I had the pleasure of talking to the (owner?) via email based on a review I did on another platform. She kindly explained to me how the vanillas differ from each other. She also let me know that I was not too far off in my impression that the fragrance reminded me of some of the witchy shops and smoke shops of my 20s, with lovely essential oils, incenses, soaps, and other boho and supernatural aesthetic items. I love it, and am a fan of the creativity and artistry of MdA.
I can see why this is called Nostalgia. With your nose to your wrist, it smells like an old-fashioned pre-1980s fragrance you might find in your grandmother's makeup drawer. The first whiffs at arms length reminds me of Choco Musk or maybe some other Middle Eastern vanilla-centric fragrance, but add a little tobacco. The vanilla and tobacco are vanilla pipe tobacco, but it’s wet and a bit fermented rather than strong and robust. The cedar is there, but it’s faint, adding a hint of powder. This one just isn’t for me, but I can see people who like Middle Eastern gourmands more than I do possibly liking it. My rating is for how much I like it, not how much I think you might like it.
Nice scent, but not for me.
Absolutely get lost in this scent. The vanilla and tobacco combo just hit. I immediately ordered a full size bottle after I couldn’t stop smelling my arm. So good!!
I bought a Maison Des Animaux Discovery Set and it is phenomenal! I have to say it’s one of the very best sets I have ever bought. Every scent is so unique, highly rated and full bottle worthy, I just have to share!
Here’s a quickie recap:
I received NOSTALGIA as a freebie - it’s a rich and creamy vanilla floral with sweet wood and light tobacco notes. 5.00 rating on Fragrantica.
Nostalgia
Vibe: Smoky vanilla skin-hugger with a spicy whisper.
Story:Starts like a flicker of incense on warm skin—smoke, spice, and a hint of mystery. Then, boom: creamy vanilla rolls in like a soft blanket, but the smoky thread stays woven through. Think cozy sweater, candlelit memory, and a touch of edge.
Love love love.
Great packaging, quick shipping, and most importantly great fragrance!
Packaged well and arrived quite quickly in comparison to other sellers. Scents are great. Also received an extra sample which was quite welcome.
Honestly, aside from vanilla, none of the notes are in my "must smell" list. However, this is an intoxicating, slightly spicy scent for fall. Thankfully the tobacco does not really show up for me. Not an edible gourmand but I maybe want to take just the tiniest lick?
(Freebie in discovery set) Nostalgia is a hard nut to crack for my nose. It is very much not for me, but I know someone out there is going to absolutely die for this fragrance. There’s a little bit of floral bubblegumminess, which I would attribute to the ylang ylang. You can smell the cedar under that and they work well together. It’s a dry cedar - a bit like mothballs, a bit like wood shaving. Somehow the florals and the wood combined together really lean into the tobacco leaf. It’s definitely a very dry, herbal smell. In fact, everything about this scent is pretty herbal and little medicinal even. The overall effect is sweet. The vanilla doesn’t stand out, but I could see how I might perceive it in the blend of the florals and the cedar. Nostalgia is a little smoky, but the memory of smoke. Like being in an old bowling alley, or a restaurant, or someone’s fancy dark study room. It definitely carries the memory of something. For me, it reads a little like you’re trying to cover up the smell of cigarettes with something too sweet and floral, which is definitely not to my taste. My own associations lead this to be an old bowling alley that used to allow smoking and occasionally washes their carpet with some sort of floral cleaning solution. A bit too thick and heady for my nose to be able to enjoy or use at all. It’s a well made blend and someone out there probably loves it, just sadly it’s not me!
I don't normally enjoy scents with cedar, but this one is beautifully done. The jasmine, vanilla, and tobacco leaves lend the woodiness a soft warmth that really makes me love this. It does make you feel nostalgic in a weird way. Like for a magical place that cannot be reached in this dimension. A lovely perfume, planning on getting a travel size at least.
I smelled a really strong tobacco, smoke and musky smell.. and not in a good way. I did start to smell vanilla after being worn for a while.. does last very long.
That cigar snoke tho. Definite occasion scent. What a lovely complex development
I’m still trying to decide if this is a like for me. It’s a little sweet for my taste…. But I like the warmth. Maybe just not a good pick for the summer right now. I would wear this in the fall/winter. I wish there were a little more of the wood and floral notes. Felt like I was searching for them under the vanilla and tobacco but I like where this one is going.
Based one the notes, I couldn’t tell if I’d love or dislike Nostalgia. It was love and first spritz and it got better in the dry down. I plan to add a 10ml of this to my collection. MDA is quickly becoming a favorite as almost everything I’ve tried has been a LOVE when I’ve worn it.
I cannot figure out what it is about this scent that lives up to its name but it does. It doesn't smell like anything in particular or a specific memory but it takes me back to the 90s. Maybe it's the hint of tobacco paired with the vanilla. I've always been a vanilla lover and mostly white vanilla musk back in the 90s. Tobacco use in public indoor settings was still pretty rampant then so maybe it's that too. It's a wonderful fragrance, not something I'd normally go for but a wonderful fragrance all the less and I'm sure I'll be returning to it soon.
This fragrance is true to its name ahaha something is oddly nostalgic about it, and I can’t figure out why it throws me back to the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Anyway, jasmine and ylang ylang is usually a miss for me because they’re so overpowering in other fragrances. MDA did a nice job of grounding it with the cedar and tobacco base notes. It softens the blow that jasmine and ylang ylang usually sucker punch me with.
Nostalgia isn’t what I’m typically drawn to in a fragrance, but I’m finding myself gravitating towards it. I’ll have to see how it wears in cooler weather, I think it’s just a touch cloying for a summer fragrance. It’s lovely nonetheless!
Ok this one is crazy because the dry down really did evoke feelings and memories of being a kid running around a dimly lit play area or being at a rollerblading rink. I got some bubblegum (not an actual listed note) and a vague powdery sweetness on the opening but there’s something in there really mellowing it out to make it comfy (vanilla absolut & tobacco?). I’m pretty sure I have synesthesia but this smell= the feel of being an 8 year old having fun in a new space but I’m grounded by knowing my parent is there watching me, so I feel safe and carefree. Final whiff is something bright and uplifting.
Obsessed is an understatement.
Nostalgia is a masterfully blended fragrance—a lush, moody harmony of jasmine, ylang-ylang, soft woods, and that whisper of tobacco, all wrapped in layers of vanilla that feel both ethereal and grounding. Jasmine is one of my all-time favorite notes, and this take is refreshingly unique. It’s not your typical clean or heady jasmine—this one leans deep, shadowy, and mysterious, like jasmine seen through candlelight and velvet curtains. The vanilla isn’t sugary or simple; it’s creamy, slightly smoky, and feels aged, almost sacred. This scent instantly transported me to the 90s—the real 90s. Think underground grunge clubs, incense-filled witchy shops, smudged black eyeliner, and the soft thud of worn-in Doc Martens on a cracked city sidewalk. There’s a worn leather jacket feel to it—cool, nostalgic, and a little rebellious.
It’s sexy, woody, floral, and totally unforgettable. A total love. 10/10.
I already knew I would love this because I hsd received a sample. It’s so unique. Not like any other fragrance I have in my collection.
When I was a kid there was an antique store in town that also carried penny candy & bubble gum, garbage pale kid trading cards and toys. This smells exactly like that store in my memories!! I really enjoy this scent.
Based on the notes, I was convinced I’d adore this fragrance. It really does have a nostalgic vibe - something about it instantly takes me back my childhood, specifically my grandma’s bathroom, where her fancy tissue-wrapped soaps sat untouched on the counter and filled the air with pretty, fancy smells. It’s comforting and beautifully sentimental. But on my skin, however, it just didn’t work. There’s a particular note that turns sharp and unpleasant for me personally. That's not to knock MDA, I’m a huge fan of their other scents. This one just isn’t a match for me.
I love all the scents and will be ordering again for self and gifts😊😎
Long lasting smells good
I think this fragrance hits the perfect balance for me and my personal tastes. The florals and vanilla are so nice and *girly* but that cedar background really deepens the scent. Hours later im still getting heavy cedar mixing so sweetly with vanilla. This particular one lasts SO long on my skin im for sure getting a full size after trying the sample!
I haven't smelled anything like this before. Right off the bat I get a blast of florals sweetened by vanilla and an equally powerful blast of earthy tobacco, both distinctly feminine and distinctly masculine at the same time. These two competing forces blend together during the dry down, and they must not mix well with my skin chemistry because the result is not pleasant. A miss for me, unfortunately.
This scent was very pleasant, but definitely sweeter than I anticipated. I believed it would have a little more of the cedar peeking through, but the vanilla and sandalwood consumed it more than I preferred (from what I like in a floral fragrance). Overall, it was still really nice and I would wear it! It just didn't feel like ME. But I would recommend to anyone who likes sweet woody perfumes with a subtle floral undertone.
My love of Nostalgia surprised me. On the surface I thought this looked like a heavy sweet feminine scent. In actuality I find it very unisex and surprisingly light. It **is** still very sweet, don’t get it twisted, but the cedar-y aspects are well balanced against the luxurious ylang and jasmine, which are clearly smartly dosed because they never dominate. Another winner from MDL!!!