In Soviet times, women did not have the opportunity to choose for themselves the very fragrance that would match the smell of the skin, mood, character, zodiac sign, etc. There were bestsellers produced both in their native country and abroad abroad, for which they literally hunted, not sparing the last money. Well, we propose to find out what Soviet perfumes were like and what women of those times smelled like. By the way, the hunt for many perfumes from the past continues to this day.
Two categories of fragrances
Soviet perfumes are usually divided into domestic and "foreign". It was not difficult to get the first ones at all - they were freely available and were quite inexpensive. The aromas of such perfumes were unpretentious, monotonous, common. Of course, they were used, but they continued to dream of a foreign miracle that would have a unique smell, unlike anything else. This is just about the second category of Soviet spirits. On the shelves of shops they got intostrictly limited quantities, so they went to those who were first in line. They cost half or even a full salary, so even speed could not help everyone. At that time, it was perfumes (not perfumed water) that were sent from abroad, so their durability was prohibitive.
Below, we will first look at the brightest representatives of the domestic manufacturer, and then move on to the scarce product.
Chypre
This is not even a perfume, but a cologne, which could be called the now fashionable word "unisex". The name gives out the essence of the fragrance - chypre, sharp, persistent, tenacious. The cologne combined notes of bergamot, sandalwood and oakmoss, it was dizzying, yet incredibly fresh. By the way, our Chypre was originally conceived as an analogue of the French Chypre, but after it was born, there were very few similarities. Nevertheless, he took root among the Soviet public and became a favorite of both girls and boys.
Red Moscow
It's hard to imagine a Soviet woman's trellis without the coveted bottle of "Red Moscow". The aroma was so tart and sharp that it was immediately difficult to “smell out” certain notes in it. Note that the history of these Soviet spirits began under the tsar - in 1884. Then they were called "The Empress's Favorite Bouquet", and after the revolution they turned into "Red Moscow". An interesting fact is that the sillage of this crazy perfume is incredibly similar to the sillage from Chanel No. 5. Rumor has it that the famous Cococheated and invented her famous perfume as an analogue of the "Empress's Bouquet".
Scheherazade
Of course, it would be more correct to write "Soviet spirits "Scheherazade"", but the factory-manufacturer "Scarlet Sails" decided to deliberately make a mistake in the name of the new perfume. Thus, an incredibly sweet, cloying and very sharp aroma, Scheherazade, entered the Soviet space. The hardest thing was to understand for whom it was intended - for girls or for mature ladies. The sweet notes associated with Montpensier candies were interrupted by sharp touches of musk and citrus. But many people who did not know what perfume should be like this decision very much. To meet "Scheherazade" on the streets was as easy as shelling pears. Women smelled it in the subway, in theaters, at work and even walking in the parks.
Red Poppy
Also a hit perfume, which was very popular among Soviet fashionistas. They were invented back in 1927, they survived the war, but remained relevant until the time of perestroika. The highlight of the "Red Poppy" was their "calm". The aroma was rich, very deep, but not bold, not bright, not defiant. The main audible notes are amber, aldehyde, musky. It was a kind of oriental fairy tale, which was suitable only for mature, self-confident young ladies. Occasionally, young girls, going to an evening event, could afford to use this serious and very deep perfume.
Perhaps…
Spirits of the Soviet periodnot necessarily bore someone's name or had a beautiful specially invented name. This composition, for example, was named after the song by Eddie Rosner - "Maybe". The composition was ordinary, but not intrusive. Floral notes prevailed in the perfume, they were not too harsh, heavy or defiant. Therefore, most often they were purchased by students and lovers of light, airy aromas. But despite the floral base, the fragrance was persistent. It could remain on clothes even after washing.
We also examined photos of Soviet perfumes that were produced in our homeland, and their descriptions. And now let's move on to the consideration of "foreign" beauty products, which were considered in short supply.
Lancome Climat
The legendary fragrance that was the most desirable for every girl and woman. There have never been such unusual perfumes in the Soviet Union, they were both persistent and light, airy and tenacious, soft and original. In a word, a real sensation for the era of the 70s. The fragrance gained its greatest popularity after the premiere of the film "The Irony of Fate or Enjoy Your Bath!". Do you remember how Hippolyte gives Nadia the coveted bottle, and she rejoices in it like a child? After that, everyone wanted to smell like Nadia, and the queues for Climat increased tenfold.
Black Magic
Another popular creation of the house of the Lancome brand, which won the hearts of mostly mature ladies. These spirits of Soviet times are presented in the photo, and looking at them, you will immediately remember thisunsurpassed aroma. Strict, thin, refined, a little tart, but at the same time gentle. Fans of "Black Magic" stated that it was ice and fire in one bottle, as they were incredibly cold, but at the same time boundlessly passionate. It is worth noting that this creation from Lankom was the first sample of selective perfumery that could get into the Soviet space. Perfume took root on each woman in its own way, played with different notes, but remained true to its character.
Riga Lilac
Soviet perfume "Dzintars" was the second most popular after Climat and was also considered a more budget option. The fragrance was unique in its own way, it was also loved by the fair sex. Of course, the name speaks for itself - the perfume smelled of lilac, but a subtle hint of cinnamon made them sweeter, tart and non-standard. Huge queues also lined up for this fragrance, as they were considered a shortage and were delivered from the B altic states.
Opium by YSL
Rare, unique, inimitable and very capricious perfume called "Opium" from Yves Saint Laurent was extremely rare on sale. It is worth saying that they were hunted mainly because the goods were considered scarce. The scent itself is very complex and not for everyone. It is very sharp with pronounced oriental and floral notes. The trail of these perfumes has a medicinal shade, and this is not surprising. Yves Saint Laurent himself, creating his masterpiece in 1977, was inspired by the smell of Japaneseboxes that held medicines. Well, the second source of inspiration for the designer was, in fact, opium. The mixture is daring, sharp, indomitable, in a word, in the spirit of the era of the 70s.
J'ai Ose by Guy Laroche
The name of the Soviet perfume "Ose" was known to every fashionista of those times. The product entered store shelves in the early 80s and was relatively scarce. The price was acceptable (not as high as Climat), there were more bottles in the assortment. It is also worth noting that the fragrance belongs to the group of oriental-floral, it is soft and sharp at the same time, sweet and passionate. Something like Opium, but not so crazy and not so specific. "Ose" was in almost every house, students and adult women smelled of it. In fairness, we note that the original version of the perfume is still being produced and is in great demand.
Fidji by Guy Laroche
This is the second most popular creation of this fashion house. The perfume was named after the exotic and distant island of Fiji and is designed to evoke the mood of summer, the sea, the sun, and carelessness. And so it was - the aroma was both sweet and fresh, it had both notes of the ocean breeze and the sweetness of flowers and fruits. The main elements that became the basis of the Fiji perfume are bergamot, iris, hyacinth, lemon, jasmine, carnation, violet, rose … as we can see, the smell is not as simple as many Soviet colognes. It is multifaceted and at the same time light.
L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci
It's hardbelieve it, but this fragrance was produced and released to the world already in 1948. Since then, he has experienced the rise and fall in Europe and a few decades later ended up in the USSR. Like all spirits of those times, it is very rich, concentrated and heavy. However, the composition itself is filled with "spring", light notes. The perfume is dominated by iris, followed by carnation, and bergamot, jasmine and rose stand out in the background. The flower arrangement, decorated in a yellow bottle with a cap in the form of soaring doves, was worth its weight in gold in our country.
Paloma Picasso
The daughter of the famous artist Pablo Picasso turned out to be just as talented as her father, but only in a slightly different area. She began to invent unique fragrances that are difficult to repeat or compare, even with world French hits. One of her creations that women could enjoy in the 80s is Mon Parfum by Paloma Picasso. By the way, these perfumes are produced in their original form to this day, since their relevance has not faded with the passage of time. The composition is based on sensual notes of ylang-ylang, angelica, bergamot, citrus and rose. The bottle is black, concise, but very original. In Soviet times, this fragrance was extremely rare, but it was not as expensive as many French perfumes.
Gigi
Not perfume, but a fairy tale of the East, which was a rarity in the Soviet years. The fragrance turned out to be the first among the Arab perfumes that began to be supplied to the USSR, and instantly gained popularity due to its uniqueness, dissimilarityfor something else. The pyramid can be designated as an oriental flower pyramid. Notes of flowers and citrus are heard in the perfume, and vanilla falls on top of them, like powder. The scent is warm, ambiguous and unique. It was believed that it was a drop of GiGi that could turn an ordinary Soviet girl into a real lady.
