Perfume is inherently nostalgic. You likely remember the heady floral aroma of your grandmother’s perfume, the fresh scent you wore to your high school graduation, and the sweet fragrance you had on during your first kiss. But not all nostalgic perfumes come in fragrance form. Think of the fresh blueberry fields you frequented as a child every summer or the crackling fireplace at your childhood home during the holidays. You may not be able to time travel, but you can recreate these memory-filled aromas today with just a few spritzes of scents. We scoured the internet and TikTok, of course, to find the top five nostalgic scent combinations to try to take a walk down scent memory lane. Scroll down for our favorite ones to put to the test.
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Your Grandmother’s Strawberry Shortcake
Few things smell better than fresh strawberries inside a sugary buttery biscuit topped with homemade whipped cream. This fruity yet creamy scent is something we’d love to smell like on a hot summer day—and now we can. To recreate this edible aroma, pair Phlur Strawberry Letter Eau de Parfum with Philosophy Fresh Cream Eau de Toilette. The fruit-forward concoction of berries, plum nectar, and cassis leaves along with tonka bean and sugared amber create this fresh, strawberry base that’s slightly more elevated than a candied strawberry fragrance. Top it off with this perfume from Philosophy that features key notes of vanilla and whipped cream that mix magically with the fruity notes for a sweet, creamy, and juicy combination that reminds us of our favorite summer dessert.
A Monday Morning London Fog
There’s something about a tea scent that instantly warms the soul—and the senses. If you’ve ever wanted to recreate the aroma of your much-needed Monday morning jolt without brewing it, we have just the duo for you: Arielle Shoshana Monday Eau de Parfum and DEDCOOL Milk Eau de Parfum. Arielle Shoshana’s Monday curates calming notes like bergamot and lavender plus invigorating notes like lemon zest and black tea. The addition of steamed milk and vanilla gives it a touch of powdery creaminess. The creamy notes are amplified when you add Dedcool’s original Milk into the mix. With notes of bergamot, white musk, and amber, this fresh, powdery blend is the perfect layering scent for Monday to create a piping hot cup of tea with milk.
Summer Carnival
Skylar Boardwalk Delight Eau de Parfum and Montale Lucky Candy Eau de Parfum
If you loved spending late summer nights at a carnival devouring all the cotton candy, ice cream, and sugary treats galore, then you can count on this fragrance combo to satisfy that craving. Skylar’s Boardwalk is like sweet summer in a bottle with notes of sugary cotton candy, syrupy raspberry sorbet, and creamy coconut milk. These ultra-sugary notes paired with Montale’s Lucky Candy which consists of marshmallow pop, bergamot, honey, and coconut cream plus a fix of frangipani flower. Both scents have similar notes, but the addition of bergamot and frangipani flower gives the pairing a bright freshness that smells like fresh summer air intertwined with the candy and creamy ones
A Vintage Lipstick
If you’re into beauty, playing with your mother’s or grandmother’s makeup is probably a core memory—including the scent of their lipstick. Vintage Lipsticks smell strongly of violet and other powdery notes. That’s why the combination of Dolce and Gabbana Violet Eau de Toilette and Juliette Has A Gun Lipstick Fever Eau de Parfum is THE way to recreate this nostalgic smell. As the name suggests, Dolce and Gabbana’s Violet is described as a powdery fruity floral but the violet note shines the brightest. Mixing it with Juliette Has Gun Lipstick Fever, which stars notes of Raspberry, Violet Absolute, Iris absolue and Patchouli Essence, gives it a slightly woodsy, natural aroma too.
Spring Rainfall
While we sure prefer the sunshine, there’s something about a spring shower that delights our senses. The fresh, aquatic, and green notes are a nice change from the gourmands we reach for in cooler weather. Liis Ethereal Wave Eau de Parfum and Jones Road Shower Eau de Parfum is our ultimate way to emulate this scent. Lii’s Ethereal Wave features bergamot, cardamom, white tea, black tea, blonde woods, and velvet musk, which together create a luxurious slightly woody fresh smell. Blend it with Jones Road’s Shower’s notes of neroli, orange flower, and sea spray for a fresh watery yet woody mix that smells just like a fresh, clean rainfall
Go on over to our social channels @Scentbird to share your nostalgic scent combo.
