A Few Whiffs of Beauty Product Nostalgia

     Scent is such a powerful thing. Now don't worry, I'm not referring to my ten year old son's socks, or my dog after he's been out in the rain.  I'm thinking about how a scent, or a whiff of something can trigger a memory, or a person, or a wave of nostalgia for times past.  The smell of sliced, raw potatoes instantly transports me to my Aunt Grace's kitchen, where she would always have something good bubbling away on the stove.  The scent of garlic and dinner rolls toasting takes me to a childhood holiday dinner at Grandma's house, with relatives laughing and teasing . On the not so pleasant side of things, the smell of a nearby paper mill while travelling will remind me of a previous job I had-one I disliked very much, which was near a paper mill.  My mood changes instantly, and the unhappy feelings I had during that time in my life are conjured back up.
     The smell of certain beauty products bring back waves of nostalgia, also.  Noxema, the old fashioned, white creamy stuff in the blue jar, will always remind me of my Mom.  All during my childhood, my mother washed her face with Noxema (or the Kroger brand equivalent of it), and even used it as a moisturizer.  Noxema was kind of my Mom's cure-all, much like Windex was for the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  Have a sunburn? You'd better go and put some Noxema on it!  Need to shave your legs? Use some Noxema.  Knees and elbows feel rough and dry? Put some Noxema on them.  Go get some Noxema and wash off your makeup before bed! One whiff of that peculiar, unique, menthol-and-something-else product reminds me of kissing my mother's soft, smooth, and freshly washed cheek good night.  For the record, my Mom is now in her late 60's, and still has very soft skin, and practically no wrinkles, even though I think she finally moved on from Noxema a few years ago.  Maybe she really was on to something!
     Triple Lanolin Handcream, in the off white bottle, with the greenish cap, and the fancy, script writing on the tube, will forever remind me of my Grandma.  I'm not sure they still even sell this hand cream, but I still remember the scent.  When I was little, my Grandma always had a tube of this stuff sitting around, along with a fancy white, cylindrical bottle of L'air de Temp perfume.  My Grandma passed away a few months ago, and I feel the urge to find some Triple Lanolin so I can wear it, and feel like I'm getting a hug from her.

      The scents of other beauty products take me back to less special, or important memories or times.  Aussie Sprunch Spray, with it's vaguely grape, chemical smell reminds me of junior high school, when I'd use it to tease up my permed hair.  White Shoulders perfume reminds me of a very huggy church lady from my childhood who always flirted a bit with my dad, much to my mother's annoyance.  Jergen's Original Cherry Almond scent hand soap reminds me of another Aunt's house.  I could go on, I'm sure.
     What scents do you associate memories or people with?