The smell of a Man's aftershave/Cologne

[Mama Bear]

There is a belief that scent is the one of the strongest emotions after fear. I know for a fact that Jovan Musk Oil for Men and Lagerfeld will always evoke strong feelings that come from the scents for me. They both remind me of men that I have loved. It is especially interesting to me that even as memories fade, they come back instantly with just a whiff of either of these fragrances. All of my emotions are remembered again with just a split second of fragrance. These smells can melt my heart again in an instant....

This amazes me. It is like a memory that never fades in my sense of smell... is this just me or is there anyone else that has strong remembrances that come about because of scent..

Bear Hugs,

Sue (Mama Bear)

[Austin]

I also associate scents with past lovers. Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Malabah by Penhaligons and Coco Chanel instantly evoke these memories.

[htownmmm]

It's the main reason we love going to grandma's house when we are kids- all the wonderful (different smells). In fact, when I am in a park and smell pine trees, it takes me all the way back to when I was 12 years old.

Or when I smell wood being burned in a fireplace or woodstove- I am right back in my grandmother's living room.

Scents are one of the true memory patterns that imprint on us and never leave- why do so many of us look for Pinaud products, Old Spice cologne, etc,etc.....

We "remember" the good smells and tend to associate them with good times- however, let any of us get a whiff of a skunk..........


Marty

[kennethw]

It's the main reason we love going to grandma's house when we are kids- all the wonderful (different smells). In fact, when I am in a park and smell pine trees, it takes me all the way back to wheni was 12 years old.

As an example from the opposite angle, one of the reasons I wanted to live in San Francisco (a small one compared to all of the other great ones) is the abundance of eucalyptus on the coast. I had never smelled a grove of eucalyptus, but I sure like eucalyptus, and knew that it would be heavenly. So when I ride to the coast on my bike and hit a big patch of it, I get that same "going back to" feeling, only it's totally new.

It's like the region of the brain that's used for scent recognition is near the happiness center or something. :

(And yes, there's still a specific perfume that always makes my knees weak, even though that relationship didn't work out... she sure smelled nice though...)

(EDIT: And good lord, was she soft.)

[rikrdo]

MB....You are sooooo right !!

Jean Nate or Estee Lauder Youth Dew both will send me back to the arms of my 1st love.

[Mama Bear]

Oh Marty... I can smell italian cooking and christmas trees.... homemade cookies and.. sometimes I don't know what that smell is, but it still tugs at my heart. My grandmother made the best ravioli's in the world. We didn't have turkey for Thanksgiving in our family, it was all Italian.

But... and you know with a woman there is always a but..... lol I had a pet skunk when I was a kid... I spent 2 weeks with my right hand covered in tomato juice and tussy deodorant cream when I was 12 years old... and the skunk was still outside my bedroom window every night. If my parents had found out I would be dry white toast.....lol

Any other skunk doesn't smell so good....... God I miss that one particular skunk tho. Oh to be 12 again!

I think the best smells of all were from when I was a child! There is love and romance, there is heart breaking emotions and then there is my dad cutting the grass when I was a kid with my mothers home made dinners every night....

I still remember the Jovan Musk Oil guy tho... someday I will figure out if it was him that was so sexy, or the smell of him...

Give me the fresh cut grass anyday I guess.....lol Strike that! Homemade Lasagna!!!! mmmmmmmm

How about a fresh snowfall in the mountains.... or fresh salt rain on the beach....with pine trees...

Sue

[Mama Bear]

MB....You are sooooo right !!

Jean Nate or Estee Lauder Youth Dew both will send me back to the arms of my 1st love.

I wish I could have another first love again... there is something about that one that can never be replaced. And there is a fragrance that is associated for me with that one. I think the smell is as important as the memory... but at my age.....I will take what ever memories are left to me.....lol But if I ever get to rub the genies lamp and get my wishes, it would be for the Jovan Musk Oil guy to take me to dinner again one night. I don't really remember what he looked like. I remember what he smelled like tho.

Isn't it almost a miracle that just a smell can jerk us back so completely and instantly. Maybe this is why we enjoy fragrances so much. Memories should never die!

Bear Hugs,

Sue (Mama Bear)

[rikrdo]

Hey MB....

You remember CS&N right???
Or maybe it was just Stephen Stills who said:

"If you cant be with the one you love, honey...LOVE the one your with."

[Mama Bear]

Oh honey, I would love Mssr. Crosby himself if we could dump some Jovan over his head....lol.. ;-)

xooxoxooox

Sue (Mama Bear)

CSN&Y....... !

[rikrdo]

Never did care much for the "Y" !!

[BroJohn]

One aroma that brings back many fond memories is the smell of warm, fresh-baked bread. It was the happiest of times. Don't think that I want to smell like that myself, tho. Even if Mama-Bear could get the scent into a soap.

-- John Gehman

[mrob]

In philosophy I believe this phenomenon is referred to as expressionism--the belief that a sound, smell, taste, etc. is symbolic of human emotions in a connotative way, but not a direct representation.

That a certain song, for example, doesn't "make" you feel a certain way, but rather reminds you of how you felt at a certain time. A small distinction to be sure, but an important one.

[MasonM]

Wood smoke. Always reminds me of the many happy times I spent camping out in the wilds.

[crispy]

Hrm yea...Had 2 girlfriends who both wore Pleasures. Brings back good memories

[J_P_K]

MMMmmm.. TABU... Makes me remember....

(I'll be back in a few minutes!!)

[Creslin]

Boy Sue, you dont' know how right you are. The right time of day in the summer and the smell of road tar zones me out to the day my one of my brothers was hit by a dumptruck. Bad stuff scent recognition is.

[AACJ]

My wife has a purse of her late grandmothers that she occasionally finds in her closet a few times a year. When she smells it, she breaks down into tears because it smells exactly like her grandmother.

[EL Alamein]

Yep, I get those same reactions. Liz Claiborne for woman always evokes those old feelings of my very first love. English Leather reminds me of my Dad. The smell of horses remind me of my sisters who were equestrians when I was a wee tot. There are many scents that remind me of different places, things, times and people.

Chris

[Rik]

It's the main reason we love going to grandma's house when we are kids- all the wonderful (different smells). In fact, when I am in a park and smell pine trees, it takes me all the way back to when I was 12 years old.

Or when I smell wood being burned in a fireplace or woodstove- I am right back in my grandmother's living room.

Scents are one of the true memory patterns that imprint on us and never leave- why do so many of us look for Pinaud products, Old Spice cologne, etc,etc.....

We "remember" the good smells and tend to associate them with good times- however, let any of us get a whiff of a skunk..........


Marty

Well put Marty!

Mama Bear's "Rik's Christmas Blend" immediately evokes wonderful memories of Christmas. It will always be a highly cherished shaving soap from a very good friend.

Other wonderful scents include:

my wood-shop - just like grandpa's
freshly fired shotgun shells - special mornings spent on the marsh
pine trees - family cottage

Excellent thread Sue!

[boboakalfb]

freshly fired shotgun shells - special mornings spent on the marsh

Amen...alot of good times associated with that.