Drugstore perfumes from the 70s like Charlie, Brut, Love’s Baby Soft, and Jean Naté are mass-market fragrances and personal-care products that defined an era and have seen a nostalgic comeback in recent years.
The drugstore aisle of the 1970s held a distinct perfume counter—not the glass cases of department stores, but shelf-lined rows of bottles bearing names that became household shorthand. Charlie, Brut, and Love’s Baby Soft weren’t just scents; they were cultural markers. Decades later, these same fragrances have found a new audience. News reports confirm that 1970s perfumes and aftershaves are making a comeback as a new generation discovers them, proving that nostalgia carries a distinct smell. If you’re curious about these scents—whether remembering them or discovering them—the list below covers the most well-known names and what made each one iconic.
The collection spans more than perfume. Many of the most recognized “drugstore perfumes from the 70s” were actually lotions, deodorants, aftershaves, baby oils, or body splashes that people wore as fragrances because they smelled that good. That blur between personal-care item and intentional scent is part of what made the category so memorable.
Iconic 1970s Drugstore Scents: The Full List
The chart below covers the most famous mass-market scents and personal-care products from the 1970s, along with what distinguished each one. Some were marketed as perfume; others were everyday products that people wore as signature scents.
| Scent/Product Name | Type | Why It’s Remembered |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie (Revlon) | Perfume | Bold, modern scent for the independent woman; one of the first lifestyle perfumes |
| Brut (Fabergé) | Aftershave / Cologne | Herbal, powdery men’s scent; heavily advertised in sports culture |
| Old Spice | Aftershave / Deodorant | Classic spiced scent; became standard for men’s drugstore grooming |
| Love’s Baby Soft | Perfume / Body Spray | Sweet, powdery floral targeting teens; the “baby soft” marketing was iconic |
| Jean Naté | Body Splash / Perfume | Citrusy, clean scent sold as a splash-on body fragrance after bath |
| Avon Skin-So-Soft | Bath Oil / Body Lotion | Originally a moisturizer; gave a soft scent and famously repelled mosquitoes |
| Jergen’s Cherry Almond | Hand Lotion | Toasted almond and cherry scent that women wore as a subtle fragrance |
| Noxzema (Original) | Cleanser / Lotion | Cooling camphor and eucalyptus scent instantly recognizable from the blue jar |
| Sea Breeze | Astringent / Toner | Sharp, clean, medicinal scent used on the face; a 70s beauty staple |
| Lemon Up | Shampoo | Fresh lemon scent in a clear bottle; known for its bright, clean fragrance |
| Johnson’s Baby Oil (Original) | Baby Oil | Light mineral oil with the classic baby scent; widely used as a bath or body fragrance |
| Tickle | Deodorant | Bright, floral-tinged deodorant marketed to younger women |
| Vaseline (Original) | Petroleum Jelly | Classic scentless; included for its omnipresence in the drugstore aisle |
Why They’re Making a Comeback
According to news reports, 1970s perfumes and aftershaves are making a comeback as a new generation discovers them. The driver is nostalgia, yes, but also the simple fact that these scents are still available on drugstore shelves—affordable, familiar, and reliable. Younger shoppers attracted to vintage Aesthetics and retro packaging pick up bottles of Charlie or Love’s Baby Soft at the same stores their parents and grandparents did. Meanwhile, brands like Old Spice and Brut never really left, though their formulations shifted. The current interest signals that these scents have staying power no modern perfumer could have predicted.
Fragrance vs. Personal-Care Products: What Counts as Perfume?
It’s worth noting that several items in the list aren’t technically perfumes. Johnson’s Baby Oil, Noxzema, Sea Breeze, Jergen’s Cherry Almond Lotion, and Lemon Up shampoo are personal-care products that people wore as fragrances because the scent was pleasant, recognizable, and lingered. This distinction matters because modern readers searching for “drugstore perfumes from the 70s” might expect only bottles labeled perfume, but the cultural memory of the era includes these items as everyday scents. If you’re actively looking to buy a 70s-style drugstore fragrance today, you’ll find that our roundup of the best drugstore perfumes includes updated versions of some of these classics alongside modern alternatives that capture the same spirit.
Where to Find Them Today
Many of these scents are still in production, though formulations may have changed slightly. Charlie, Brut, Old Spice, and Love’s Baby Soft are generally available in drugstores, supermarkets, and online retailers. Avon Skin-So-Soft remains a direct-sales staple. Others, like Tickle and Lemon Up, are harder to find or discontinued, though vintage bottles turn up online. The best bet is to check current drugstore shelves first—some of these bottles have been there for forty years and haven’t moved.
References & Sources
- The Independent. “Scents of the Seventies Return as Shoppers Splash Out on Nostalgia” Documents the return of classic 1970s fragrances to drugstore shelves and new consumer interest.