Calling a classic fragrance an “Old Lady Perfume” has become such an accepted part of the modern beauty vernacular that it feels like a harmless, even humorous, descriptor. But is it either of those? (Spoiler: not really.)

The term is inaccurate at best, ageist at worst. We hear it from sales associates, assuring us that we don’t want that older fragrance because it’s too powdery, too strong, or too much … something. We read it in editorials telling us about the latest perfume launches, usually as a caveat along the lines of, “Don’t worry, though, this new perfume isn’t like that.”

— Read more in Why "Old Lady Perfumes" Never Go Out of Style at Harper's Bazaar via Yahoo.

One theory posits that the aroma is linked with summertime memories of road trips, jet ski rides, and classic cars. For [perfumer Pia] Long, the smell of gasoline is “a cool, nostalgic smell”: She grew up in Finland in the ’70s, when motorsports were popular and tailpipe emissions were strong, and associates it with her childhood. It’s also possible that gasoline unconsciously reminds us of other early experiences. Benzene is one of the 20 most widely used chemicals in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, and has made its way into many detergents, pesticides, and plastics — so some have suggested that people could be associating it with that “new toy” smell of childhood.

— Read more in Saying goodbye to the dangerous, alluring scent of gasoline at Grist.