Smells & memories

66Mustang

I've heard that smell out of all of our senses it the one that triggers most nostalgia

I went into a church hall this week and had to walk past the summer holiday camp thing and, above everything else, remember it smelling the same as it did when I used to go 20 years ago

I mentioned it at the group thinking they'd laugh at me but they all kind of got it

I guess it's a mix of plastic marquees, baking that hasn't gone quite right, and water-based paint 🤣

Has anyone ever had similar??

Mary_Scope

Whenever i smell a specific type of bonfire i am instantly transported back to St Fagans which is like an outdoor history museum i went to on a school trip when I was in Primary school nearly 25 years ago!😄

Albus_Alumni

I'm very much smell and sound focused with memories, so much so my PTSD can be triggered by even traces of certain smells. BUT there's loads of good smells that can be conjured up when someone mentions certain times and places and many great smells will get those visual memories going too.

Sun cream always gives me great memories, or the smell of the dew on warm grass on a warm morning. 😊

Biblioklept

I have a terrible memory and don't remember much about my past so love when something triggers a memory, good or bad. I find it a lot with smells, although I didn't realise they're thought to trigger the most nostalgia, how fascinating!!!

Earlier today someone's name reminded me of an old school friend I hadn't thought about or recalled in years and it was quite nice to spend some time thinking!

Schools always have a certain smell to them, and churches! Bonfires always trigger good memories for me too!

66Mustang

@Biblioklept

That's interesting how you like reminders of bad memories too, I thought I'd be the only one who felt that way!!

Is there a particular reason? For me it's not so much masochistic or fun, but more I appreciate being reminded of how I was in the past.

Not a smell but I remember one day I was REALLY struggling to the point of wanting to kill myself and a song was playing, and whenever I hear that song now it doesn't distress me but rather it's like reminds me how strong I was and stuff

Holly_Scope

I have a certain shampoo and conditioner that reminds me of being on holiday. I think it's because I've used it before when abroad and it just has a bit of a refreshing holiday smell.

I have randomly bought it before at home and it always makes me feel great! 😅

Amberpearl

When you go into the supermarket and smell the fresh bread, reminded me of my late dad

He was a baker. He made the most amazing fresh bread. We would eat it hot with dairy lea on

66Mustang

@Amberpearl oh yeah that's a lovely smell for everyone I think, that's so nice it has an extra meaning for you 😊

Amberpearl

Dad was the manager of mother's pride

Does anyone remember that bread

Dad made the bread mum. The cakes

That's where they met all those years ago

Dad worked they over 40 years

Girl_No1

@Amberpearl I have some Mother's Pride bread at the moment. I buy one loaf of it per week, and do my best to use all of it! It's brilliant with just about anything. Had some earlier with homemade Leek-and-Potato soup. Don't know which was better!

For me it's that after the rain smell. I know it has a technical name (petrichor), but for me it's rainfall after a few days of dry weather (unusual here in Scotland!) and the smell of the grass, trees, flowers, plants. To me, it's delicious, and takes me back to family holidays at our caravan which was surrounded by forest and loch.

JessieJ

For me, it is Imperial Leather soap, reminds me of my mum & although I don't use or buy it, I often pick up a bar for a sniff when I see it. I have also saved the perfume she always wore.

I even went so far as buying a bottle of White Shoulders perfume when on holiday in the US many years ago, you couldn't buy it here then, as that was the perfume my adored nan always smelled of & she passed away in 1979. I still have it!

And er…I've kept a bottle of my dear old dad's aftershave & he passed over 20 years ago.

So mine are attached to memories of my most loved people & the comfort I always received.

Amberpearl

Mum. Used to wash me in wright's cold tar soap and pears soap

Still love the smell today

Amberpearl

Does anyone like the smell of jeyes fluid?

Used it a lot to disinfect stables

Rosie_Scope

The smell of WD-40 always reminds me of my Granddad's workshop. He was an engineer and after he retired he had this amazing workshop full of all sorts where he used to tinker about and make things. Smells of oil, WD-40 or hot metal always take me back there. Lovely memories ☺️

JessieJ

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1054446#Comment_1054446

Yes, love it!

And I still use Wright's, even though there is no coal tar in it now, it's tea tree oil, thanks to the EU. 🙄 I also still use Pear's, but the liquid hand soap. Which is better, as the bar used to go yucky. 😝

66Mustang

@Rosie_Scope

I think I can imagine the smell, as my granddad had the same. 😊

He used to do all sorts in this "garage" he built himself, often with fire… people were worried he would burn it down one day, but were reassured that there was nothing to worry about, because it was made out of asbestos. Phew 😅

WhatThe

I'm a sucker for the smell of aftershave because my dad used his daily, so much so that I use men's deodorants 😊

I love the smell of freshly-cut grass and horses if I'm ever lucky enough to be near one!

My least favourite smell is man-wee when it rains in London 😷

Rosie_Scope

Haha @66Mustang he sounds like a character 😂 thank goodness for asbestos!