WhatScent

The Judge Holden@thejudgeholden

Discussion

Memories and Nostalgia

  • #beginners
  • #storytime

For me, olfactory memories hold the most gravity. I am completely new to the fragrance community, but scent has always been one of the most important things in my life. Whether it be the smell of a fresh tennis ball which transports me to my child hood, the smell of leather which reminds me of my grandpa gifting me my first baseball glove, or the smell of lily of the valley evoking a memory of my kindergarten teacher, nothing stirs up more emotions. I’ve found this very difficult to describe to friends and families, let alone explaining why enjoy collecting fragrances and enjoy researching all aspects of it. I’m curious to know what other scents really resonate with other folks and some of the good (or bad) memories they can recall? God bless to all you lovely people

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  1. Curlyhen@curlyhen

    This pretty much sums me up. I love smelling things, getting to the bottom of it and the scent memories it triggers.

    1. The Judge Holden@thejudgeholden

      Absolutely. It’s wild to me that smelling something like Fahrenheit for example immediately transports me to grade 9 and all of the emotions that were so chaotic during that time lol

  2. victoria

    I love this. For me, it’s the scent of cool, damp, musty places. The library basement, the caves near my grandma’s house, the tunnels behind Niagara Falls, certain buildings at the zoo…it’s all very nostalgic 😊

    1. The Judge Holden@thejudgeholden

      That’s spot on. I didn’t even consider my thoughts of the library. It was actually my first job when I was 16 lol. There is nothing that matches that smell in terms of memory 100%

  3. doelly

    I really resonate with this! I love finding interesting scents and it's even better when they remind me of a memory or take me traveling (whether to somewhere I've been or somewhere I want to be). Welcome!!

    1. The Judge Holden@thejudgeholden

      Absolutely feel that. The Fahrenheit reference I mentioned brings me right back to grade 9 when I went on my first trip to Florida (first time outside of Canada) and it holds such a special place in my heart

  4. Docwannabox@docwannabox

    I grew up on a college campus (my grandparents were professors). There was a field of grass there that got flooded regularly, the scent of soaked dry grass is a core memory for me. This is the reason why I love Terre d'Hermès so much, especially in its dry-down phase.

    1. The Judge Holden@thejudgeholden

      Amazing. That is one note/scent I’ve been looking to try and haven’t found any good suggestions. I’ll have to take a look. Great memory too

  5. Anthony Borr@xzahn

    I imagine a lot of people in the community will relate with that. For me scent (alongside music) has always carried a lot of meaning and memories. Coffee from a pot always reminds me of my best childhood memories when I was 6 living with my grandparents. Certain smells just scratch my brain in the right way - new books, MTG cards, sunscreen, the weather just before rain/winter, wood, freshly cut grass, acrylic and oil paint and even gasoline. 😅

    1. The Judge Holden@thejudgeholden

      · Edited

      That’s awesome man. I find some of the “odder” scents hold the most weight. Like the smell of a permanent marker and like I referenced a tennis ball lol. Just has this way of taking you right out of your headspace and into that moment of the past

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