The Fragrance Foundation UK

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

“My first memory of smell is the petrol when I was five years old. And also the scent of the Palmolive green soap is as an odour in my memory which goes back to my childhood.

My home smell is the smell of earth and grass after rain.

I cannot remember any specific smell when I first came to Britain apart from the bad smell from time to time I smelled in London in hot weather.

I use the fragrance ‘Dune’ by Dior.”

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘As my mother was using carnation cologne my first memory of scent is the smell of carnation. It stayed with me as the scent of my home.

The first time when I went to a museum in 1985 in London a woman passed next to me with a beautiful smell. I ran after her and asked what perfume she was wearing and asked her to write it down for me. It was the perfume ‘Wings’.

‘Wings’ perfume is my first memory in Britain as a scent and since then I am using the same perfume.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘As my mother was working, my grandmother was looking after me; my first memory of smell is the scent of my grandmother’s Rose water.

Rice was my home smell and still is. For me home equals rice.

When we left the airport the first day we arrived in Britain, I smelled the rain. The smell of rain is still with me till today and is the smell of Britain.

I do use the fragrance ‘Guilty’ by Gucci.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘My first memory of smell is the ‘yeşil sabun-green soap’ which was used in nearly all Turkish households in Turkey and Cyprus. The smell of the green soap for me means home.

When I arrived at the airport from Cyprus to live for good in the UK my fiancé picked me up and he had used the fragrance Old Spice. My first scent memory of Britain is the perfume of my late husband, what he was wearing that day, and still is.

I do use the fragrance ‘Coco’ by Chanel.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘My first smell memory is rice. It is a mixture of aroma, steam and sweet. And of course the smell of my home is rice and the smell of my mother. She was using the fragrance ‘Rose Water’.

The scent of rain is the smell of Britain for me. When I first arrived from a warm country like Iraq it hit me with a mixture of a warm, earthy and damp smell.

I do use the fragrance ‘Weekend’ by Burberry.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘I am originally from Iraq but as my mother was a diplomat and working in Egypt, I was born in Cairo. I do remember the smell of petrol as a two-year-old in Cairo; it was a very intense smell everywhere in Cairo. And the smell of the gas cooker/heater is my memory of home.

The smell of burnt toast is my first memory of smell in London as in Iraq we warmed up or toasted bread differently than in Britain. Toasting bread in a toaster gives out a sort of burned smell. It was a kind of new smell with which I was acquainted.

I do use the fragrance ‘Poem’ by Lancome.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘Mauritius is a sunny and tropical country and the smell of these countries next to the sea is a mixture of earth, sea and tropical smell. Perhaps these smell are indescribable and only people who have been brought up in sunny countries will know that. My first memory of odour is the mixture of this smell.

Everybody in Mauritius grew mango trees in their garden therefore my memory of home smell is the mango trees of my grandparent’s garden, it is very strong sweet, aromatic and tropical.

I first came to London when I was 18 years old and later at the age of 31. The strong smell of the tube is the first smell I do remember and it is still the smell of Britain. It is unnatural and a smell of pollution.

I use the fragrance ‘Eau de Lacoste’ by Lacoste.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

‘As a child we used to go every summer to Istanbul and my first memory of smell is the smoke. In those days, people were smoking everywhere without exception. The smell of my grandmother as my early memory of scent is still with me, she was using the fragrance ‘Dior Miss’.

My dad used to barbeque chicken wings on the open fire place every evening when he returned home from work. The smell of home for me is a mixture of the fireplace and barbeque chicken which for me is also the smell of Britain.

I use the fragrance ‘Coco’ by Chanel.’

Collection of smell memories of home and first smell memories of London-Britain by Semra Eren-Nijhar https://bit.ly/2WpQz1c

In China we were often going to the park and were spending time in the different gardens of the park. The smell of the sunshine with the combination of the plants is my first smell memory.

The smell of my mother’s perfume which was a flowery perfume along with the smell of her baked cookies is my smell of home.

My first smell of Britain is fish and chips on my arrival to Britain.

I use the fragrance ‘Chanel No5’ by Chanel.