How many of you remember the smell of perfume "Krasnaya Moskva"? If you have caught the era of the USSR, then you must have heard this smell at least once, because it was one of the most popular and famous perfumes of that time.
In this issue, we will recall what other examples of old-school perfumery were used by people of the Soviet era. For some, these names will not mean anything, but for some they were and remain fragrances of the past, which cannot be replaced by any modern scent from Dior or Chanel.
1. Cologne "Carpathians". Lviv perfume factory. Strong, noble Soviet-style smell.
2. "Perhaps ..." perfume. Or maybe not a perfume? Created in Poland and named after Eddie Rosner's popular song "Maybe". A floral bouquet with a delicate and airy aroma.
3. The legend of Russian perfumery - the perfume "Krasnaya Moskva". For some, this perfume is a symbol of the era and longing for the old days, for others it is a sign of conservatism. The sillage of perfume unfolds with the aromas of iris and vanilla.
6. Spirits "Kuznetsky Most". The charm of the classics! Top note: grapefruit, currant. Heart of the fragrance: pineapple. Trail: cedar, musk.
7. Perfume "Recognition" was created at the "Novaya Zarya" factory and is dedicated to the theater. In a light floral arrangement, there is a declaration of love for the theater and the woman. Citrus and the freshness of greens with hints of white peony and jasmine are a hymn to beauty and emotion.
8. Perfume in the form of a table lamp is called “Lamp”. Combine "Flora", Tallinn.
9. Perfume "Sweetheart". Factory "New Dawn". Notes of freesia and incense.
10. Perfume "Charming minx". Factory "New Dawn". Wood moss, vanilla, coumarin.
11. Perfume "Persian lilac". Factory "New Dawn". The noble scent of lush lilac flowers.
Alye Parusa perfumery and glass factory. Quite a rich smell, in terms of the degree of impact, it can only compete with Castaneda mushrooms. Enlightenment is guaranteed.
13. Spirits "Lighthouse Lights". Alye Parusa perfumery and glass factory. The perfume is light, watery and airy.
14. Cologne "Chypre". Created by renowned French perfumer François Coty. Having visited Cyprus, Koti decided to preserve the aromas of the island in his memory, creating the legendary cologne Chypre, or, in Russian, “Chypre”. The Soviet version of the cologne was significantly different from the Kochi perfumery, but still had a strong and persistent scent with notes of bergamot, sandalwood and oakmoss.
15. The vintage perfume "The Queen of Spades" was made by perfumers from the "Novaya Zarya" factory in honor of the 150th anniversary of A.S. Pushkin. A classic chypre scent with rich juicy tones of oak moss, patchouli and bergamot.
16. Perfume "Red poppy". Factory "Red Dawn".
20. Perfume "Stranger" belonged to the luxury class and cost about the same as a small French perfume, so it stood on store shelves for a long time and was considered a "status" gift.
Do you remember the aromas of perfumery from the Soviet era? Maybe someone even kept bottles of perfume made in the USSR?
Today, everything that is Soviet is often scolded, and there are a lot of reasons for that, because really life in the USSR was not easy, associated with many trials. Making elementary purchases was not as easy as it is now. Even chocolates, coffee or bananas were not as easy to obtain as they are today. What then can we say about clothes, handbags and perfumes!
Buying French perfume was literally a holiday for a Soviet woman. It sounds strange to us today, since you can go to a perfume shop and buy whatever your heart desires. And it is not necessary to say that perfumery is expensive today. This is not at all the case, today it is very accessible. A bottle of Guerlain's fragrance can be bought for 2-3 thousand rubles, which is an insignificant part of the average salary. And in the USSR, the cost of French perfumes could be one third of the average salary, and they were not sold in public stores, so when buying perfumes, Soviet women also had little choice.
Imagine only a modern store, where there are only 4-5 types of perfumes! Such a harsh life was in the USSR. True, today we will not scold the Soviet Union, and so much has been said about this, everything that was Soviet has already been mixed with mud and this is also not good. Whether they lived well in the USSR badly, this is a part of our history, in which there was bad, but there was also good, there was a place for heroism, selfless labor and heroism.
Today we will remember the Soviet perfumery, which was made in the USSR. Not French perfumes, but the fragrances of our factories. In the USSR, these scents were more readily available than French perfumery, and today the original Soviet perfumery is more expensive than the average French perfume.
Why is it like this? There are several reasons, firstly, it is not so easy to acquire an original perfume from the times of the USSR, it is somewhat of a rarity, and secondly, Soviet perfumery was made from higher quality components than today's fragrances. For the manufacture of Soviet perfumes and colognes, natural ingredients were often used, and production was regulated by the requirements of GOST, therefore, the perfumery turned out to be of high quality.
Many bottles of Soviet perfumery, released 30-40 years ago, to this day keep the aromas of the past. Such perfumes can be purchased at various online auctions and in specialized stores. And for connoisseurs of perfumery, these fragrances become a collectible. In some collections, the amount of vintage perfumery - Soviet, French ... is measured in hundreds of bottles!
But what about the current fragrances, modern perfumery?
Now, in the pursuit of profit, perfume companies are trying in every way to reduce the cost of production, save on everything they can - on the bottle, on the box and on the scent itself.
Many of us remember from childhood how mother carefully and solemnly applied perfume. Only for the most important events and very little. In Soviet times, getting real French perfume was much more difficult than it is today. But there was no doubt - these were really originals and only of the best quality.
Fidji by Guy Laroche
They were very popular among French perfumes in the USSR. A floral scent with an exotic and slightly extravagant character.
Top notes: tuberose with bergamot and galbanum, hyacinth with iris.
Middle notes: cloves with violets, orris root and aldehydes, jasmine.
Base notes: amber and vetiver, patchouli and musk, oak moss.
Climat by Lancome
Our mothers are considered classic French perfumes from the times of youth. The floral green scent of these French perfumes in the USSR was equally suitable for daytime and evening use.
Top notes: jasmine and violet, rose, daffodil, peach with bergamot.
Middle notes: rosemary and tuberose, aldehydes.
Base notes: bamboo with vetiver and musk.
Diorella by Dior
Popular French perfume in the USSR is Diorella about the Dior brand. The smell is very fond of freshness and the spirit of freedom.
Top notes: bergamot, melon, basil and green notes.
Middle notes: honeysuckle, carnation and cyclamen, rose and peach blossom.
Base notes: oak moss, vetiver, musk and patchouli.
Sikkim by Lancome
Among the French perfumes of the 70s and 80s, many women still remember Sikkim. A fragrance from the group of oriental floral fragrances. This is one of the most sophisticated French perfumes of the Soviet era.
Top notes: cumin, bergamot, gardenia and aldehydes.
Middle notes: rose and daffodil, carnation with iris, jasmine.
Base notes: oak moss with amber, patchouli and leather.
Paloma picasso
Among the real French spirits of Soviet times, many women liked Paloma Picasso by Paloma Picasso. A floral-chypre scent that was suitable for evening and daytime use.
Top notes: neroli, bergamot with coriander, lemon with rose and cloves.
Middle notes: ylang-ylang, hyacinth, patchouli with mimosa.
Base notes: sandalwood, musk, vetiver and civet.
Little is known about Soviet perfumery after the revolution and World War II. In 1917, the world famous house of A. Rallet & Co was nationalized and first renamed the State Soap Factory No. 4, and then became the Svoboda factory.
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At the same time, the Novaya Zarya factory (the heir to the Brokar firm) took over the production of fragrances, and Svoboda concentrated on the production of soap, tooth powders, creams, shaving products, etc. Unfortunately, the traditions and experience accumulated before the revolution were partially lost. And because of the political regime, there was no question of free circulation of spirits between the USSR and Western countries.
In the Soviet Union, the following were very popular:
- Riga Lilac by Dzintars;
- Anais Anais from Cacharel;
- Estee by Estee Lauder
- Mon Parfum by Paloma Picasso and other legends, which we will tell more about in this post.
Post-war industrial development
After the Second World War, the perfumery and cosmetic industry was restored not only in the Soviet Union, but also in Europe. Already in 1947, Dior released the Miss Dior perfume, and a year later, the house of Nina Ricci presented its fragrance L "Air du Temps. The production of essential oils and fragrances was also resumed in the USSR. The Novaya Zarya and Northern Lights factories were back in operation. training of future professionals began in 1949. But, despite the general growth of production and a wide range ( large and small factories produced up to 400 items!), an insufficient variety of raw materials gradually became noticeable. To exchange experience, leading specialists and employees of Soyuzparfymerprom and VNIISNDV began to travel abroad already in the 1950s and 1960s - to China, France, Switzerland, then business trips to Brazil, the USA and Holland took place. There they got to know Western craftsmen and the work of perfume companies.
However, the exchange of experience was not one-sided. Then, for the first time in the USSR, a fashion show of the house of Dior took place. It happened in 1959, and at the same time, Soviet women recognized the Miss Dior fragrance. The representatives of the French fashion house are said to have brought with them about 500 liters of perfume. Some of them were sprayed during fashionable presentations, and some were donated to the wives of diplomats and senior officials.
Despite the fact that Novaya Zarya, Severnoye Siyaniye and other factories of the Union republics produced their products in sufficient quantities, good cosmetics and perfumes remained in short supply. At the same time, imported goods were often meant by good ones. Sometimes perfumery from European countries, primarily East Germany, Poland, France, appeared in the USSR, but it was distributed through narrow channels of personal contacts or was sold in the Berezka stores that appeared in the mid-1960s.
The most readily available imported perfumes were probably Polish ones, for example, Pani Walewska, which combine aldehyde notes with notes of rose, jasmine and lily of the valley. Or Bulgarian Signature, Sonnet, Capri, Sha Noar and others. But, of course, the French were considered the most desirable. The vials were stored for decades, even if they were long empty. Let's remember some of them.
One of the most popular fragrances among Soviet women is Fidji. A light, feminine, airy composition of iris, hyacinth, jasmine, violet and rose with citrus accents and warm woody-musky tones was released by Guy Laroche in 1966. The dream of millions of women was perfect for both daytime and evening wear. Until now, many are in search of Fidji, but today this eau de toilette, inspired by the Pacific Islands, is licensed by the L'Oreal corporation.
Climat of the French brand Lancome is a whole era and in some way a symbol of the 1970s. The embodiment of femininity, luxury and charm, this composition has become one of the most coveted gifts for a Soviet woman. Just remember "The Irony of Fate", where Ippolit Matveyevich gives Nadia a bottle of French perfume. This black and white box contained the Climat! The film shows the original 1967 artwork. Only later did the packaging become the usual blue color. The original composition, created by Gerard Goupy, was based on unforgettable floral-aldehyde accords. Unfortunately, today the Climat is no longer available in its original form. In 2005 Lancome, celebrating its 70th anniversary, brought back to life some of the fragrances, including Climat. The brand's perfumers tried to recreate the bouquet as closely as possible, but the charm of the original was too difficult to repeat. The bottle, created in the 1960s by the artist Georges Delhomme, also underwent changes.
Another legendary creation by Gerard Goupi is the attractive, mesmerizing, bottomless Magie Noir. Not one woman in the 1980s USSR lost her head after hearing the symphony of this magical perfume. The most complex composition of notes of black currant, raspberry, hyacinth, Bulgarian rose, honey, jasmine, tuberose, lily of the valley, narcissus, cedar, musk, sandalwood, vetiver and other halftones, it would seem, is worthy of being a creation of the times of medieval alchemists. But it was then that witches and witches were burned at the stake! Truly, this bouquet is luxurious, like its black glass bottle, designed by Pierre Dinant.
A real masterpiece and standard of oriental family spirits. At the same time scandalous and seductive, provocative and mesmerizing, Opium, released by the house of Yves Saint Laurent in 1977, was considered by some to be a covert drug propaganda! According to the idea of Yves-Saint Laurent himself, perfumers Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Jean Amic were to create perfumes worthy of the Chinese empress Tsy Xi herself. The complex, multi-layered interweaving of citrus notes with sensual, spicy accords, animalistic, balsamic and smoky woody tones is ingenious and unique!
Scent Yves saint laurent
- Opium
Other iconic compositions
By the way, oriental perfumery was held in high esteem not only in the USSR in the 1970-80s. But in the Soviet Union, among such fragrances, such perfumes as from Christian Dior, the Guy Laroche brand, Ispahan from Yves Rocher were also popular,
However, it should be said that there were fragrances in the Soviet Union that became popular in the West. One of the striking examples is, released in 1992 under the brand name of the Soviet fashion designer Vyacheslav Zaitsev. True, this perfume was developed jointly with the L'Oreal company, but the designer participated in its creation from start to finish and came up with the name himself.
Maroussia is the name of the mother and granddaughter of Vyacheslav Zaitsev, and it is consonant with the phrase "my Rus" (ma Russie, fr.). The fragrance triumphantly appeared on the western market and continues to attract interest to this day. Including in modern Russia. Its intriguing sound intertwines invisible fibers of a whole galaxy of shades, among which animalistic, aldehydic, floral, resinous and sweetish facets stand out.
What perfume do you remember from the Soviet past?
In the Soviet and perestroika times, the range of perfumes was small: your mother will probably remember 3-4 brands of perfumes that she and all her friends used. For the sake of the coveted bottle, sacrifices had to be made: imported perfumes could cost as much as the average worker's salary, and it was not easy to buy them.
We have collected 10 of the most popular scents from the past that you will be interested to know about.
Climat by Lancome
Climat was first released in 1967 in Paris. And in the 70s in the USSR, he became a real hit and the most desired gift for a Soviet girl. There was a piquant legend that these very spirits were allegedly used by French prostitutes! Moreover, in the film "Irony of Fate" Hippolyte gives Nadia the very same perfume ... Well, how can you not start dreaming about Climat after this?
Popular
As for the main notes of the fragrance, they are violet, lily of the valley, bergamot, rose, daffodil and sandalwood. By the way, the Lancome brand has recently released a new version of the Climat, which sounds very modern and will appeal to many.
"Krasnaya Moskva" of the "Novaya Zarya" factory
This fragrance is perhaps considered the main symbol of the Soviet perfumery past. Now it seems to you that "Red Moscow" can only scare away mosquitoes, but earlier perfumes occupied an honorable place on the shelf of fashionistas.
There is a version that "Krasnaya Moskva", first released in 1925, is directly related to pre-revolutionary fragrances. The French perfumer August Michel allegedly created the perfume "The Empress's Favorite Bouquet" especially for Maria Feodorovna, and after the revolution at the Novaya Zarya factory, Krasnaya Moskva was produced on its basis.
This fragrance is based on jasmine, rose and spices. And the perfume can also be considered a real "bestseller" (albeit only because Soviet women had no other choice for a long time): in the early 30s literally everything smelled of them, decades later, our mothers caught the scent, and today it is produced in such the same packaging as 90 years ago.
"Riga Lilac" from Dzintars
If the young man, for financial reasons, did not give his girlfriend "French perfume" (meaning Climat, of course), then he probably chose another, more budgetary hit - "Riga Lilac" by the Latvian brand Dzintars. This fragrance was also in short supply - it was brought exclusively from the Baltic states.
There is probably no need to talk about key chords - from the name it is clear that these are lilacs, lilacs and again lilacs. The subtle notes of cinnamon add a special charm to the perfume, making the aroma spicy and "tasty".
Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent
The classic perfume Opium, released in 1977, was the creation of Yves Saint Laurent himself - the master controlled the process of creating the perfume from and to, from the perfume composition to the design of the bottle. In Soviet times, Opium was only for those lucky women who, by some miracle, managed to snatch the coveted bottle: sometimes limited quantities appeared in department stores.
Today, the first version of Opium may seem too harsh and intrusive, but the fragrance has many re-editions for all tastes. The classic version with a pronounced oriental character was floral-spicy and with a slightly "medicinal" sillage. So, by the way, it was conceived - Saint Laurent was inspired by the aroma of Japanese boxes for storing medicines. And, of course, opium - let's be honest.
J'ai Ose by Guy Laroche
Another perfume that enjoyed special popular love is J'ai Ose, which appeared in 1978. Like Opium, it belonged to the oriental floral group and was very fashionable. The perfume can rightfully be called legendary: Soviet girls with demanding taste chose it. Of course, J'ai Ose was successfully sold in Europe as well.
At the heart of the fragrance are sandalwood, patchouli, iris root, jasmine, vetiver, cedar and rose, and an interesting sound was added to it by accords of aldehydes, coriander, citrus and peach.
L'Air du Temps by Nina Ricci
Spirits with the legendary lid in the form of soaring doves were once the hallmark of the House of Nina Ricci, and now they occupy a worthy place in the line of fragrances. The brand released L'Air du Temps in 1948, but the perfume appeared in the Soviet Union much later, although it was worth its weight in gold.
Like many perfumes of that time, L'Air du Temps is very intense and quite concentrated. Its most characteristic notes are carnation and iris, which are harmoniously complemented by accords of bergamot, rose and jasmine.
Anais Anais by Cacharel
The delicate floral fragrance Anais Anais, like other imported perfumes, appeared in the USSR shortly after perestroika, although the “decaying West” got to know it much earlier, back in 1978. Be that as it may, our women immediately fell in love with it and for a long time was the most desired gift for March 8th.
Unlike most perfumes of that time, Anais Anais has an unobtrusive and fresh sound. Indeed, orange, currant, white lily, Moroccan jasmine and "green" shades are a very elegant combination.
Chanel No. 5 from Chanel
Eternal classics, legend, perfume masterpiece - a lot can be said about this famous scent. It saw the light of day in 1921 and is still on sale - you can count such perfume "long-livers" on one hand. The faces of the fragrance were many stars, ranging from Coco Chanel herself, ending with Nicole Kidman, Audrey Tautou and even Brad Pitt.
In Soviet times, many perfume lovers, of course, heard about these perfumes, but it was almost impossible to get them. That is why, after the restructuring of Chanel No. 5, as a symbol of a luxurious life, enjoyed a resounding success among Russian women.
Estee by Estee Lauder
Estee Lauder is the first American brand that managed to break into the cosmetic market of the USSR during the perestroika era. Women were immediately interested in the perfume with the laconic name Estee. And this despite the fact that it appeared in the USA back in 1968! But for Soviet ladies, the fragrance was a hot novelty ...
The floral scent is based on aldehyde, coriander, rose, jasmine and iris. And cedar, ylang-ylang and honey are responsible for an interesting original sound ... Your mom has great taste!
Mon Parfum by Paloma Picasso
Another popular scent used by many women in the 80s is Mon Parfum by Paloma Picasso. This perfume was released by the daughter of the great artist Pablo Picasso, who has been designing jewelry for the Tiffany house for many years. But Paloma, like her dad, is a very gifted person, which is why she managed to create a cult product in the world of perfumery. Perfumes that enjoyed success during the Soviet era can be found on store shelves today, but now instead of Mon Parfum they are called simply Paloma Picasso.
We are sure that you will also like this "mother's" scent. The combination of notes of hyacinth, ylang-ylang, bergamot, angelica, rose and citrus is relevant to this day.
