What is a gourmand fragrance and why are they trending now?

It’s the scent trend taking the fragrance world by storm: gourmands. Here, we dig into what a gourmand fragrance is, what ingredients or notes a gourmand perfume might include, and why good-enough-to-eat scents are so deliciously popular right now.

First up, what exactly is a gourmand fragrance?

In France, ‘gourmand’ literally means ‘glutton’ (though the word is used positively!), conjuring up feelings of culinary delights, fine dining and delicious indulgence. It’s used in the fragrance world to describe a category of perfumes that have an edible aroma.

What counts as a gourmand ingredient?

At Floral Street, we believe gourmands can be sweet (with chocolate, candy floss or vanilla ingredients), fruity (with scents like pear, blackcurrant or coconuts) or rich (with coffee or cream notes). Our rule is: if a spritz makes your mouth water, it counts as a gourmand.

Why are gourmand fragrances so popular right now?

Though it’s certainly not a new category (gourmands have been a big deal since the ‘90s), sweeter, more indulgent scents are skyrocketing in popularity, and have been for the past few years. Our founder Michelle Feeney believes it’s because modern perfume customers are feeling braver than ever with their scent choices. “Gourmands simply aren’t going anywhere. The changes I’m seeing are that these notes that people previously saw as sickly-sweet or ‘too much’ (marshmallow, caramel, vanilla), are actually being amped up and intensified. I think Gen Z fragrance-wearers aren’t afraid of dialling up the sweetness!”

Are gourmand fragrances a better fit for teens or younger customers?

We don’t believe so, no! At Floral Street, our gourmand scents are perfect for everyone thanks to their more complex and interesting ingredient combinations. When gourmands were introduced in the 90's younger customers were drawn to the introduction of sweeter scents. 30 years later they're tastes have evolved in the same way that gourmands have and are now enjoying the 'grown up' gourmands.

During the development of our Wild Vanilla Orchid gourmand scent, our founder Michelle Feeney was hesitant about creating a vanilla scent that felt too on-the-nose, so was keen to include richer complimentary ingredients alongside a natural vanilla, sourced from Madagascar (the home of perfect creamy vanilla oil).

“Natural vanilla has a much more complex, layered scent profile so you're likely to pick up deeper, richer tones with hints of floral undertones. Synthetic vanilla does a good job of capturing the sweetness of vanilla, but it definitely doesn't have the same sophistication as a natural vanilla.”

What are the best gourmand fragrances to try?

We believe that a great gourmand combines typically edible scents (like candy or chocolate), with fresh florals and unexpected spices for a more layered fragrance experience. Here are our all-time favourites: