What smell, scent, aroma really, but really, sends you to another place or time - and why?

Lancome – Tresor

Not suitable for describing in public ;)

The smell of a certain strain of weed (probably shwag). It sends me back to my childhood—walking into my Dad’s study, which was essentially a converted shed where he wrote (and smoked!) I didn’t recognize the smell at the time of course, but whenever I smell certain types of weed now, it’s a blast to toddlerhood. kind of fucked up

Also, Skin Trip lotion sends me back to essentially living in my boyfriends dorm room last spring. We’d put it on after showering and climb into his sheets. After I’d leave he said the sheets would smell like me awww. So I guess we both have that association even now after we’re broken up. There’s a perfume scent from that time, too. It’s like Waikiki or something. It all reminds me of being completely carefree and in new love.

Windex. My Grandpa headed M&O for a courthouse and used to put me to work every summer cleaning windows inside the building.

@VzzBzz So does windex create a positive fragrant experience for you nowadays?

@Zen: Oh yes. I loved that old building, practically grew up in it for 15yrs.

@VzzBzz What a bonus. Your preferred scent costs about 1/1000th of the average perfume. ;-)

the smell of schools…. because of the horror of bullying that I went through for so many years

the smell of familiar aftershave that previous partners have worn

Honeysuckle. It basically sends me to my ‘happy place’ in my mind. I’ve no idea why, it just fills me with joy.

@augustlan As opposed to @VzzBzz windex, you have expensive taste. Honeysuckle is one of the most expensive aromatherapy oils and is also one of the most lovely to smell.

@Zen Lucky for me, I really only like it in it’s natural environment… growing wild at the edge of the woods, or flowing over a fence!

@augustlan When away from home, an aromatherapeutic massage with said oil (plus Jasmine) would do the trick. Bear it in mind the next time you go to a spa. Ask for it.

:-)

The state of Mississippi has a distinct, sweet, smell that reminds me of the first time I went down there and stayed with my grandma, some 15 years ago.

@Pol_is_aware I can spell Mississippi too. In fact, it’s thanks to the many spelling bees which included that famous State that I have become the (amateur) grammarian I am today. Thank you.

@Zen: Well done! I’ve never been one to spell for sport. haha

Freshly cut grass.. brings me back to being a kid. Just regular lawn grass you potheads… sheesh.

@NaturalMineralWater Lol.

In order of how nicely it tickles my senses:

Chanel No 19….Reminds me of a certain love

Lilac Bushes…Reminds me of a certain place

Magnolia Trees…Reminds me of a certain time of year

Exhaust from older cars (way, way older cars) reminds me of my grandpa. I don’t think I even remember the real scent anymore because of no-lead gas.

Ditto machine ink….reminds me of school tests (thank job I never smell this anymore)

Church incense….Reminds me of a funerals; long hours of kneeling; sadness.

Cucumber Melon lotion from Bath and Body works.

Can’t tell you why. NSFW.

The soap that was in my gradeschool bathroom. It was a powder with an industrial smell. I smelt it in a public bathroom recently and it took me right back to that insecure little matchstick girl.

Pipe tobacco, grass clippings, the inside of a Volkswagen, all immediately take me back to my childhood. I loved the smell of Bond Street tobacco! When I was a kid the family car was a 1965 VW Bus, there is no other smell like it in the world!

Citrus blossoms, star jasmine carry me to my old back yard in California, sweet and beautiful.

Like @augustlan, honeysuckle – it sends me back to my childhood and to our family home in Florida. They lined the fence next to our family room. When it wasn’t baking hot outside, my mom would keep the windows open and the smell would fill the house. It was impossible to stay inside once that wonderful fragrance filled the air. It brings me home.

There is a smell, after a spring rain, I just love it. It’s like everything has been washed and is now clean. Something about that just feels and smells wonderful.

Orange groves. My aunt had an orange grove on her property. It’s always been one of my favorite smells – pretty much anything citrus, I just love the smell. Clean and fragrant, all at once.

@VzzBzz Windex for me, too! But it reminds me of volunteering at the public library the summer after 6th grade. I had to clean all of those plastic book covers with Windex. You wouldn’t believe the grime that gets on there.

The smell of moth balls reminds me of my cousins’ basement (they kept a lot of old clothes down there). My cousins and I used to love to go and play pretend, dress, up and doll house there when we were young.

Also this certain vanilla perfume reminds me of a very specific week last summer, but also, NSFW ;) fond memories though

@aviona @vzz Windex reminds me of my grandmother’s house. She would have me do her windows, teaching me that newspapers plus windex work best.

Notice how we have turned the tradmark Windex into a noun, like kleenex. I think we may be the first. :-)

yep and Jacuzzi and Chapstick.
rather than hot tub and lib balm.