10 gourmand perfumes our editors think are good enough to eat
Fragrance for the gluttons and epicures
In the world of fragrance there are certain scents that transcend the confines of a single season.
Whether it's spring, summer, autumn or winter, gourmand perfumes will forever have a place in our personal collections — after all, a girl's gotta eat.
But just like with all things, our tastes are maturing, which means that the gourmand scents synonymous with our youth are no longer going to cut it unfortunately.
It's for this very reason that BEAUTYcrew decided to turn to the professionals to illuminate the path to an elevated gourmand that's just as welcomed in a board room as it is by our best friends.
What does 'gourmand' actually mean?
"‘Gourmand’ is a French word meaning someone who really enjoys food. English doesn’t really have an equivalent word, but I like to think of ‘gourmand’ as halfway between the refinement of ‘connoisseur’ and the indulgence of ‘glutton’ — it’s a beautiful word!," Ethan Archer, Libertine Parfumerie's National Training Manager, tells BEAUTYcrew. "‘Gourmand’ in perfumery essentially means a fragrance that smells so delicious you want to eat it."
Are there fragrance notes that are traditionally regarded as gourmand?
"All sorts. You’ve got classic dessert notes like caramel, vanilla, toffee, whipped cream, and chocolate, or fruits (raspberry, mandarin, or passionfruit are good examples)," Archer explains.
"Spices, too; vanilla and tonka bean mainly, but pink pepper and cinnamon can be gourmand as well, and even drinks, like cognac, whisky, coffee, or champagne," he continued.
"But just because a fragrance has one or more of those notes doesn’t make it gourmand," the fragrance expert clarifies. "It needs to be centred around them, and has to pass the ‘do I wish I could eat this?’ test."
How to avoid childish gourmand fragrances
"One of the issues with gourmand perfumes is they can smell immature," warns Archer. "But fear not: Avoiding pure gourmands, and instead going for ones that incorporate non-gourmand notes can work wonders."
"Think: Caramel with lavender and jasmine, like Casamorati’s Lira ($469 from Libertine Parfumerie). Perhaps a Middle Eastern pastry accord with heliotrope flowers, like Amouage’s Love Delight ($599 from Libertine Parfumerie). Or something utterly decadent but also extremely complex, like Roja’s Lost in Paris ($1899 from Libertine Parfumerie), [with] Grand Marnier, caramel, butter, and cedar, and Awake by Akro ($265 from Libertine Parfumerie) — coffee and cardamom perfection — and Olivier Cresp, the perfumer behind Akro, literally invented gourmand fragrances back in the ’90s." explains Archer.
The best gourmand perfumes according to editor reviews
Ahead, discover the gourmand perfumes that have become constant cravings for BEAUTYcrew's editors.
Kilian Paris Princess
from $50 at Sephora
“This fragrance has become one of my new favourite beauty products. It’s simple, subtle and delicately sweet — the perfect entry-level gourmand in my opinion. Initially, after spritzing, the gentle aroma of refreshing ginger and green tea is what clings to my skin, but as the day wears on it begins to warm, bringing that nostalgic marshmallow scent to the fore. Traditional gourmands give me a headache, but I can comfortably sniff this subtly-sweetened brew all day long.” — Briar Clark, BEAUTYcrew’s Beauty Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Ginger
Heart: Green Tea
Base: Marshmallow
Available at:
Amouage Love Delight
from $599 at Libertine Parfumerie
“If the coolest cocktail on the drinks menu came in fragrance form, this would be it — and I’d order it every time. The first sniff reads as fruity with a surprising rum-powered kick, but there’s something more complex (and creamier) beneath the surface — that’s the work of the vanilla, cinnamon and cocoa. What sets it apart for me is that slight hint of alcohol absolute, and the ginger that pairs so perfectly with it — it’s every bit as intoxicating as the real thing.” — Delaney Loane, BEAUTYcrew’s Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Ginger, Mandarin, Rose Water and Cinnamon
Heart: Heliotrope, Jasmine and Rose
Base: Vanilla, Cocoa, Rum Absolute and Cypriol
Available at:
100ml: $599 from Libertine Parfumerie
100ml: $599 from MYER
100ml: $599 from David Jones
BornToStandOut Dirty Rice
from $330 at MECCA
“I love the scent of freshly cooked rice, and it’s one of my favourite gourmand notes, because it offers a uniquely toasted floral quality that’s hard to replicate. Paired with the ‘dirty’ combination of skin and animalic notes like lactonic milk, musk and cetalox, this perfume is very sexy and cool without trying too hard.” — Briar Clark, BEAUTYcrew’s Beauty Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Bergamot and Almond
Heart: Basmati Rice, Peony and Milk
Base: Sandalwood, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Musk and Cetalox
Available at:
50ml: $330 from MECCA
Vilhelm Parfumerie Moon Carnival
from $282 at MECCA
“Gourmand featuring gardenia is a dream come true for me, so this drop is right up my alley. It features sneaky hints of zesty citrus (passionfruit and bergamot) and more obvious airy white florals (tuberose and that summery gardenia), but the gourmand vanilla, tonka bean and marshmallow (yes, marshmallow) base is what keeps me coming back. Now marshmallow may not sound like the most elevated note in theory — but I swear to you, it’s chic, not childish, and adds a full-bodied creamy sweetness that I find my senses constantly craving.” — Delaney Loane, BEAUTYcrew’s Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Pink Freesia, Passionfruit and Bergamot
Heart: Tuberose, Gardenia and Orchid
Base: Vanilla, Marshmallow and Tonka Bean
Available at:
Maison Francis Kurkdijian Kurky
from $358 at MECCA
“‘Sweet tooth’ doesn’t even begin to cover the level of sugar intake my body demands, but in the instances where real gummy candies aren’t accessible/accepted (for some reason throwing them back in the office is frowned upon), this sweet scent does the trick. It’s not sickeningly sweet though; notes of real raspberry and peach sit atop the lolly-inspired heart, and a musk-vanilla mix sits below, flanking the confectionery scent with a bit of softness.” — Delaney Loane, BEAUTYcrew’s Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Peach and Raspberry
Heart: Gummy Candies and Fruity Notes
Base: White Musk and Vanilla
Available at:
70ml: $358 from MECCA
D'Annam Strawberry Mochi
from $240 at D'Annam
“If you love red bean mochi like me, and you’re looking for a photorealistic fragrance that smells exactly like the Japanese dessert, congratulations you’ve found a fragrance dupe. Admittedly, the name ‘Strawberry’ Mochi is slightly deceiving. Let me clarify; the strawberry here is the the fresh and juicy ripened fruit half that’s quickly gulped down before the moment taken to savour the real prize — the chewy mochi exterior and the smooth red bean paste inside. Delicious.” — Briar Clark, BEAUTYcrew’s Beauty Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Strawberry
Heart: Glutinous Rice and Red Bean Paste
Base: Brown Sugar and Vanilla
Available at:
50ml: $240 from D'Annam
The 7 Virtues Cherry Ambition
from $46 at Sephora
“I like fresh cherries, I like that synthetic cherry candy flavour, and I love this slightly sweet, slightly zesty, slightly spicy take on the fruit too. If you’re looking for an evening gourmand then this is it. It’s reminiscent of everything a sexy scent should be; it’s mysterious, yet simultaneously grounded and earthy, and a definite confidence boost in a bottle.” — Briar Clark, BEAUTYcrew’s Beauty Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Cherry, Pink Pepper, Marshmallow and Mandarin Orange
Heart: Saffron, Cherry Blossom, Osmanthus and Orris
Base: Frankincense, Vanilla, Amber, Guaiac Wood and Musk
Available at:
Phlur Heavy Cream
from $43 at MECCA
“This one’s a newbie to the Aussie market (shoutout to MECCA), and is already emerging as my favourite of the season. Maybe I just really rate marshmallow, who knew? I enjoy scents that smell exactly like they sound and this one is just that. The whipped cream base sets the tone, with vanilla, coconut and sugar teaming up to give it the sweet, heady weight that it's ‘heavy’ moniker calls for. I don’t personally detect much of the citrus (nor would I want to within this sweet, creamy masterpiece) — the ratios are just right and the end result is genuinely delectable.” — Delaney Loane, BEAUTYcrew’s Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Marshmallow, Sugar, Lemon and Orange
Heart: Coconut, Ambrettolide and Jasmine
Base: Whipped Cream, Vanilla and Caramel
Available at:
Nest Crème de Clementine
from $58 at Sephora
“There’s something so innocently simple and sweet about the combination of clementines and vanilla. Even with the mature base of blonde woods present in Nest's Crème de Clementine, it’s hard to imagine anyone particularly jaded by life would ever wear what is essentially a clementine upside down cake. This is the perfect accessory on sunny days or even those moments when you need an olfactory pick me up when all else fails to do the job.” — Briar Clark, BEAUTYcrew’s Beauty Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Clementine
Heart: Vanilla
Base: Blonde Woods
Available at:
Rare Beauty Rare
from $50 at Sephora
“If smelling like a combo of all your favourite sweet treats is an inviting scenario for you, Rare Beauty's Rare is the bottle that’ll bring that fantasy to life. Housing hits of caramel, cocoa and vanilla all at once, I like to think of it as the ultimate fragrance for anyone with decision fatigue who gets a double or triple scoop, because the options sound simply too good. It balances its sweet side with spice nicely, with sandalwood and ginger giving it a bit of grit. But let’s face it, it’s the caramel I keep coming back for.” — Delaney Loane, BEAUTYcrew’s Editor
Fragrance notes:
Top: Caramel, Pink Pepper and Pistachio
Heart: Vanilla, Nigerian Ginger and Cocoa
Base: Sandalwood, Musk and Tonka Bean
Available at:
10ml: $50 from Sephora
Mini Duo (10ml and 5ml): $58 from Sephora
50ml: $124 from Sephora
Main image credit: @charli_xcx
Love an editor-approved perfume? Here, BEAUTYcrew's Beauty Editors reveal their all-time favourite fragrances.
Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).
