I believe it! When my wife and I went to bed one night, I detected something I hadn't smelled in over 25 years, and I knew instantly what it was: she got a perm in her hair that day. I remember my mom and sister getting Toni home perms long ago. That smell was still in my memory.
I also agree with you about the smell of lipstick. Nowadays, those great scents are mostly gone, and some lipstick smells are downright unpleasant. But the other reasons for applying lipstick override. Those great lipstick scents of the past were just a bonus.