Credit: Angela Andriot – Vetiver Aromatics

With the thousands of new perfumes being launched every month you may think that you can’t be bothered with the “old stuff”. But if you choose to ignore vintage perfumes entirely, you will be missing out on a very important part of perfumery. Vintage perfumes smell very different from today’s popular fragrances and reflect how people were feeling, trends of the day and significant historical events.

Some people insist that everything used to smell better. Others will say that it’s pointless to even try modern versions of certain Chanel or Guerlain perfumes. Some of the differences between today’s perfumes and yesterday’s scents have to do with restrictions made on the original formula due to safety/allergen concerns and I suspect substitution of lower cost materials could be a factor in other cases.

If you are a passionate newcomer to perfumery, chances are that you are trying to discover and understand your tastes and preferences. While there are many incredible new perfumes out there, you are doing yourself a disservice not to try at least some of the great classics that have shaped the popular perfumes that are commercially successful today. Sniffing these mighty creations is a great way to educate your nose with heaven-scent smells that have pushed perfumery in new directions.

Before embarking on your vintage perfume journey, I would suggest starting with some current formulas of the major houses. You might want to begin with perfumes by Chanel, Dior, Patou and Guerlain, to give some examples, and then try out some of the older versions of these perfumes. The cost of vintage perfumes can be quite steep so before you even think about buying a bottle, it would be smart to start with a sample of the bygone scent. I’ve heard good things about vintage samples sold online by The Perfumed Court and Surrender to Chance. Samples can normally be purchased for under $10 which is way less than you’d pay for a full bottle of something you might not love.

So let’s assume you’ve found a vintage fragrance you love either by purchasing a sample or sniffing around in your aunt’s fragrance collection and you’re on a mission to find it. Now what?

Assuming you have the time, check out garage sales, estate sales and thrift shops. It will require some legwork but it will be well worth it if you can manage to locate that rare gem of a fragrance. Another option would be to to purchase your vintage fragrance on eBay but that also involves doing some work. EBay has its share of scammers so you’ll need to check out the historical selling price of the fragrance you’re looking to buy beforehand as well as check feedback on the seller. If the seller doesn’t have a stellar reputation, obviously steer clear. For more on how to buy perfume online without getting scammed you can read my earlier post here. 

One of the biggest concerns about buying a vintage fragrance seems to be that the perfume will have gone “off”  over time and is no longer good for use. It’s important to know that perfume isn’t like meat or dairy; there isn’t an expiration date. Improper storing can certainly cause a perfume to smell rancid or loose its oomph but that has nothing to do with the age of the perfume. Over time the aroma and color will change but this doesn’t mean that the perfume has gone bad. The best example of perfume’s fortitude comes from ancient Egypt. When the tomb of Tutankhamun was opened in 1923, one of the jars located inside contained a perfume unguent, or solid perfume, which still smelled wonderfully fragrant even after thousands of years!

When sniffing a vintage perfumes, try to decide what it is that you like and/or dislike about it. Does your initial foray make you want to continue the hunt and seek out more of these splendid relics?

If you need recommendations for vintage perfumes that you really should try, check back soon for my personal favorites?

If you’re a perfumista with something to say about vintage perfumes, please feel free to add your questions, thoughts and suggestions below.

Cheers and here’s to surviving the next month of holiday madness!