tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post5938019621346147887..comments2024-03-28T05:28:29.786-04:00Comments on The Non-Blonde: Early Scent MemoriesGaiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11561470171631737626noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-62898583216607707022015-03-04T14:32:00.050-05:002015-03-04T14:32:00.050-05:00I love this post Gaia - beautiful writing, it'...I love this post Gaia - beautiful writing, it's one of my favorite pieces!Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04799815810869706346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-30785919618826489462015-03-04T14:31:23.860-05:002015-03-04T14:31:23.860-05:00I love the scent combination of sea spray, Coppert...I love the scent combination of sea spray, Coppertone sun tan lotion and Chlorine from our pool – my parents had a membership at a seaside yacht club. It’s probably the only reason I love beachy/salty/oceanic scents. <br /><br />The heavenly scent of my Nana’s makeup (powdery violets) mixed with her Aliage cologne.<br /><br />The scent of lilacs combined with the scent from beds of Iris and marigolds in my father’s garden.<br /><br />The powerful scent of leather, sweet feed and horses mingled with fall leaves. <br /><br />My nana’s antique wood furniture and whatever wax was used to polish it to a high shine had a faint incense smell to it that reminds me of Coromandel by Chanel and Moss Breches by Tom Ford.<br /><br />Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04799815810869706346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-64386343831309241612015-03-04T12:34:12.829-05:002015-03-04T12:34:12.829-05:00I agree with Anna on the base notes; was reading r...I agree with Anna on the base notes; was reading reviews of vintage Youth Dew last night.<br /><br />I come from a family largely disinterested in perfume, unless you count food. Dad and the grandparents gardened, so there were always flowers. There was a car trip incident where one of us kids asked Mom if she had perfume on and she replied "No, that's your father, it must be his girlfriend's." He quickly explained that he had been perfume shopping in a department store, and tactfully bought Mom a bottle of Revlon Intimate for Christmas. Not that she wore perfume...<br /><br />A boss bought me Charlie for Christmas in the 70's. The fact that I loved the body lotion but couldn't tolerate the spray was my first hint that synthetics would be a problem for me.<br /><br />One of my favorite smells, mysteriously unchanged in 50 years, is of my Nana washing clothes in her wringer washer, outdoors at her summer cottage, with Oxydol. I recently started using Oxyclean and I swear it smells exactly the same.Andy NMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-39450832093573619182015-03-04T11:04:00.196-05:002015-03-04T11:04:00.196-05:00Love hearing about very early childhood scent memo...Love hearing about very early childhood scent memories! The scent of the inside of a washing machine - that's so interesting and unique. I need to go smell our machine. Here are some of my most vivid early childhood scent memories:<br /><br />Chlorine from our pool - my parents put me in the water to learn to swim before I was two. Also have very clear memories of the scent of the inflatable dragon I had to float around in when I wasn't being encouraged to swim on my own.<br /><br />The scent of a cleaning product used on the floors of a particular hotel we stayed in when I was around four - for some reason that one particular cleaning product has always remained crystal clear in my mind. I'm not sure what exactly it was, but I've smelled products vaguely similar to it a few times since (was definitely not a product I've ever smelled used in the US). It wasn't a beautiful smell by any means, but I do associate it with happy times.<br /><br />The heavenly (to me) scent of fumes from vehicles using diesel fuel.<br /><br />My parents didn't smoke (nor do I), but everyone at their frequent parties did and I still love the scent of cigarette smoke (even ashtrays) and associate it with cocktail parties and people in beautiful outfits. But I also remember the scent of scotch and water, which I hated and still do. And at those parties my scent obsessed father would always bring me out to say hello to everyone and he specifically wanted me to notice what the women smelled like (and what they were wearing) and the next morning we would have bonding time, talking about which perfumes and clothes the women had worn (he started doing this when I was three - had zero concept of age and always spoke to me as if I were an adult).<br /><br />The smell of Maja soap my father kept in his clothing drawers (did everyone used to do that?).<br /><br />The scent of hot tea with lots of milk and sugar, which I was served every afternoon and the scent of boiled milk and honey, which I was given each night before bed when I was very little. I also have very strong memories of the scent of plain boiled rice and various cumin scented dishes.<br /><br />The scent of lilacs which I would bury my nose in during yearly visits to close family friends in northern Europe. And the scent from huge beds of marigolds in our own garden in the first home I remember living in.<br /><br />The powerful scent of small stores that sold everything from food to scented oils, candles and incense and which, for me, is almost perfectly replicated by MdO's Nuit Noire. Also have very clear memories of the dense, rich scents of food and spice markets.<br /><br />The scent of hot people on crowded buses and the smell of the torn vinyl covered seats - good memories, so not an unpleasant association for me.<br /><br />An antique cherry wood statue we had in our home which, along with the scent of the cherry wood, had a very faint incensey smell to it.<br /><br />I think these very early memories are why I usually crave complex scents and why, although I do enjoy and happily wear certain fresh, clean scents, my real comfort scents are never, ever transparent and light. I like a strong emphasis on base notes, adore vintage scents and hearing a perfume described as "skanky" is like a clarion call for me - will always have to try it.<br />AnnaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-6598427018151901022015-03-04T01:45:08.147-05:002015-03-04T01:45:08.147-05:00I have so many vivid memories of smells from my ch...I have so many vivid memories of smells from my childhood and here are just a few. That Charlie ad makes me remember as a kid in the late 70's and early 80's my brother and I would get my mom a bottle of Charlie and my dad Old Spice for their birthdays. Kerosene heaters and then later wood burning in a Franklin stove were part of my childhood in winter. I had a cat that was insanely addicted to heat and she would lay right by them so close to them that we were worried she would hurt herself and we would move her. And my beloved grandmother’s perfume collection of vintage L’Air du Temps, Shalimar, and Chanel No 5 to name a few, which I would stare fascinated at the beautiful bottles and dare to carefully open and smell as a small child. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27044110.post-78162839553855012212015-03-04T00:42:48.679-05:002015-03-04T00:42:48.679-05:00Gaia this is one of my favorite pieces you've ...Gaia this is one of my favorite pieces you've ever written. And Non-Blonde-lover that I am, that's saying something! When you write about perfume, scent is a symphony and the read is a tango! Because of you I've had to decant detox a few times ha! I owe most of my favorite discoveries to the irresistible picture you painted :) <br /><br />This post though! It's extra special. What a ride you took me on through the iconic scents of your childhood, Wow! Reading yours sparked my own scent memories which brought me back like it was yesterday..to the musty old scent of my grandmother's car in the cobwebbed garage, the always delicious smell of fried foods in my childhood best friend's kitchen, the very distinct smells of swimming lessons with the inflatables and chlorine water, original chapstick, the cafeteria in my elementary school, Jean Nate (did I douse myself often? Yes, yes I did ha!), oh my gosh my childhood town library! <br /><br />My mind is reeling now and I'm going to perhaps write my most distinct scent memories in a journal, just to keep. And I'm going to ask my family and friends to remember their own and invite them to share with me. What an Awesome way to learn something new and deeply affecting about each other! <br /><br />Well dear Gaia, Bravo Bravo on writing such a truly Beautiful journey and Thank You so much for sharing your memories! :) <br /><br />Love,<br />Zanne :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com