Gap Perfume Is Back
Some scents are instantly recognizable, no matter how long it's been since you last smelled them. If I asked you to close your eyes and imagine the smell of a Sharpie, freshly cut grass, chocolate chip cookies, or Vicks VapoRub, I'm sure you'd know exactly what each of them smells like. And if you remember the '90s or the early 2000s, I bet you could conjure the fragrance of Gap Heaven, released in 1994, if you thought really hard about it.
Unfortunately, Heaven and the rest of Gap's beloved perfumes were discontinued long ago, and the only way to smell them would be to buy a sketchy bottle from a reseller on eBay, unless you happened to hoard a few for yourself. But now, Gap Beauty is back, and so are four iconic scents from the original line: Heaven, Dream, Om, and Grass (plus a brand-new one, Harmony). The fragrances , reimagined by perfumers Honorine Blanc and Nicole Mancini, offer a hefty dose of nostalgia with a modern twist. Keep reading for our thoughts on the new Gap perfumes, which are available to shop on July 30.
Dream
Gap Beauty
Original notes:Osmanthus, tangerine, freesia, orange blossom, osmanthus, jasmine, lily of the valley, violet, musk, carnation
New notes:Bergamot, jasmine, cedar
"They say you can never go home again, but this Dream smells so much like the one from my memories. It reminds me of waiting impatiently by the cash register for my mother to finish shopping, while I spritz my wrists (Dream was my favorite back then too). It's fresh, watery, floral, and a touch sweet like the original, but after the initial burst of nostalgia, it rounds into something more green and woody. Despite its obvious '90s influence, I like that it feels updated and modern too."— Kathleen Hou, beauty director
Grass
Gap Beauty
Original notes:Green leaves, apple, grass, cucumber, water lily, clover, and white musk
New notes:Green mandarin, matcha, cedar
"From the first whiff, Grass smelled every bit like an olfactory impression of dewy greenery post-rainfall. However, the longer it sat on my skin, the further out of a greenhouse I trailed, and somehow, I ended up in a flower shop. Grass reminds me of the leafy scent that lingers on your hands as you pull blooms out of a water bucket to create your own bouquet, fingers lightly pricked by thorns poking out of the stems. A hint of matcha softly whispers on my skin, but the caress is fleeting—eventually Grass returns to a damp, sharp, but uplifting herbaceous embrace."— Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor
Om
Gap Beauty
Original notes:Ginger, coriander, lotus, cedar, leaves, incense, olibanum, oud, sandalwood, Peru balsam
New notes:Ginger, sandalwood, cedar
"Based on the notes, I would expect Om to be a spicy, more nighttime fragrance. But it's actually light and airy. The ginger notes have a sort of fizzy, effervescent quality that makes the scent pop, and the woods act as kind of background characters that keep the whole thing grounded. If anyone else has vivid memories of the Gap Body stores, I swear this scent smells like walking into one. One whiff and I'm transported to the gauzy curtains in the dressing rooms."— Katie Berohn, beauty editor
Heaven
Gap Beauty
Original notes:Green leaves, lemon, orange blossom, jasmine, lily of the valley, freesia, carnation, musk, sandalwood, moss
New notes:Pear, vanilla, patchouli
"I, like many Gen Zers, am very nostalgic toward the '90s era of fashion and beauty, a decade that—even though I wasn't alive to experience it myself—has shaped much of my approach to style and even fragrance. Heaven is the epitome of the perfect everyday scent. Originally released in 1994, it's a soft, powdery fragrance, which is my absolute favorite scent category. It's clean and light but also a bit sweet and layers beautifully with some other favorites in my perfume collection. Since first spraying it only a few days ago, I have already started to routinely reach for it and probably won't stop anytime soon."— Tasha Smith, beauty assistant
Harmony
Gap Beauty
Notes:Apricot nectar, gardenia, amber
"The iconic era of the OG Gap fragrances was before my time, so it only felt fitting that I try the new addition to the lineup: Harmony. Bright, fresh, and playful, one spritz instantly puts me in a summer state of mind. Notes of juicy apricot give the fragrance a fruity sweetness, while warm amber adds just enough depth to keep it from feeling overly sugary or juvenile. The result is a light, easy-to-wear scent that still feels polished for everyday use."— Emma Aerin Becker, associate beauty commerce writer
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