Perfume Memories

Have you ever dabbed an old perfume on your neck and wrists, and a sudden wave of emotion comes over you, and thoughts of people, places, events and stories flood into your brain all at once? This happened to me recently when I swapped my summery scents for my wintery ones. It made me appreciate each one of them, despite some of the bad memories.

When I go back to an old scent after a while of wearing something different, I remember all sorts of things. It can be a uncomfortable, sometimes even distressing, but also wonderful, exciting and heartwarming.

Winter Perfume Memories

Stella McCartney The Print Collection 2 EDP

Perhaps this is not a wintery scent. Perhaps that is what I associate the perfume with as my mum gave it to me last Christmas, and I wore it during the colder months. When I wear it I feel red and green and gold and silver. I feel the warmth of my home after a walk in the cold. I feel my woolen scarf and winter coat and black boots. 

Chloé by Chloé EDP

I first got this when I was sixteen for my Birthday after falling in love with the sample I found in a magazine. I have gone through a couple of bottles of this since then and I think it's a love that will last forever. Chloé makes me think of special occasions, and my sixteenth Birthday when I first wore it. I feel Christmassy and glamorous when I wear it. I feel pretty even on days when I feel ugly.

Summer Perfume Memories

SeeBy Chloé EDP

SeeBy Chloé reminds me of my sister, Sarah, because she had it first. When I wear this scent I also remember the end of the summer just past; new things and change. It's a fusion of sadness, anxiety, excitement and my Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter body butter lotion.

Tam Dao by Diptyque EDT

Although Tam Dao by Diptyque is one of my absolute favourite perfumes, has a unique, musky, I-can't-stop-smelling-this scent, ultimately, it reminds me of a bad time in my life. I got it for my Birthday this year and I was going through a really rough time. University was over, as was a two year relationship and I was feeling pretty lost. However, I refuse to let any of that ruin this gorgeous perfume for me, and will continue to wear it as it is stunning, but it is proving a lot more difficult to disassociate bad memories from beautiful scents.

Love of Pink by Lacoste EDT

Lacoste Love of Pink takes me back to the first year of University. I went to Bristol on my 19th Birthday and had a voucher to spend at a perfume shop that my Grandpa gave me. My sister had the Lacoste Touch of Pink perfume when she was younger and it reminded me of her, but now it makes me think of the Summer of 2011, writing to uni friends, traveling up and down the country on the train to see them, being young and falling in love. I only wear this in the warmer months, as a result, and it isn't one that I would choose first but I like it on a floaty dress and ice creams kind of summer's day.

What are your perfume memories? Have you got a favourite scent? Read more about smell and memory here.