Last night I opened a bottle of my late mother’s perfume. One tiny drop of the deep orange oil had leaked into the storage box, filling the room with memories of stiletto heels on stairs, rowdy parties, shoulder pads and weekends away in ’80s London.     

My mother loved deep, heady fragrances and the scent of Joy, by Jean Patou, along with Clinique’s Aromatics Elixir, are as much part of my childhood memories as roast dinners, freshly cut grass and candy floss.     

Released in 1930, Joy was once said to be the world’s costliest perfume. 10,600 jasmine flowers produced just one ounce, so it wasn’t economical. It’s now been sadly discontinued, but I’m lucky to still have a bottle of it, and I treat it like gold dust.    

I’m not a perfume expert, but I’ve always loved fragrance. I can’t talk about base notes and middle notes with any authority, but I know the right fragrance transforms how I feel about myself. A few sprays of my favourite scent can make me feel strong, playful or free-spirited, and I love how a smell can hold so much power.    

Back in the Nineties    

Like many teenage girls growing up in the ’90s, my favourite scents were The Body Shop’s White Musk (I soaked myself in the stuff) and Elizabeth Arden’s Sunflowers. The edgier girls at school wore YSL’s iconic Black Opium and Thierry Mugler’s Angel, which were far too cloying for me.   

Calvin Klein’s Escape, Eternity and CK1 were biggies for me, so I smelled like many young girls back then. Talk about NOT finding your signature scent!    

Another favourite of mine was Calvin Klein’s Obsession. Who can forget the iconic Kate Moss ad campaign from 1993? If I wore it, I’d look like her, right? I didn’t! I spent hours writing ‘I hate Kate Moss’ on the steamed-up shower glass, willing myself to be as gorgeous and skinny as she was.    

Standing the test of time    

Nostalgia aside, what are my favourite fragrances now?     

Christian Dior’s Dolce Vita has to be at the top. Woody and rich, with hints of orange, it’s reserved for winter nights out and mulled wines around cosy fires. I’ve worn it for the past 25 years, but only in winter.     

Another favourite is Issy Mikaye’s L’Eau d’Issey. Along with overplucked brows and lashings of Touche Eclat, it was a Saturday night staple for me as a teenage girl, and I still love it. Fresh, aquatic and floral, it reminds me of late balmy nights and long summers.     

I wore Herme’s Eau de Pamplemousse Rose on my wedding day, my honeymoon and still wear it today, but sparingly as I’m down to my last drop. Days wandering around Provence and Italy, in love, with the sun on the face and the smell of warm peaches and grapefruit.   

High Street heroes    

I still enjoy costly designer perfumes, but the high street has thrown up some great finds. Many of Lush’s fragrances smell divine, and like all their cosmetics, they’re cruelty-free and made with natural ingredients.     

My favourites are Lust and Karma. One word of warning, though – Lust smells very strong. It contains ylang-ylang, jasmine and rose, so only use a few light sprays, or it will overpower EVERYTHING.   

If you’re looking for affordable fragrances that smell out of this world, then check out M&S’s Provenance range. And they’re Eau De Parfum - so they last longer than Eau De Toilette. They’re also excellent value at £7.50 for a 30ml bottle. I bought Santorini Days, a fresh, herby, lemony smell, and Under The Palm Trees. It’s tropical and summery, with a punch of coconut that mellows throughout the day.   

Do you have any favourite fragrances?    

What memories do they evoke when you wear them?   

I’d love you to share your fragrance stories with me.   

Written by Laura Beckett, a freelance copywriter, web content writer, perfume lover and owner of Quietly Loud Copywriting.