The Best Gourmand Fragrances That Will Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

[Photo by Dana DeVolk]

Fragrances have the power to evoke memories and mentally transport you to another place or time. There are many different types of perfume scents ranging from floral to fruity, with gourmand being among the most popular. Comforting and familiar, gourmand scents are some of the most nostalgic and often remind one of their childhood days and holiday memories. In French, a “gourmand (or gourmande)” is a person that enjoys food and never misses out on the chance to indulge.

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An olfactory dessert, gourmand fragrances feature a combination of synthetic and edible notes for a hint of flavor that smell good enough to eat. They are on the sweeter side and feature scent notes that include vanilla, caramel, honey, coffee, cotton candy, chocolate, and brown sugar, among others. If you have a big sweet tooth, then gourmand scents are perfect for you.

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From rich vanilla bean and warm caramel to sparkling sugar and cocoa, read on to discover and shop the best gourmand fragrances that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

By Far Daydream of Hopscotch ($130)

Escape to the freedom of your imagination with this fun, playful and genderless scent that features velvety almond notes combined with sweet, creamy tonka bean and infused with vanilla absolute, a delectable spice known for its comforting mood-boosting properties. Fragrance oil is hand made in Grasse, France. The complete set comes with an orange refillable charm, gold chain and leather strap bracelet, and a 100ml EDP refill.

By/ Rosie Jane Dulce Eau de Parfum ($75)

Inspired by the good times, innocence and sweeter things in life, Dulce is a sweet, unmistakable take on vanilla with small hints of chocolate and a deliciously joyful woody, softness that lingers on the skin. It can be worn alone or layered with your favorite By/ Rosie Jane perfume. Features notes of Hinoki wood and nude musk. Vegan and cruelty-free.

Coqui Coqui Vancopam Perfume ($150)

Coqui Coqui scents are designed to be transportive, encouraging the wearer to escape to a simpler, more relaxed way of life, wherever their imagination might take them. A palette of eight olfactory paintings, Coqui Coqui’s Bora Bora collection was conceived with a singular aromatic signature where the passion for authenticity blends with creative freedom. Each fragrance in this collection, born from the Polynesian inspiration of Nicolas Malleville, is an invitation to travel through the poetry of the inner emotions and the enchantment of feeling home. Vancopam combines the scent of vanilla, coconut and grapefruit for a sensual, bright and tangy island-inspired fragrance.

Dime Beauty Malibu Night Eau de Toilette ($48)

Malibu Night captures the serenity of a pleasant evening beach stroll. With light, refreshing and sweet tones of coconut musk, green leaves, pear, raspberry and sandalwood, this fragrance is sure to win your sensory heart and take you to fragrance paradise. Dime Beauty is also available through Scentbird, which is dedicated to offering healthier alternatives through its Clean at Scentbird perfumes and colognes. Scentbird also offers the ability to purchase a sample scent to test it out before committing to a full-size bottle.

EAUSO VERT Vanilla Embers ($185)

Melt back into your body with a single spritz of upcycled turmeric root, a raw natural contrasted with a refined aquatic floral. Sink into layers of the unexpected while a haze of smoldering sandalwood is stirred with the creamy familiarity of vanilla bean. Includes top notes of cardamom and aquaflora, heart notes of jasmine and Moroccan orange, and base notes of sandalwood, upcycled turmeric and vanilla bean. Cruelty-free and vegan. Genderless. 97.9% biodegradable.

Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Milk Eau de Parfum ($33-$110)

Ellis Brooklyn’s Bee Shapiro and female Irish perfumer Meabh McCurtin came together to create a vanilla fragrance from a fresh perspective—one that is uniquely addictive. This delicious yet sophisticated scent features two types of vanilla extracts, a touch of florals, delectable cocoa shell, rich amyris, and a cream milk accord. Specially created to wear the best on skin, the fragrance is designed to get better with your own body heat and chemistry.

Fine’ry Sweet on the Outside Eau de Parfum ($29.99)

The Target exclusive brands offers fine fragrances that create unique and memorable scent experiences curated by the world’s top perfumers. This scent is a hypnotic and delicious veil of smoky vanilla with notes of Madagascar vanilla, cacao wood and smoked vetiver. Featuring a clean, vegan and cruelty-free formula.

HERETIC Dirty Vanilla Eau de Parfum ($65-$165)

The inspiration for this sophisticated scent is vanilla planifolia, a rare and beautiful orchid flower. Dirty Vanilla is a rich, hypnotic fragrance teeming with natural, vine-grown vanilla on a bed of warm, velvety amber musk. Combines sweet vanilla bean with rich amber notes, creamy sandalwood, and a hint of spicy coriander.

Jane Booke Taken ($90)

This fragrance by Jane Booke is dreamy, sultry, comfortable and delicious—all at once. It features notes of essential vanilla, French vanilla, mango, peach, bergamot, jasmine, muguet, patchouli and cacao for a decadent and empowering scent.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Sucré Eau De Parfum ($115)

Treat yourself to dessert whenever you want with this indulgent amber fruity scent that opens with fresh mandarin, red currant, and gardenia. Notes of vanilla, whipped cream, and cocoa powder leave a lingering impression and will keep you wanting more!

KORRES Eau de Toilette Vanilla Freesia ($40.60)

Perfect to wear on its own or layered with any of KORRES’ luxurious body care formulas, this elevated skin freshener lasts all day, in one of the brand’s fine apothecary fragrances. A romantic scent with captivating lychee and juicy peach, crisp bergamot with rich vanilla and patchouli. Features base notes of vanilla, patchouli and musk; heart notes of jasmine, peach and freesia; and top notes of bergamot, tea and lychee.

Lancôme Idôle L'Eau de Parfum Nectar ($31-$142)

An olfactory treat for the senses, this unique, avant-garde scent is a reinvention of the sweet and floral fragrance. Combining a faceted bouquet of hand-harvested roses with a sweet blast of popcorn, this fragrance features sustainably sourced ingredients like Isparta rose and Bourbon vanilla.

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanilla Eau de Toilette ($52.50)

This sweet, warming fragrance captures the essence of vanilla, tangerine and brown sugar. Amber blends with vanilla, and is enhanced with fresh notes of tangerine and tiger orchid, essence of almond and brown sugar, and musky sandalwood for a finish that is soft, intimate and addictive.

Lavanila Pure Vanilla ($48)

Pure Madagascar vanilla blends with creamy tonka bean and soft heliotrope for a seductive expression of nature. A must for vanilla lovers, this natural, hypoallergenic and cruelty-free fragrance is hand crafted by master natural perfumers—their unique collection of healthy fragrances infuses organic sugar cane alcohol with pure essential oils. Lavanila is made using the safest ingredients for your skin and free from all chemicals that can potentially harm your body.

Maison Tahite Vanilla2 Eau de Parfum ($120)

For true fans of vanilla, this is an enveloping, immersive gourmand journey that heightens the natural beauty of vanilla. Luscious, mouthwatering vanilla is accompanied by sweet praline and talcum powdery notes that rest on a resinous base, leaving behind a fascinatingly contrasting trail of bright and dark, sweet and powdered.

Memoire Archives Wish You Were Here Eau de Parfum ($60)

The energizing scent of fresh ground coffee smells uplifting and comforting at once. Not unlike a cup of strong black coffee with a single sugar cube, the note transforms the scent into a supercharged self-care ritual when placed at the center of the fragrance. When surrounded by gourmand notes like vanilla, amber, or praline, the note mellows down to evoke images of lazy, cozy Sunday mornings. Available through Scentbird, which is dedicated to offering products that are free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, coal tar and more, this fragrance has a Scentbird Clean seal so that you’ll know it has met their rigorous standards and is cleanly formulated. It is also available for purchase in a sample size.

NEST New York Madagascar Vanilla Perfume Oil ($102)

Capture the allure of Madagascar's landscape with this nourishing perfume oil featuring the warm essence of vanilla bean, the subtle floralcy of vanilla orchid, and a hint of coconut. It’s artfully blended with baobab oil for a formula that melts into your skin while leaving behind a long-lasting fragrance. Housed in a jewel-like glass bottle tinted with a warm amber hue and featuring a dropper that offers a completely unique and customizable fragrance experience.

Ondine Perfume in La Playa ($28-$128)

This irresistible gourmand scent captures the feeling of a day at the beach—satisfied, warm, sensual, and changed. Its simple list of ingredients includes bergamot, clementine, white lotus, lavender, sandalwood, vanilla, landanum, ambrette, oakmoss, and ethyl alcohol.

Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa ’62 Bum Bum Hair & Body Fragrance Mist ($38)

One of Brazilians’ essential beauty secrets is being cheirosa (sheh-rō-zah), which means to always smell incredibly delicious from sunrise to sundown. Brazilian Crush, a body fragrance mist, instantly transports you to the sultry beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Inspired by the addictive pistachio and salted caramel scented Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Brazilian Crush is a delightfully sunny, daily immersion for use on body, hair, and lingerie.

Skylar Vanilla Sky Eau de Parfum ($30-$90)

This cozy and comforting fragrance features rich warm vanilla notes with hints of cappuccino that will instantly transport you to the best café in town. Caramelized cedar provides a rich golden warmth to the perfume. Additional notes include bergamot zest and sweet orange (top notes), jasmine grandiflorum and cinnamon bark (middle notes), sheer amber and sandalwood (base notes). The box, bottle and cap are 100% recyclable. Hypoallergenic, vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for sensitive skin.

TRULY Beauty Glazed Donut Perfume Mist ($23.90)

Wrap yourself up in the delicious nostalgia of freshly baked treats with this fragrance that features notes of whipped buttercream, toasted vanilla, warm sugar, white chocolate, and musk. Decadent and addictive, the warm gourmand fragrance body mist is a treat for the senses! For an even longer-lasting scent, layer with TRULY Beauty’s Glazed Donut After Shave Oil and Glazed Donut After Shave Glow Cream. Can also be misted on clothing and bedding for additional hours of deliciousness.

Valmont Storie Veneziane Mica d’Oro I ($490)

This delectable fragrance was designed by Valmont’s CEO Sophie Vann Guillon, in collaboration with her team and Nathalie Lorson (master perfumer at Firmenich) who wanted to pay tribute to the Renaissance Venetians' extravagant parties with a bold, intoxicating gourmand scent. The Gourmand Oriental extract includes notes of sweet and burning rum, whipped cream and sensual vanilla borrowed from the East. The fragrance comes packaged in a stunning gold bottle with a mask of blown glass and 24 carats of gilded splendor.

[Photos courtesy of brands]

Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk