What Are Your Most Favourite Smells?

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Ok, I realise this could seem like a strange question...but the sense of smell is pretty cool ya know?...Anyway, my favourite smells are fresh doughnuts from Sainsbury's, rain on concrete, coffee and hmmm petrol!...Okay, what are yours dudes?

― james e l, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like so many smells I don't know where to start. All yours James, plus the smell of revolting hotdog stands at Oxford Circus (despite being vegetarian). Did anyone ever read 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat' by the neuropsychologist Oliver Sacks Annoying title, but a great book that includes a chapter on this guy who had suffered some brain trauma that resulted in his sense of smell being heightened to that of a dog's. There was some suggestion that it was a return to some early stage in human evolution where our sense of smell was a lot more acute. A whole new world was opened up to him, but it kind of impeded his ability to live a normal 20th century life, what with being overwhelmed by smells all the time. After his superpower disappeared one day, he could get back to normal, but missed the animalistic mode of experience to which he had temporarily been given access.

― Nick, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Patchouli and clove cigarettes. Reminds me of art school.

When I first moved to Tooting, I experienced a sudden sharpening of my sense of smell. I don't know if it was because I was out of central London (I have a hard time believing that there is less pollution down here) or because of certain hormonal changes that were nothing to do with my neighbourhood, but for several weeks, I was wandering around in a weird revery. Greggs Bakeries became impossible to pass. Curry houses were a full frontal assault (even though I love the smell of curries).

I like the smell of skin, too. Especially skin that has been out in the sun and is starting to tan - no, not the scent of suntan lotion, I actually like the way skin smells after it's been in the sun.

― masonic boom, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The smell of rain on a very hot day; coffee brewing in the morning; anything being freshly baked, especially apple pie; the strange way the air smells right before a snow storm; vanilla extract; crayons; chlorine (I think that's mainly because it reminds me of summers as a kid).

― michele, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The man selling hot dogs at Oxford Circus who I must walk past every day makes me feel sick with his vile smells.

I can't smell anything now cos I have a cold. I like vanilla, coconuts, the seaside, roast chicken, bacon, sawn wood , jasmine.

I hate lilies and hot dogs.

― Emma, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.

― Matt D'Cruz, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like the smell of squelching, sticky...um, yes.

I actually have a fairly problematic sense of smell -- I *can* smell, but often things which other people catch pass me by. Might just be because of my allergies.

Uh...chocolate, definitely. The salt in sea air. Roses.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Musk. Suntan Oil - I have this great hair product called "Beach Blonde" which you spray in your hair and it does this weird thing, but best of all it smells like suntan oil. Cocoa butter cream. Chai spice. Jasmine. Tuberose. Italian food. Leather. The cologne that someone I've been hanging uot with a lot lately wears, but I Have no idea what it's called, I like it better than others I've smelled though. Caramel. Honey. That weird thing that it smells like after it rains in the city. Amber. Nag champa. The lipgloss I'm wearing today - it smells like iced tea!

There are a lot of them, I'm really into smells. I reckon people who don't eat much get really into sweet smells/food smells, btw.

― Ally, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The smell of suntan lotion or cocoa butter reminds me of the lazy summer days when I was child, when we didn't know about UV Rays and skin cancer and would slather ourselves in lotion in the hopes of looking like a piece of dried out leather someday.

― michele, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

a clean butt, a galloise or a gitanes, instant coffee and occasionally underarms

― Geoff, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mown grass. This isn't my favourite smell of all time but I just smelt it and it's great.

― Tom, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love the smell of CURRY. Mmmmm......

― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Teabags!

― DG, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Chips.

― DavidM, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, hang on - Hot dog stands and burger stands smell REVOLTING. Talk about PUKE!

Suntan oil? Oh yeah! Mmmm... in fact most smells associated with sunny days/holidays/memories/*things you like* score high on the Nice- O-Meter. When I was Verrrrrrrrrry young my family lived in a pub (!) and there is a certain sweet pub-cellar smell that whenever I smell it now (which is v.rare) I *have to* stop and strongly inhale. It's so evocative of childhood to me, and that's always a big hitter.

― DavidM, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This will sound weird, but the smell of fire. Not fire exactly, but the sooty, smoky smell that used to surround my dad when he came home from his job as a fireman. I always associate that odor with the feeling of relief when my dad walked through the door after a shift, safe and sound.

― michele, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is anyone else ANOSMIC?

― 1 1 2 3 5, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There are many smokey things that smell good, actually; certain cigarettes, campfires, mesquite...

Burning rubber is from Satan, though.

― Dan Perry, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Snowstorm and wet lurcher.

― Robin Carmody, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

FRESH CREOSOTE on SHEDS.

― the arsemonkey, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love the smells of my lover. yes, all of them. Sorry.

― Mike Hanle y, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is anyone else ANOSMIC?

Chuck Eddy is apparently, so was Michael Hutchence, and so is my flatmate (which is how I come to know a little about the topic.) It doesn't seem like much fun - we have to take extra precautions for avoiding gas leaks, things like that.

― Andrew L, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I broke my smell bones when I moved to New York.

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 28 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four weeks pass...

Fish

― anthony, Friday, 27 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Raw?

― youn, Friday, 27 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

or cooked but raw preferred

― anthony, Friday, 27 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three months pass...

I like the smell of my new cords.

― james, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Whatever a croquembouche is, I like that.

― Ally, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

chalk. grass. gasoline.

― Samantha, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

pine needles. tangerines. lily of the valley. ocean. fresh apples and cedar. lots of other stuff.

― Kim, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bacon frying, fresh perked coffee, gingerbread, homemade bread freshly painted rooms & leather in new cars... Gale

― Gale Deslongchamps, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

wet records.

― youn, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two years pass...

Desert soil, especially when wet.
Fresh basil.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 23 January 2004 05:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Coffee (apart from on a plane when you have a hangover)
Toast
Freshly cut grass, when it's wet

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 23 January 2004 10:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Still napalm. And possibly burning animal flesh.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 23 January 2004 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)

*shudders*

Although, bacon smells good!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 23 January 2004 10:46 (twenty-one years ago)

The ocean.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 23 January 2004 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

new books, lover's neck, freshly opened beer, struck out match, mint, Christmas trees, sun on vine tomatoes, paint.

ok, i'll admit it: petrol too.

― paulhw (paulhw), Friday, 23 January 2004 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

"Odorless" solvent!!

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 23 January 2004 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

My own poop & farts

― Leee Majors (Leee), Friday, 23 January 2004 22:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Leee OTM.

― Bryan (Bryan), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Play Doh

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

well someone had to say it Leee got there first

― pete s, Friday, 23 January 2004 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

oil
new tarmac
fresh rain
woodsmoke
jasmine

― cis (cis), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

My farts don't smell I'm half a man. :_(

― Leee Majors (Leee), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:19 (twenty-one years ago)

laundry. laundry. FRESH LAUNDRY ahhh yeahhhh

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

My mom's tomato sauce simmering
Permanent markers
gas/petrol
good weed in the bag

― oops (Oops), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

i've got a take-out container of piping hot french fries sitting in front of me, and i'm really too full to eat any, but OMG THE SMELL

― aleksandr supertramp (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 23 January 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I love the smell of freshly mowed hay, spring rain and trees.The smell od cotton candy at Fair. Last but not least I like the smell of hot cocoa outside on a cool evening.

― Gale, Saturday, 24 January 2004 02:58 (twenty-one years ago)

woodsmoke

duh, this was the one i forgot

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 24 January 2004 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

seven months pass...

bumpety bump

― rainy (rainy), Sunday, 5 September 2004 03:52 (twenty-one years ago)

eucalyptus trees. redwood trees on the way to san francisco. crabtree & evelyn birch shampoo.

― youn, Sunday, 5 September 2004 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

my sister's baby.

That weird thing that it smells like after it rains in the city.

i like this too. it sort of smells like kids' hands after they've been playing on monkey bars, but it's wetter and there are other nuances.

― youn, Sunday, 5 September 2004 04:18 (twenty-one years ago)

The smell of clean laundry, fresh from the dryer. Floral body sprays. The scent of furniture polish. Pizza. Cilantro. The cool, crisp air after a heavy rainstorm (unless it's still humid outside). New books. New car smell. Mom's perfume (which I associate with being safe and "home"). Strawberries. Fully ripened peaches. Certain candle scents are also really, really great, almost addictive.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Sunday, 5 September 2004 04:37 (twenty-one years ago)

oatmeal. oranges. toast.

― youn, Sunday, 5 September 2004 05:23 (twenty-one years ago)

OREGANO
My mom's pasta sauce simmering

― oops (Oops), Sunday, 5 September 2004 06:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Ketsup farts.

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Sunday, 5 September 2004 06:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The smell of the air straight after a thunderstorm. Grilled bacon. Oranges. Ambre Solaire suntan oil. Those marker pens which smell like Jargonelle pear drops. Lypsyl lip salve. Badedas shower gel. Damp November evenings, with all the fallen leaves and the feint whiff of bonfire smoke in the air. Tiger Balm. Juicy ripe strawberries.

― C J (C J), Sunday, 5 September 2004 08:22 (twenty-one years ago)

My boyfriends breath (like citrus and cigarettes). My baby niece's neck. Live Jazz cologne. Beech forest. Swimming pools. Thai food.

― rainy (rainy), Sunday, 5 September 2004 09:23 (twenty-one years ago)

bakeries and new paper.

― Cathy (Cathy), Sunday, 5 September 2004 09:59 (twenty-one years ago)

glasgow in august, october & december.

― cºzen (Cozen), Sunday, 5 September 2004 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)

coffee, yellow sponge cake, ginger, lilac bushes, fresh hotel sheets, bourbon, tobacco.

― lauren (laurenp), Sunday, 5 September 2004 15:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Cheap vanilla-scented pipe-tobacco, which my father used to smoke. The smell of my grandfather's armchair. Anise.

― x j e r e m y (x Jeremy), Sunday, 5 September 2004 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Curry or peppercorns being ground.

― Wooden (Wooden), Sunday, 5 September 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

cedar mulch
fresh hops
garlic
basil
mimeographs
honeysuckles

― Maria D. (Maria D.), Sunday, 5 September 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Ditto on the air just after a thunderstorm (isn't that smell supposed to be ozone?)
Also roses, lavender, roast chicken, and cinnamon (although those really strong cinnamon sprays or pomanders tickle my nose in an unpleasant way)

― j.lu (j.lu), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:10 (twenty-one years ago)

i quit smoking and everyone said "ohh your sense of smell will get so much better" but hey WARNING WARNING smokers: do not fall for this sham incentive, it is a big lie. anyway what smells better than me smoking??

― jones (actual), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:11 (twenty-one years ago)

(haha i'm still trying to work out why youn answered "wet records" up there! why are your records wet youn??)

― jones (actual), Sunday, 5 September 2004 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

That weird thing that it smells like after it rains in the city.
Night blooming jasmine
simmering spaghetti sauce
my mom's perfume
woodsmoke
fir trees
vanilla candles
cinnamon gum breath
curve for men
bacon and coffee
ripe peaches
mr. bubble bubble bath
chlorine/bleach
sheets dried on the line
pancake syrup (mostly when people smell like it.) (Don't ask). (And no, not that).
garlic

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

chana masala w/cardamon&saffron rice, roti, cilantro garnish, and a freshly cracked can of beer.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 06:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I think this contains my first ever ILX post. I'm pretty sure that at the time of posting such a lame joke it had never occurred to me that I would one day end up drinking in a pub with eleven of the other posters. Funny how things work out.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 09:51 (twenty-one years ago)

i like the smells of: my GF's perfume, incense (not the corny ones though), shower gels, clean hair, women's hair, various and endless foods, cum, vaginas.

― splooge (thesplooge), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 10:19 (twenty-one years ago)

i love the candy/popcorn smell of movie theaters, even after working at one for a year and 1/2.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

though i wasnt able to make myself eat any popcorn until long after i stopped working there.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

fresh bread is nice.

― splooge (thesplooge), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Certainly NOT the smell of workmates microwaving god knows what in the open plan kitchen RIGHT behind my desk.

Yes, you, if you're reading this over my shoulder. Fuck off.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 10:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Microwaving Heinz Spicy Thai instant noodles is how I take revenge on my co-workers for being bitches :)

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:08 (twenty-one years ago)

You are going straight to hell.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

They're so tasty, and only 1% fat!

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

i eat pot noodles to annoy them

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

chicken and mushroom flavour is particularly pungent. as is the bombay bad boy

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

(this is not to make them jealous, btw, just for the pure nausea factor)

favourite smells
- lamb rogan from Hillmarton Tandoori
- anything with garlic in it (not sure about the breath aftesr)
- beer smell from pubs (sometimes)
- "Flowers by Kenzo" perfume

i used to really like the smell of diesel fumes when i was about 6-7.. i thought it semelled like roast chicken! i was a weird kid.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

My favourite smells are new trainers, Van Cleef & Arpels perfume, pine trees in the south of france, ski lifts, Stergene washing liquid, Hawaiian Tropic sun cream, wood smoke, newsprint and (I can't write this without soundling like a ponce, but what the heck) dusty little carpenters' workshops on narrow, shady streets on hot days in Florence.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 8 September 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

new electronics. and plastics. i used to like the smell of exhaust fumes but unleaded fumes stink now.

i was introduced also last year to the smell of maps and i am hooked, love the A-roads, in particular.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 31 March 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

oh i talked about exhaust fumes already

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 31 March 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

What Are Your Most Favourite Smells? (2 new answers)
food (21 new answers)

― Stone Monkey (Stone Monkey), Friday, 31 March 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Citrus, pine, cucumber, lavender, jasmine, mint, honey, fresh bread, coffee, tanned skin, cooked meat, pineapple upside-down cake, strawberry cheesecake, pumpkin pie.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 31 March 2006 11:20 (nineteen years ago)

teh sea
freshly cut grass
onions and garlic frying
petrol
body shop nut flavour body butter (which i will never buy any more of ever bah!)
the kind of horrible semi-butchery semi-exotic smell you get in shops in chinatown selling things i would never even consider putting in my mouth
vick
calamine lotion
tarmac melting
rain on filthy dusty city streets that haven't seen rain in too long

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 31 March 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

oh yeah
curry
suncream
chlorine
my clothes and hair when i've been hanging around a wood fire
clean sheets, esp when they've dried in the garden after a windy day (emphatically not the smell of persil/sift/whatever, though)
chipshops, proper greasy chipshops

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 31 March 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

oatmeal
after it rains
babies
dregs of wine
sun - things that have been in the sun
dry papery smells

― youn, Monday, 3 April 2006 00:40 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I already said oatmeal. New trainers, yeah.

― youn, Monday, 3 April 2006 00:42 (nineteen years ago)

I love the smell of empty DVD cases, rain on concrete is pleasant too.

― Jena (JenaP), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:52 (nineteen years ago)

I just got back from lots of bike riding! So I'm loving that smell of chilled Spring air mixed with slightly sweaty skin. A few weeks ago after going for a bike ride when it was still quite cold out, I was loving how my skin and hair smelled like woodsmoke, like camping. That smell seems to happen late at night in the winter here too - but perhaps this is mostly from walking home in the cold after spending hours in a smokey bar, come to think of it. It's not stale smoke though, it's something nicer.

And then there's another smell that one wouldn't think is nice: the blend of cigarette smoke, pot smoke and sweaty dancing people. For some reason it smells like (good) incense - it seems to only happen at loft/warehouse-type parties... Maybe it's just in Mtl. It is nice.

Others I like: chocolate, fake coconut, THE OCEAN oh the ocean, any body of water, really, even a bath.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:58 (nineteen years ago)

Rain and dirt smell on hot roads in summer

― This cunted circus never ends... (papa november), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:58 (nineteen years ago)

man, everybody loves the fuck out of some curry smells up in here! I used to, but now I work in an Indian restaurant all the time, so I don't even notice! :( (I still really like eating curry, though.)Fortunately, the garlic naan smell still titilates me.

basil

-some unknown cologne I have smelled exactly twice in my life (hot smell + unrequited longing=extremely hot smell)

-laundry as smelled from the street. (Notice that it must be a mild evening, around dusk, and feeling the wave of warm air from the machines is a plus)

― emilys. (emilys.), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:58 (nineteen years ago)

oh yes! that one's great, the laudromat dryer smell.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 3 April 2006 01:01 (nineteen years ago)

Laundry from the street always reminds me of college dorms - in a good way - the better things about them.

― youn, Monday, 3 April 2006 01:01 (nineteen years ago)

also, the whole "come on, everybody likes the smell of their own excrement, I'm just the first to admit it" thing: NOT TRUE! Though I dislike the smell of my own shits and farts less than that of others', I still find it fucking repulsive.

― emilys. (emilys.), Monday, 3 April 2006 01:17 (nineteen years ago)

the beach/ocean/coastline (especially the coast where i grew up)
karri forests
jarrah forests
rain forests
the darling ranges (which border the city where i live)
the stirling ranges (bordering the town i grew up in)
matches/candles just blown out
coffee beans being ground
really old pubs

― gem (trisk), Monday, 3 April 2006 01:30 (nineteen years ago)

golden gate park

― emilys. (emilys.), Monday, 3 April 2006 01:31 (nineteen years ago)

except not the hippies

― emilys. (emilys.), Monday, 3 April 2006 01:31 (nineteen years ago)

Rain on dirty concrete, just as it is starting (interesting so many people like that smell, wonder why)
My boi's hairline/nape of neck
onion/garlic frying
any good men's cologne when I then link it with a guy I have the horn for
cinema popcorn
the bushland around my grandparent's coastal house (all eucalypts, sea air and dirt)
weed smoke hanging in the air
nag champa incence

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 3 April 2006 02:17 (nineteen years ago)

I dig the smell of rain, and my nose is full of it right now.

― Gilbert O'Sullivan (kenan), Monday, 3 April 2006 02:25 (nineteen years ago)

I was hoping this thread revive would lead to the outing of more ANOSMICS.

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 3 April 2006 02:39 (nineteen years ago)

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