CaFleureBon Celebrates Mother’s Day: Perfumed Memories of My Mother by John Reasinger

Mother…that word means many things to many people. To me it has always meant someone who would love you unconditionally, tell you what you needed to hear (not wanted to hear) and always supported you. My mom is not your typical mother. She worked in a factory for 16 years and then operated heavy equipment for the state of Pennsylvania for 25 more. She has more blue jeans than dresses and collects wolves, teddy bears and (you guessed it) perfume.  Despite her “gender bending” choices for occupations and style of dress, she has always been rather feminine, as you will read by her choice of fragrances.


She was not always a perfumista. She wore only a few  fragrances when I was growing up. Her mother (my “Gunda” as I called her), on the other hand, had a huge dressing table covered in perfumes, colognes, toilet waters (as they were called back then) and scented powders. Her best friend was the Avon lady!! Her table had many drawers, also filled with scented treasures. I do not really remember her, per se, but I do remember a scent I smelled as a young lad that struck me somewhere deep in my soul and made me feel safe, loved and utterly wonderful. My aunt tells me now, that I get MY passion for perfumes “honestly”!


Whenever my Mom and StepDad were getting ready to go out for the evening, I would breathe in deeply the smell of CHANEL No5 Eau de Cologne floating through the house. No5 is the very first scent I ever remember Mom wearing and that I recognized as “perfume”. I can still remember her square black rechargeable sleeve (with golden Chanel trademark on top) that she kept in her top drawer. I used to go into her room while they were out and slyly open the drawer and take off the cap and smell the sprayer. It was like she was right there with me! The vintage eau de cologne is similar (if not better) than the modern parfum is. It was one of the three original versions, with EDT and Parfum, released in 1921; sadly discontinued in the 1990’s and replaced by the current EDP.


Its opening of soft flowers blended with aldehydes and fizzing citruses still makes me swoon and smile. Somehow perfumer Ernest Beaux took powerful flowers: roses, jasmine and iris (both bloom and root) and tamed them with a silken muguet to create something wholly rich and magical, without being ostentatious or arrogant. The dry down of civet and musk is just sexy enough (without being vulgar), as all this wonder comes to rest on a bed of earthy woods, delightful greens and just the right amount of smoky vanilla. I was blessed enough to receive an UNOPENED Eau de Cologne 60 ml splash from a dear friend. After opening the foil top a few months ago, I can tell you this is the scent of “mom” to me more than any other. This is (and will always be) my favorite concentration of No5. It is classic and feminine, but this transcends gender and era, remaining simply magnificent.

 

For those more relaxed days or weekends Mom used to spritz on a little bit of Dana’s Ambush cologne, released in 1955. As is usually the case, the modern version (1997) smells nothing like the original (she still has a large vintage bottle she wears sparingly these days) as it is much fruitier, more saccharine and slightly nutty (from tonka beans and pralines). The vintage has a sweet, but woodier, floral opening balanced by a shiny bergamot. Heliotrope is the star here and debuts early in the development with its velvety blossoms oozing a charming vanillic aroma. Orchid, elegant as always, has “let down her hair” and plays with a creamy jasmine resulting in a carefree and fun loving heart. Until the ultimate dry down this could almost be seen as the ancestor of Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. The base of real oak moss adds an arid green that keeps this down to earth and from becoming cloying or too frivolous. Here is a blend of sweetness, simple beauty and common sense…just like Mom! 

 

One classic television commercial jingle I can still remember all the words to (over thirty years later) is the one from Revlon’s Jean Nate. Mom used to use the “after bath splash” after showering. This is the one that is still sold at drug stores in the US today, though she sighs and says “It’s not what it used to be”. It is more of a skin scent and I prefer the concentrated natural spray cologne myself, as it lasts longer and has more oomph. This comes screaming out of the sprayer with aldehydes aplenty, but they quickly subside leaving a well-balanced blend of citruses on the skin. A pairing of feminine rose and jasmine with masculine lavender and carnations smells grand, but not overly floral. A reserved sprinkling of rather non-descript spices moves this towards its pseudo-oriental finish. Dry cedar, elegant sandalwood, enticing tonka and subtle musk results in something easily unisex; though I cannot see many “manly men” wearing something named “Jean Nate” with a butterfly on the bottle. This has been around since 1935; longer than my mother or I have, and I can see why.


I have saved the best for last! The scent I smelled as a lad was Moonwind cologne released by Avon in 1971. My “perfume sensitive” aunt has confirmed (after smelling it and wincing) that my “gunda” did in fact wear this and often. To me, this is the scent that keeps her alive in my memory. I can find no definitive note list for this and it has been discontinued for many years, but it is without a doubt my favorite Avon scent (vintage or modern). A heavenly shower of aldehydes and citrus (mostly bergamot and grapefruit to my nose) shines down crisp and cool, like moonbeams. Some floral notes are on the wind: lavender (for sure) and narcissus. It is clean and slightly soapy, yet briskly cool and woody green at the same time. There is most definitely (now banned) evernia prunasti or oak moss here combined seamlessly with vetiver. Easily unisex, despite being marketed to women, this “femme” scent has more presence and strength in its little finger than most modern men’s designer scents have in a whole bottle.

This year, Mom is getting a Tom Ford Black Orchid Voile de Fleur set and DKNY’s Delicious Night set from me because she loves them both and deserves it. She has over a hundred bottles now (and even more samples and decants) but these are the ones that will always be nearest and dearest to her heart…and are ingrained into my olfactory memory. I want to wish all Mothers everywhere a very Happy Mother’s Day and say thanks for all you do!!


John Reasinger, Editor

What are the scents you associate with your mom?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

94 − = 88

14 comments

  • d3m0lici0n says:

    happy mother’s Day to all readers and that they get tons of gifts, we all love our Moms! God bless them all and every one of them!!!
    I have the blessing to still have my mom and she doesn’t wear perfumes at all, I gave her some over the past years but she doesn’t use them. But still she is always happy of receiveng fragrant gifts. 🙂

  • Kamajasmine says:

    It was so nice to see that fragrance was shared by mother and son
    My mom doesn’t wear much perfume anymore because of allergies but growing up I remember she wore jean nate, white shoulders and joy.
    Happy mothers day

  • ringthing says:

    I really enjoyed reading this, and remember buying my mother a bottle of Ambush for Christmas at the drugstore when I was a little girl. My mom @ 85 has been a serial monogamist w/perfumes; I remember Wind Song, Aliage, l’Air du Temps (her longest lasting favorite) and Anais Anais. Now her fave is Tom Ford for men. I give her samples and decants of all kinds of stuff and it’s so fun to get her reactions. She esp likes Commes des Garcons 2 🙂

  • My mom lovesTom ford black orchid and that is what I bought her this year…it’s a ritual
    Enjoyed reading about the different scents and when I was looking over the interviews I read that one of my favorite perfumers Christopher Brosius of Cb I hate perfume have an aunt that was an Avon Lady just like mine and John’s gunda
    In small towns Avon Ladies were very glamorous with their potions lotions and perfumes
    Happy Mothers Day

  • A very touching and warm article John!

    I hope your mother likes her gifts. I got my Mum a rollerball of MOR Belladonna.

  • Love this John, Your mom is adorable :)….fr me when I smell Vintage YSL Opium Extrait I am reminded of my mom and when I smell Myrurgia Maja I am always reminded of my grandmother “Omi”.

  • lovely article!
    my mother never wears scent, I mostly associate her with gardening smells and burt’s bees lip balm…but my grandmother wore chanel 19 edt and on special occasions joy perfum.

  • Love this post…

    I had CHANEL No5 Eau de Cologne… Actually is the only version of No.5 I like 🙂

    My mother was going through her old fragrances awhile back & almost tossed a brand new 4oz bottle of vintage CHANEL No5 Eau de Cologne… & She asked me if I was interested in anything she was tossing…

    Let me tell you, I snatched that bottle up in a heart beat! (YOU CAN NOT THROW OUT CHANEL, THIS IS CHANEL) & thankfully she was smart enough to keep the bottle in a dark cool dresser drawer the whole time she had it in her possession!

    Had fun researching it, to then find that by the markings, ect… That it was indeed a bottle from the early 50’s.

    Then I sold it on eBay for 40 dollars (way under price) but I know that it went to a good loving home. (lady that purchased it has been wearing it for years) & she said that it is hard to find a good vintage bottle that has not turned… & Got feedback stating she was very happy with it…

    I regret selling it, but I am so happy that a long lover of CHANEL No5 Eau de Cologne is enjoying it! + that money went towards my big bottle of TM Alien, which I DO NOT regret buying!

    Have a great day & thanks for the read!

    Joshua

  • Thanks for sharing your scented memories with us, John. This was a lovely and touching Mother’s day post. One clearly sees how perfume runs in your family’s genes and dressers 😉
    Your mother sounds awesome.

  • My mom never really wore perfume but always smelled sweet and clean the smell i most remember from her is caress the soap. Whenever i smell it memories flood my mind and bring me a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  • Believe it or not, my mother is *anti*-perfume! This must be why I have a perfume obsession. The scents I associate with her are the favorite dishes she’d cook especially for me 🙂

  • I always love these Mother’s Day articles! This was a truly personal account of a highly individualistic lady. I have images of Rosie the Riveter dancing in my head. She sure had great taste in perfume!

    My mom is an academic and a complete character. I tell people I was raised by Auntie Mame and was under her tutelage at the “school of life”. Her fragrance choices have been ecclectic: Ma Griffe, Je Reviens, Norrell, Opium, and *surprisingly* Skin Musk (originally by Bonne Belle). She’s now telling me she is itching for a new signature scent…

  • Great article, John!

    My mom wore Joy when I was little, not a lot, but I remember that little black bottle. When I got older she wore various things from Keihl’s including vetiver. Yesterday I gave her some decants of all my different vetiver fragrances to play with, and she was thrilled.