Impulse, Ovalteenies, Smiggle Highlighters And 18 Other Iconic Smells That Reek Of Aussie Nostalgia

    The smell of a Wendy's hot dog wafting through the shopping centre is permanently seared in my brain.

    1. The tangy mix of hot chips and chlorine from days at the pool during school holidays.

    2. The pungent melting plastic of Hama beads as you ironed them.

    3. The cloying smell of Lip Smackers which somehow just tasted like Play-Doh.

    4. The distinct smell of Sizzler — a mix of cheesy toast, chip grease, and feet.

    5. That plastic-y cheese powder scent that clung to every Tazo you collected.

    6. An absolute wall of Lynx anytime you walked past a boy.

    7. And the musky, vanilla-y scent of the Spice Girls Impulse spray.

    8. Or the fruity-with-underlying-notes-of-alcohol whenever you spritzed $4.95 Australis body spray.

    9. The heady lingering scent of Passion Pop stains after you spill it on your clothes while drinking in the park.

    10. The chalky malt smell of a pack of Ovalteenies.

    11. And the sickly-sweet marshmallow of LCMs bars.

    12. The kinda delicious (but kinda offputting) smell of Wendy's hot dogs filtering through the shopping centre.

    13. Or the cheesy salty bacon-y freshness of a treat from Baker's Delight after school.

    14. The tang of Eucalyptus Drops you'd buy from the canteen for 50c when you were "sick".

    15. The assorted scents of Smelly Bellys, which always had an underlying hint of plastic.

    16. The sweetness of pineapple doughnuts from a local bakery on a road trip.

    17. The musky wood shavings from the electric pencil sharpener at the back of your classroom.

    18. The fruity flavours of Smiggle highlighters which all the cool (read: rich) kids at school had.

    19. The gooey butterscotch of Werther's Original which you always found in the pantry at your grandparents' house.

    20. The choking smell of mosquito coils that accompanied every outdoor meal in summer.

    21. And lastly, that coconutty, chemically mix of sunscreen and sweat on a beach day.