Experience of Re-purchasing Perfumes of Days Past

[PearlsAreGirlsBestFriend]

There are a couple of scents from my younger days that I loved or just remember wearing or someone else wearing at certain stages of life. Nostalgic feeling…

I have bought / been gifted a couple on request but failed to trigger the step back in time feeling. Some I didn’t even enjoy as much (D&G Light Blue, Nina Ricci Premiere Jour), some didn’t seem to be as strong and long lasting (Chanel Allure).

I am obsessing now about Paloma Picasso and Boucheron, nowhere to sample, so will have to buy a whole bottle.

Just curious if anyone has experienced the same and also has anyone stayed loyal to a scent for decades?

It’s a risk I think because often perfumes are reformulated. It’s that they do smell (very) different, rather than that you have forgotten or tastes changed.
I bought Elizabeth Arden’s ‘True Love’ a year or so ago looking to enjoy the deep powdery under notes/ trail i remembered from the past - I was disappointed - completely gone - all that is left is a type of weak rose watery scent.
That said, sometimes your body chemistry changes so much that things smell differently on you. I noticed this after pregnancy and during menopause.
I love perfume and can identify lots of different notes. Every time I’m tempted to buy a bottle of eg Fidgi by Guy Laroche I remind myself of money that I have wasted on past disappointments and find something more current that I can test first in store eg Rituals L’eclat is a similar enough vibe to satisfy my Fidgi craving.

On Boucheron - I have never tried that but Fragrantica suggests that it is similar to my great favourite Hermes 24 Faubourg which you can check out in a shop / airport.

I bought a bottle of Fiji in a whim as I loved it back in the day. I don't know if it's me or it's been changed but it just didn't give me any kind of feeling. I ended up putting it in the charity box as it was practically new.

So disappointing 😔

That’s a shame. But you have saved me wasting money on buying it! Not sure you can ever go back. Maybe we need to focus on finding something new.
But I'm contradicting myself again - I bought a bottle of Estée Lauder’s Youth Dew a year or so ago to remind me of my mother - and it does. Seems to me just as I remember and very beautiful, even if hard to pull off some days. Far nicer than recent strong winter smells that are everywhere now - looking at you Penhaligon’s Halfetti and Tom Ford!

@AgnesX maybe try Rituals L’eclat perfume? Not as flowery as Fidgi was but has the lovely light ambery wood shavings end. They do a handbag sized bottle for £18 and you can usually try the perfume in standalone Rituals shops.

@EvelynBeatrice I have discovered Youth Dew by accident 5 years ago, don’t remember how and it has been my comfort blanket for winter nights ever since. Just one spritz after shower makes me feel cozy and it eases off enough by bedtime. DP is a fan of Aramis with similar aura, saving last few drops of discontinued Aramis 900 for our upcoming wedding. I am considering Aromatics Elixir for myself as I love Aramis and it’s a women’s version.

Oh I had the same experience with Light Blue! Wasn't quite what I remembered.

Sounds interesting thankyou

I used to love Max Factor "Geminesse", it was discontinued years ago and then a concoction was released with the same name... awful.

I tend to seek out vintage body creams or miniature bottles of the scents that I crave. They tend to be more authentic and I can get my fix.

In my 20s I wore the original Aqua di Parma and loved it. I am now over 50 and still haven't found "my" scent. I thought I would try Aqua di Parma again so I bought a discovery set.
I was so disappointed, not just with the scents but also the longevity (or lack of).
I remember back in the day i felt glamorous and sophisticated wearing it. I can't put my finger on why but i didn't particularly like any of the scents and they barely lasted 10 minutes on my skin.
The search continues.