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 10 oz spray Guerlain perfume NEW free s h

Shalimar 10 oz spray Guerlain perfume NEW free s h

US $39.95
Sale
SHALIMAR GUERLAIN 25 oz Eau de Cologne Perfume NIB

SHALIMAR GUERLAIN 25 oz Eau de Cologne Perfume NIB

US $36.95
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Shalimar Perfume Bottle Guerlain Paris

Shalimar Perfume Bottle Guerlain Paris

US $3.24
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Shalimar Perfume MIB Guerlain 1 4 Ounce Paris

Shalimar Perfume MIB Guerlain 1 4 Ounce Paris

US $49.95
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NEW guerlain SHALIMAR perfume spray 17

NEW guerlain SHALIMAR perfume spray 17

US $17.57
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Perfume oil smells like Shalimar four 1 3 oz vials

Perfume oil smells like Shalimar four 1 3 oz vials

US $19.99
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Gorgeous Guerlain Paris Shalimar Perfume EDT 1 oz

Gorgeous Guerlain Paris Shalimar Perfume EDT 1 oz

US $1.04
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5CT SHALIMAR PERFUME EDT by GUERLAIN 12 mL 04 OZ

5CT SHALIMAR PERFUME EDT by GUERLAIN 12 mL 04 OZ

US $4.99
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Shalimar Refill Perfume Guerlain 31 oz EDT NIB

Shalimar Refill Perfume Guerlain 31 oz EDT NIB

US $36.00
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Large Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Perfume Bottle France

Large Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Perfume Bottle France

US $10.00
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Shalimar 05oz spray Guerlain mini perfume NEW

Shalimar 05oz spray Guerlain mini perfume NEW

US $19.95
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2 Miniature Perfume Bottles Shalimar Tresor France

2 Miniature Perfume Bottles Shalimar Tresor France

US $1.29
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2 Vintage Shalimar Perfume Bottles Large Medium

2 Vintage Shalimar Perfume Bottles Large Medium

US $9.99
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SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE COLLECTIBLE GUERLAIN

SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE COLLECTIBLE GUERLAIN

US $9.99
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Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Crystal Perfume Blue Stopper

Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Crystal Perfume Blue Stopper

US $.99
Sale
Vintage Shalimar Perfume 7 Bottles

Vintage Shalimar Perfume 7 Bottles

US $2,000.00
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Vintage Shalimar Perfume 15ml 1983

Vintage Shalimar Perfume 15ml 1983

US $10.00
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VTG LARGE 7 GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE FRANCE

VTG LARGE 7 GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE FRANCE

US $9.99
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VTG LARGE 5 GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE FRANCE

VTG LARGE 5 GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PERFUME BOTTLE FRANCE

US $9.99
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Vintage Shalimar Guerlain Perfume Bottle France

Vintage Shalimar Guerlain Perfume Bottle France

US $9.99
Sale
MINIATURE PERFUME SHALIMAR BY GUERLAIN

MINIATURE PERFUME SHALIMAR BY GUERLAIN

US $1.80
Sale
Vintage Shalimar Guerlaim Perfume Box 60 ml Box only

Vintage Shalimar Guerlaim Perfume Box 60 ml Box only

US $15.00
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VINTAGE PERFUME BOTTLE SHALIMAR BY GUERLAIN

VINTAGE PERFUME BOTTLE SHALIMAR BY GUERLAIN

US $1.48
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Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Miniature Perfume Bottles

Vintage Guerlain Shalimar Miniature Perfume Bottles

US $4.99
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SHALIMAR Guerlain Vintage Perfume 25 oz EDC Reusable

SHALIMAR Guerlain Vintage Perfume 25 oz EDC Reusable

US $9.99
Sale

Photo Credits: Leepak

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

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