Yazhini ManimudiWhen you feel that every perfume in the market smells the same, do yourself a favour and find a perfume that was created at least one hundred years ago. If they’ve survived the fast moving waves of trends, the juice really must be something special. Vintage perfumes can smell dated but as preferences cycle, we might find that older perfumes that smelled dated to our parents feel modern and intriguing to us.
Today, we’re taking a look at timeless vintage perfumes that are still in the market for our olfactory time travel adventure.
4711 Original Eau de Cologne (1792)
You have seen thousands of Eau de Colognes in the market, but none of them would exist without the original cologne, made by Wilhelm Mülhens in Cologne, Germany. The citrusy aromatic perfume became synonymous with light, fresh fragrances and came to be attached with light concentrations of perfume. It’s fresh, invigorating and a tad spicy, never betraying that it was made in the times of Napoleon Bonaparte who was thought to have worn a very similar fragrance that inspired 4711‘s Original.
Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet (1872)
Ironically enough, Hammam Bouquet feels so new to me. It opens spicy and somewhat clean in the opening but evolves later to be heavy and woody. It’s also musky and floral, overpowering at times. This Penhaligon’s fragrance is not for everyone but it is a part of history that can be appreciated even if not worn.
Houbigant Fougère Royale (1882)
Fougère Royale is responsible for perfumes as we know it, creating an entire genre of fresh, green, herbaceous fragrances. It exudes old school masculinity that reminds people of the older men in their family. It progresses into a spicy, earthy, warm fragrance. It’s the barbershop fragrance to rule all barbershop fragrances.
Guerlain Jicky (1889)
Jicky is a poetic combination of cold top notes and warm base notes. Jicky was the first ever fougère marketed towards women. It starts with sparkling citruses that blend so beautifully with the herbaceous sweetness of lavender. At times it feels like a fancy, sweet lemonade. As the citrusy freshness leaves, we get more of a spicy accord. The vanilla in it is definitely to die for. Though it’s a women’s perfume, it can be worn by men who enjoy a little diversity in their fougère.
Caron Tabac Blond (1919)
It was an era of change in femininity, when it became more socially acceptable for women to smoke. Tabac Blond conjures up images of an art deco style golden cigarette case, flapper dress, short hair and a cigarette between bright red lips. It was revolutionary upon its introduction to the market as the first ever leather perfume for women.
Houbigant Quelques Fleurs (1919)
We’ve already discussed this green floral that Princess Diana wore at her wedding. It still gives young fairytale princess, like wearing a pretty dress and frolicking through a lush green garden full of heady flowers. It develops to be a warm, sweet, powdery scent. If it’s good for the Princess, it’s good for me.
Chanel No.5 (1921)
This perfume needs no introduction. It’s going strong even 100+ years after its release. It was a shock to the system when first introduced with a fragrance that smelled like a woman and not a rose. A younger audience may find it a bit dated but there’s no denying it’s aldehydic allure.
Guerlain Shalimar Parfum (1925)
Shalimar is a work of art, opulence defined through the sense of smell. It’s a heavy vanilla with a citrus opening decorated with floral notes. It has an old school powderiness through iris and rose that younger people may not favour. It’s a perfume you display on your vanity and plan special occasions just so you can wear it.
Coty L’Aimant (1927)
Aldehydes were all the rage with the success of Chanel No.5. L’Aimant boasts sensuality and warmth once the initial blast of aldehydes mellows out. It feels rich and soft like a velvet dress with a pleasant fuzzy fruity accord of peaches. It’s powdery and floral, drying down to a creamy skin scent.
Lanvin Arpège (1927)
Arpège has a sensuality about it. It smells like what perfumes should smell like. Once you’ve smelled it, you feel no other perfume should be advertising itself as sensual except this. It’s extremely feminine with complex white florals given character by deep, warm woods.
Yazhini Manimudi
