Few beauty products have the power to transport you, like fragrance. A whiff of vanilla musk can conjure feelings of a cozy cashmere sweater, while sea-salt-laden scents can have you reminiscing about beach vacations and sun-filled days. There’s no denying the connection between scent and memory or the role it plays when shopping for a new perfume. However, recent trends have shown that taste, or even the thought of delicious foods, is also a factor. The latest trend, dessert fragrances, proves this tenfold. While juicy tomato and tart strawberry fragrances were undeniably popular during the summer, sugary and sticky scents are experiencing a major uptick.
An Intro To Dessert Fragrance
To be fair, gourmand fragrances are always trending. A quick scroll through PerfumeTok will reveal just how popular delectable foodie fragrances are. However, the virality of sweet scents, like Phlur’s Vanilla Skin, has raised the bar. Vanilla perfumes are adored for their connection to nostalgia. Today’s dessert fragrances offer the same feeling. At the core of these scents, you’ll find creamy notes of caramel, marshmallow, toffee and crème brûlée. The mixture is a myriad of childhood memories. But don’t think for a second that a sugary dessert fragrance can’t also be mature. With grounding elements like musk, amber or subtle hints of flower blossoms and fresh fruit, these scents are as wearable as they are delicious.
Wearing a sugary scent may seem difficult, especially for those devoted to clean or spicy aromas. The beauty of dessert fragrance is that it can lean into your favorite fragrance family. You simply have to find a tasty accord that aligns with your go-to scents. If you need some inspiration, take a look at the list below.
The Best Dessert Fragrances
1 / 11
This yummy dessert fragrance has all the makings of a classic Italian gelato—think whipped cream, fluffy marshmallows and crushed pistachios. A few spritzes gives you a delectable scent that's good enough to eat. But it also lasts for hours, so you'll leave a delicious trail wherever you go.
BUY NOW - $138
2 / 11
As far as after-dinner drinks go, Cognac is one of the most inviting. On the nose, it's smooth with sweet notes of caramel, praline, oak and spice. Kilian Paris' Angels Share is the fragrance equivalent and delivers as a sophisticated and luscious scent.
BUY NOW - $275
3 / 11
The obsession with Phlur's skin-perfect scents continues with the brand's recent trio of body mists. Of the three, Caramel Skin offers the most wearable confectionary aroma that works beautifully as a solitary dessert fragrance or layering scent.
BUY ON PHLUR - $38
BUY ON SEPHORA - $38
5 / 11
Though the words fresh and clean aren't usually associated with gourmands, this fragrance is the exception. The heliotrope blossoms that make up the top of Fresh Cream's accord have a sweet floral scent twisted with almond notes, making it the ideal flower for the fragrance's whipped cream and sugar aromas.
BUY ON ULTA - $54
BUY ON AMAZON - $54
6 / 11
Brown Girl Jane is known for fun, colorful perfumes, and Carousel is no different. It's an explosion of carnival sweet treats, including cotton candy, caramel-dipped apples and warm black current jam. It's not overly sugary thanks to grounding notes of sandalwood and airy musk.
BUY ON BROWN GIRL JANE - $102
BUY SEPHORA - $102
7 / 11
Thanks to a meticulous blend of notes like dark cocoa, lush cherries and incense, Gateau Blackout delivers the same sinfully delicious aroma of Black Forest cake. Just a splash is enough to have you (and everyone around you) craving more of this dessert fragrance.
BUY ON NOW - $210
9 / 11
If you like feminine fragrances and gourmand scents, this is the bottle for you. It's like a spread of delicate desserts that taste as pretty as they look. From lychee meringue, rose petal-infused milk and plump apricot tarts, to praline biscotti and pink marshmallow, it's essentially dessert heaven in a jar.
BUY NOW - $28
10 / 11
The name says it all here. Sticky dates are the main note, but there's much more to this indulgent scent. As it settles into the skin, it diffuses into a buttery aroma with burnt caramel and sandalwood. The result is as gourmand and heavenly as they come.
BUY NOW - $40
11 / 11
Truly's viral Unicorn Fruit Body Butter is a captivating fragrance that's sugary and divine. You can keep things light with a few spritzes on the skin, or layer the scent with the famed cream for an intoxicating sweetness that's long-lasting.
BUY NOW - $59
