Back to the 90s: Exploring the Fragrances Making a Revival

Between Oasis reunion tickets for next year selling out at a rate of knots, and Frazzles and Skips being a popular choice of crisps again, one other recent development has arguably offered all the confirmation that the 90s are - as Smash Hits magazine used to put it - BACK! BACK! BACK!

Thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, a number of the decade's signature fragrances are experiencing a revival in popularity with the younger generation. And accordingly, a number of high street perfumers and chemists have reported a huge hike in sales for the likes of CK One, Mugler Angel and Classique by Jean Paul Gaultier.

All of them remain synonymous with the decade for a number of reasons, although one thing common to all of them is how they capture the optimism and the sense of freedom and openness that was prevalent throughout the Nineties.

CK One for example, was Calvin Klein's first ever unisex fragrance - a groundbreaking movement for the time - when it was launched in 1994, spearheaded by a memorable ad campaign starring the It-girl of the decade, supermodel Kate Moss.

Mugler Angel, launched in 1992, with its distinctive and unusual star shaped bottle sitting on many a dressing table, in many ways perfectly symbolises the absurdity of the 90s, in terms of design, art and culture - no matter how ridiculous it seemed - which is reflected in its very sweet and fun smell, with bergamot and notes of honey and caramel.

So why the revival? Some, such as Nadine Baggott, beauty editor on ITV's This Morning, have credited it to the people who grew up as kids in the 90s rediscovering and wanting to wear the perfume their mums or their dads wore; an olfactory comfort blanket, if you will.

But that's also not to discount some of the signature scents of the teen market of the era which are still alive and well today; whether it was Tommy Girl from Tommy Hilfiger and the infamous White Musk from The Body Shop for the girls, or for the boys, Joop! Homme and Lynx Africa, it can evoke those memories of the school disco, doing the Macarena and having that first kiss or slow dance with the classmate you liked.

Admittedly, some fragrances have long been reformulated by their respective houses, so may not capture the exact feeling or memory, or they have been discontinued, with unopened or unused bottles of these changing hands for hundreds of pounds on the likes of eBay and Vinted. But scents are such powerful connectors to our memories, and that is why we've seen the renaissance that these classic fragrances are having now.

Perhaps you fancy recreating a classic fragrance from your youth? Why not book one of our Perfume Making Experiences, available at UK wide venues, where you'll get the opportunity to work with a master perfumer, get an understanding of top notes and base notes, and create your very own bespoke scent to take home in a 20ml spray bottle.