and find a small bottle!

Cool water for ladies reminds me of one of my best friends from school (we're still best friends but she doesn't wear it 20 years later).
I remember coming home with dad on a Saturday and smelling it in the hall way of our block of flats. She would be waiting on the stairs opposite our flat door, ready to get down to some serious gaming, watching anime and eating Haribo.
Brylcreem and old smoke reminds me of my dad.

Charlie Red - meeting DH in a youth hostel in Austria.
Imperial Leather soap - both sets of grandparents bathrooms.
Fairly Liquid - my great aunt's kitchen.

Certain leather jackets have a scent that transports me to France, Loire Valley and my first kiss.

Tweed - my great-aunt who was a sweetheart
Deep Heat - my Nan who was never not completely slathered in it

I love how smells bring back memories. One of my favourite things to do on holiday is to buy soap and body lotion locally (definitely not something I've ever used before), use it all the way through the holiday and then save whatever's left for use in February when I'm sick of winter and need a quick blast of summer memory!