The Nostalgia of Vintage Perfumes

vintageperfumeVintage perfumes are often those scents that you could catch in a crowd and immediately be reminded of your grandmother, or a special day, or some bit of nostalgia. Scent is one of the most powerful senses and one of the most powerful memory triggers, so it stands to reason that perfume plays such a powerful part in that.

Vintage perfumes aren't always discontinued elsewhere. You can still buy Charlie, for instance, but it's vintage to me. A quick sniff of Charlie reminds me of summertime picnics at my aunt's, because she always doused herself in the scent and it only got stronger in the mid-July heat.

Windsong, Emeraude, Shalimar and even Old Spice aftershave come with their share of specific memories. I don't personally want to wear any of these scents, but I do enjoy the trips down memory lane that they usually cause.

If you're looking for specific vintage perfumes, one that's probably going to be more than a few years old, you have some options. But you should be aware that you won't always get what you're hoping for. Old perfume turns and often smells differently than you remembered. Before it reaches the point of complete change it usually grows much weaker.

And every now and then when you purchase vintage perfumes, you'll barely get a whiff because it's all evaporated. One of the best ways to avoid this is to purchase a sealed package. And if you can find the fragrance in a splash bottle as opposed to a spray, there's less of a change that it's evaporated. Atomizers simply allow for evaporation much more than a stoppered bottle.

Even though perfume does tend to turn with age, you could be surprised to find that once it's on your skin for a little while that familiar scent returns. Good perfume is produced in layers, with top notes, middle notes and base notes. The first parts of a perfume to turn are the top notes, or the first scents you'll catch. Once these dissipate, the middle and base notes could be intact, and these are the scents that make up the heart of the perfume.

If you're looking online, especially at a place like eBay, for vintage perfumes, read the descriptions carefully. There are many avid collectors who are only interested in shaped vintage bottles, and not the perfume inside. Some sellers put colored water in the bottles just for appearance, because they're selling point is the bottle, not the fragrance. You don't want to miss that part of the description and end up with a pretty bottle and some food coloring.

Estate sales are good places to look for vintage perfumes. You'll really want to consider the possible age of these scents, because usually the bottles are opened and partially used. But because perfumes rarely sell for top dollar in estate auctions, it could be worth the small investment to try to find your favorite vintage perfumes intact and how you remember them.

Shalimar Guerlian Eau de Toilette Perfume Size 1 oz

Shalimar Guerlian Eau de Toilette Perfume Size 1 oz

US $25.75
Sale
Shalimar Refill Perfume Guerlain 31 oz EDT NIB

Shalimar Refill Perfume Guerlain 31 oz EDT NIB

US $50.99
Sale
RARE VINTAGE SHALIMAR EDT by GUERLAIN PERFUME PARIS 5

RARE VINTAGE SHALIMAR EDT by GUERLAIN PERFUME PARIS 5

US $6.99
Sale
SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE COLLECTIBLE GUERLAIN

SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE COLLECTIBLE GUERLAIN

US $9.99
Sale
VINTAGE GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE

VINTAGE GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE

US $9.99
Sale
SHALIMAR NRFB NEW EAU DE TOILETTE PERFUME 25 FL OZ

SHALIMAR NRFB NEW EAU DE TOILETTE PERFUME 25 FL OZ

US $20.50
Sale
Guerlain SHALIMAR Perfume Cologne 34oz in Box Vintage

Guerlain SHALIMAR Perfume Cologne 34oz in Box Vintage

US $24.99
Sale
Perfume Collection Lancome Estee Lauder Shalimar

Perfume Collection Lancome Estee Lauder Shalimar

US $85.00
Sale
Vintage Guerlain Shalimar perfume bottle

Vintage Guerlain Shalimar perfume bottle

US $19.99
Sale
SHALIMAR Guerlain Women Perfume 25 oz EDP NIB

SHALIMAR Guerlain Women Perfume 25 oz EDP NIB

US $63.75
Sale
Shalimar Guerlain Paris Spray Perfume

Shalimar Guerlain Paris Spray Perfume

US $9.99
Sale
3 VINTAGE PERFUME BOTTLES SHALIMARPICASSO COLLINS

3 VINTAGE PERFUME BOTTLES SHALIMARPICASSO COLLINS

US $9.99
Sale
SHALIMAR by GUERLAIN in GOLD PURSE SZE PERFUME ATOMIZER

SHALIMAR by GUERLAIN in GOLD PURSE SZE PERFUME ATOMIZER

US $16.50
Sale
Mini Perfume Shalimar Guerlain Paris 75 ml Full

Mini Perfume Shalimar Guerlain Paris 75 ml Full

US $9.99
Sale
10 Mini Perfume Ritz Shalimar Nina Capucci Yves Trigere

10 Mini Perfume Ritz Shalimar Nina Capucci Yves Trigere

US $36.06
Sale
VINTAGE GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME ORIGINAL BOX WOW

VINTAGE GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME ORIGINAL BOX WOW

US $19.99
Sale
Shalimar Talc Perfume Net Wt 35Oz

Shalimar Talc Perfume Net Wt 35Oz

US $19.99
Sale
Guerlain Shalimar 2 Bottles Eau De Toilette perfume

Guerlain Shalimar 2 Bottles Eau De Toilette perfume

US $12.49
Sale
Guerlain Shalimar 1 oz Natural Perfume Spray 1983

Guerlain Shalimar 1 oz Natural Perfume Spray 1983

US $9.99
Sale
Shalimar Guerlain Perfume MINI Pin Jewelry Gift Set NIB

Shalimar Guerlain Perfume MINI Pin Jewelry Gift Set NIB

US $18.50
Sale
VINTAGE SHALIMAR EDC USED 25 oz PERFUME BOTTLE p27

VINTAGE SHALIMAR EDC USED 25 oz PERFUME BOTTLE p27

US $12.95
Sale
Shalimar Guerlain natural spray perfume 1983 30mL 1oz

Shalimar Guerlain natural spray perfume 1983 30mL 1oz

US $499.97
Sale
Guerlain Perfume SHALIMAR PARFUM 1 2 oz Vtg Formula

Guerlain Perfume SHALIMAR PARFUM 1 2 oz Vtg Formula

US $9.99
Sale
SHALIMAR GUERLAIN 25 oz Eau de Cologne Perfume NIB

SHALIMAR GUERLAIN 25 oz Eau de Cologne Perfume NIB

US $36.95
Sale
VINTAGE ART DECO SHALIMAR MINIATURE PERFUME BOTTLE

VINTAGE ART DECO SHALIMAR MINIATURE PERFUME BOTTLE

US $9.99
Sale

Photo Credits: Leepak

Originally posted 2009-09-09 06:58:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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