A nostalgic ode to the scents of teenage freedom
For Australian millennial women, few things define adolescence quite like the unmistakable hiss of an Impulse body spray can. It wasn’t just about smelling nice. It was a rite of passage. Whether it was Merely Musk, Temptation or Incense, Impulse wasn’t just a fragrance brand. It was a moment. A feeling. A secret weapon tucked into the front pocket of a Sportsgirl tote bag, sprayed liberally after PE or just before a house party in someone’s parents’ rumpus room.
A Scent for Every Mood
Impulse first launched in the UK in 1981, but by the late ‘80s and into the ‘90s, it had well and truly found a home in Australian teenage culture. The local line-up of scents like Spellbound, Mischief, Thrill and the Paris-inspired City Collection quickly became must-haves for girls navigating their way through high school crushes, diary entries and Saturday trips to Westfield with friends.
Each scent came in a brightly coloured can, almost begging to be collected like Pokémon cards. They promised confidence, mischief and flirtation. Each one was marketed as a mini escape from suburban monotony. The tagline “Men can’t help acting on Impulse” may be a little cringeworthy now, but at the time it felt daring. Edgy, even. Like we were in on something that was a bit cheeky and a bit grown-up.
The Spice Girls Era: Peak Impulse Energy
By 1997, Impulse had fully entered the pop culture stratosphere thanks to a limited-edition collaboration with the Spice Girls. For young girls deep in the throes of Girl Power obsession, this was more than just a product drop. It was a moment. Wearing Impulse Spice was like strapping on invisible platform boots and declaring to the world, “I’m with them.”
Whether you leaned Baby, Sporty or Scary, you weren’t just wearing a scent. You were aligning with an identity. It felt like perfume with purpose.
Mist in a Can, Memory in a Cloud
Even decades later, the memory of these sprays lingers like the scent itself. You only have to scroll through Reddit or old beauty forums to find women reminiscing about their Impulse era.
“I can still remember exactly what Temptation smelled like,” wrote one Redditor. “That scent is my entire high school experience in a can.”
Another added, “My mum hated how much I sprayed it, but it was basically part of my school uniform.”
The aerosol mist was often overpowering, sure. But it was ours. It signalled independence, even if that just meant choosing your own body spray from Priceline on a weekend shopping trip. You’d open your locker and catch the mingled scent of hair gel, Impulse and crushed banana from someone’s lunchbox, and somehow that was comforting.
Where Did It Go?
While many of the classic scents have disappeared from shelves, the brand still exists. You might spot a few newer versions at Woolies or Chemist Warehouse, though the packaging feels sleeker now, less playful. Occasionally, the old cans pop up on eBay, sometimes at eye-watering prices, for those looking to reclaim a whiff of their youth.
Some women even confess to keeping half-used cans from the early 2000s tucked away in bathroom drawers just for the memories. There’s something about the design, the names and the scents that transports you back to a time when MSN Messenger was your lifeline and Impulse was your signature.
Why It Still Matters
Impulse was often one of the very first beauty products we were allowed to buy ourselves. Long before contour palettes, Korean skincare routines or luxury perfumes, there was that brightly coloured can rattling around in our Sportsgirl handbag.
It was affordable, accessible and it was ours. It represented freedom, the first taste of getting ready for parties, creating your own look, experimenting with your identity. It didn’t matter that you shared a room with your little sister or had to be home by 9pm. When you sprayed Impulse, you were ready.
A Mist of Memory
Today, we might reach for niche fragrances with botanical top notes and minimalist packaging, but Impulse remains our olfactory time machine. One spritz, real or imagined, can take us straight back to school discos, bus rides to the city and sleepovers filled with laughter and glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling.
In a world that has changed so much since our teen years, Impulse reminds us of who we were becoming. Bold, curious and full of possibility.
And for that, we’ll always make room in our memories for one more spray.
