What's That Smell? Even More '90s Fragrances We Love!

By Marianne Mychaskiw
Updated Dec 12, 2017 @ 3:00 pm
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Something still smells like Teen Spirit in here... After our very first roundup of iconic '90s scents, we realized that a few staples were left out. Who could forget the original Gucci Rush, Clinique Happy, or Bath and Body Works' impressive fragrance lineup? Originally, we were drawn to Gucci Rush by its uncanny resemblance to those orange Nickelodeon VHS tapes, but the sultry blend of peach, vanilla, and patchouli tapped into our teenage desire to live a little more like Cher Horowitz. Clinique's Happy was introduced to us in a miniature form—the tiny bottles included in the gifts with purchase finally convinced us to save our allowance for the full-size bottle, and the extensive library of scents offered up at Bath and Body Works could match our temper more accurately than a color-changing mood ring. But the options don't stop there! We added even more '90s fragrances to our growing lineup of perfumes that adorned our vanity back in the day.

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Clinique Happy

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About 15 years before Pharrell's "Happy" hit the airwaves (We were still listening to Hanson back then...), Clinique's Happy fragrance ($52; macys.com) arrived on store shelves in '97. The energetic mandarin, grapefruit, lily, and freesia notes acted as an instant pick-me-up-which was much-needed after our first viewing of Titanic.

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Gucci Rush

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Seriously, could this bottle get any cooler? Gucci Rush ($60; walmart.com) was housed in a box-shaped flacon, and was streamlined enough to fit in the pocket of our Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper. Plus, we just couldn't resist the sexy gardenia, freesia, and vanilla blend.

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Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mists in Sheer Freesia, Cucumber Melon, and Juniper Breeze

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While a few of Bath and Body Works' spritzers from the '90s have passed on to the great fragrance beyond (R.I.P. Plumeria and Sun-Ripened Raspberry!), staples like Cucumber Melon, Juniper Breeze, and Sheer Freesia ($13 each; bathandbodyworks.com) remain classic fragrances to this day. Another honorable mention: Bath and Body Works' Art Stuff line, which included no shortage of body glitter, and fun, flirty scents like Sassy Starberry, Electric Apple, Coco Crush, and more.

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The Spice Girls Impulse Body Spray

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It didn't matter which of the fab five you identified with most-this aptly-spicy blend of pink pepper, tangerine, and vanilla flattered elegant Posh, adventurous Scary, and innocent Baby types alike.

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Demeter Dirt

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This no-nonsense fragrance ($20; demeterfragrance.com) smells exactly like wet soil after the rain, and serves as the perfect grunge-inspired touch to an oversized flannel.

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Vanilla Fields

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When we felt like classing it up, we'd reach for Coty's Vanilla Fields ($25; walmart.com) which tempered the dominant vanilla note with musk, amber, and a slight jasmine twist.

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Exclamation

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Although Coty launched Exclamation ($9; target.com) in 1988, the gourmand mixture of vanilla, peach, and apricot proved to be a hit among '90s babies all the same.

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Love's Baby Soft

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Another oldie but goodie: Love's Baby Soft ($5; sears.com) which launched back in 1974 and continued to be a staple for decades thanks to its light-as-air blend of lavender, rose, and vanilla, against a musk base.

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Dune by Christian Dior

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Before Dior launched J'Adore in 1999, the summery amber, peony, and sandalwood notes in Dune ($78; macys.com) earned the fragrance a permanent spot on our vanities during the earlier part of the decade.

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Lancome Poeme

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Our mothers were fans of this floriental ($72; hsn.com) which combined yellow flowers like mimosa, narcissus, and freesia, with vanilla and amber elements.

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The Body Shop White Musk

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Next to the iconic spritzers by Gap and Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop's White Musk ($18; thebodyshop-usa.com) was a sure staple among '90s mall mavens for its heady musk elements, which were combined with floral notes like jasmine, lily, iris, and rose.

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Davidoff Cool Water for Women

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This aquatic blend ($13; walmart.com) launched back in '96, and is as refreshing as a dip in the pool with its notes of pineapple, lotus, and ocean air.

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Juice Bar Fragrances

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Our favorite candies took on fragrance form with Juice Bar's sugary scents-namely the Gummi Bear and Cotton Candy versions, which made regular rotations in our Caboodles.

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ck one

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It's impossible to talk about '90s fragrances without mentioning this unisex staple ($51; sephora.com), which features one-size-fits-all notes of bergamot, violet, nutmeg, and musk-a perfect complement to the ads featuring Kate Moss that we once had taped onto our walls.

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Victoria's Secret Pear Glace

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A predecessor to the now-infamous Love Spell scent, Pear Glace proved to be just as iconic, blending fruity notes like sugared pear and casaba melon.

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Tommy Girl

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A must-have spritzer for cool girls everywhere, Tommy Girl ($57; macys.com) mixes notes of lemon, honeysuckle, and lily with a heady sandalwood base.

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Curve by Liz Claiborne

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We've been spraying on Curve ($18; target.com) since '96 and haven't looked back since! The floral mix of peony, yellow freesia, and lily of the valley is so sparkling, it almost challenges our roll-on body glitter.

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Candie's For Her

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This late '90s gem may now be a distant memory, but we secretly hold out hope for the day that this sexy mix of amber, mandarin, and peach returns to store shelves.

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Angel by Thierry Mugler

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Thierry Mugler's Angel ($82; sephora.com) is one of those scents you can call out just by catching a passing whiff, thanks to its prominent gourmand notes like honey, vanilla, caramel, and chocolate.

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Calgon Turquoise Seas

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Just when we thought this iconic ocean scent ($7; takemeaway.com) was no more, Calgon said "As if!" and relaunched it, along with a hydrating body cream ($5; takemeaway.com) to boot!

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Beverly Hills 90210

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The only thing that was on our wrists more often than a lime green scrunchie? The 90210 fragrance, of course! The mix of white flowers and green apple was seductive enough to catch the attention of Brandon Walsh, and flattered both confident Kelly Taylor and rshy Donna Martin types alike.

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Gap Heaven, Grass, and Dream

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The holy trinity of throwback scents, Gap Grass was worn by our cool older sisters, while we favored the airy elements in Heaven and Dream. While Grass is no longer available, we hear the latter two can still be found in Gap stores!

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Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers

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Confession time: We've taken this energetic floral ($11; target.com) from our mother's vanities more often than she realized. After all, it was the perfect complement to the printed sunflower dress we'd pair with combat boots!

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Jean Paul Gaultier Classique

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Weeks of saving up our allowance finally paid off when Jean Paul Gaultier's Classique ($100; bloomingdales.com) officially became our first "big girl" fragrance with its classy vanilla, rose, and tonka bean elements.

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