My First Perfume Was... The ELLE Team Reveal Their Most Nostalgic Scents

'There aren’t many beauty legacies from my teenage years that I would still consider, but the perfume I wore is one of them. Not just because it reminds me of those last halcyon days of sixth form freedom, but also because Chanel’s Allure is actually a very, very good perfume. Luckily for my A-level teachers, its warm and gentle amber juice with hints of sparkling rose is so easy on the nose. It’s also far more sophisticated than I ever was at 17 - which is exactly why I wore it on the regular, and still would.'

'Stealing from your mum’s make-up bag is a teenage rite of passage. Stealing from her perfume collection? Not as forgivable. When my mum finally caved and gifted me my very first perfume, she opted for the same divisive 1990s classic that had repeatedly "gone missing" from her shelf: Mugler Angel.

'It feels fitting that the perfume world's first ever gourmand would spark my life long love affair with indulgent foodie notes. Crème caramel, cotton candy, red berries and a generous drizzling of chocolate and honey, all in one bottle? There’s a reason it’s hard to resist even now.'

'After graduating from Impulse, Charlie Red and The Body Shop's vanilla perfume oil, my first proper perfume was Chanel Mademoiselle. My mother is a lifelong No.5 wearer, so I think she got it for me out of familiarity but also, most likely, because it was marketed well at our local department store counter. It became "my" perfume at school. Years (/decades...) later I don't wear it daily anymore, but still always have it in my fragrance line-up. They do a hair perfume version now, which I love.'

'Versace Red Jeans was only £9 at the time, which was completely affordable to a 14-16 year old. It brings back the feeling of my teenage years and how grown up I felt pulling that ornate glass bottle out of its metal packaging. It had a flowery/jasmine scent laced with vanilla, musk, sandalwood (good Indian girl) and lily.'

'This was the last world in adult sophistication to a Scottish teenager. Nowadays it reminds me of cider hangovers and sneaking underage into discos, but back then it evoked a world of Parisian glamour that I longed to be a part of.'

'My first perfume was ‘FIERCE’ by Abercrombie & Fitch. The perfume was actually for men, however it’s the scent they pumped out as you entered the stores, so arguably aimed at us all. It was like catnip to me. I adored the smell and would douse myself in it every morning before school. Not only did it remind me of that heady shopping experience (insert Netflix documentary reality check here!), I think that wearing it made me feel like I was dating one of the models, or that I could be. It was almost like a girlfriend wearing her boyfriend’s perfume when they were apart. Those were the days!'

‘My first memorable perfume was Chanel No.5, gifted by a fancy aunt on my 21st birthday. It smelled like the woman I wished to become: smart, well-dressed, courageous. I sprayed it so liberally, my entire Birmingham student flat smelled like the golden powderiness of No.5, and my partner now instantly recognises it as my scent – so that’s a win. I still love it to this day. I save it for extra special occasions every spritz makes me feel utterly glamorous and in charge.’

'I actually think mine was quite fancy - Hermès Eau Des Merveilles - the boy I was dating loved it so now I can't smell it because it reminds me of him too much.'

'My mum and dad brought this back from their first holiday without my brother and I (they got him the male version). I weirdly still like the smell of it, it's a really fresh holiday scent.'

'The first ever perfume I actually bought was a knock off bottle of Givenchy Very Irresistible from a Turkish market. Classy, right? It still reminds me of being on holiday as a teenager, although I prefer the real deal now.'