Are you someone who cannot get enough of sweet scents? If so, then a gourmand fragrance might just be something you could fall in love with. Filled with notes of fruits, sugary treats, and sweets, gourmand perfumes are fun, comforting, and indulgent. There are a lot of fragrances to choose from, but allow us to introduce you to a few of our top picks.
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Top 15 of the best gourmand perfumes
Some people may fall into the incorrect belief that gourmand fragrances are only for younger people. But in reality, there are beautifully sweet perfumes for all ages, tastes, and walks of life. The following list demonstrates how versatile this type of scent can be.
1. Guerlain Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin – Best vanilla gourmand perfume
First impressions mean everything, and in the case of this perfume, they certainly don’t disappoint. Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin comes in a stunning, feminine bottle that is a nod towards the deliciously girly fragrance contained within.
This amber vanilla perfume is made up of warm notes of rum, dark chocolate, cacao, vanilla, and spices with a hint of a rose for that feminine freshness. Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin is not a shy fragrance and will project enormously around a space alerting everyone to your presence. If a rich, warm, sensual gourmand is what you’re looking for, this is perfection in a bottle.
2. Gourmand EDP Fragrance Oud Sahara – Best cheap gourmand fragrance
Trying to find a perfume that won’t break the bank isn’t always easy, especially if you want something with the same longevity and intensity. But Oud Sahara is one of the best affordable gourmand fragrances owing to its ability to light up a room with its unique scent. But it isn’t overpowering, making it ideal for daytime wear.
With rich amber notes, there is a noticeable exotic twist on the gourmand theme here. If you like your perfumes to dictate an air of mystery, then Oud Sahara would suit you well. But what’s great about this fragrance is that it can be layered with other products from this range to create a gourmand extravaganza all of your own.
3. Thierry Mugler Angel – Best citrus gourmand perfume
Angel was launched back in the early 90s but still has as much influence on women today. With its star-shaped flacon and complex blend of notes, this could be used as the gourmand perfume to outdo all others.
Mugler’s Angel begins with bright citrus notes of orange, bergamot, pineapple, creamy coconut, and sweet cotton candy. As we move through the heart, we are treated to flirty florals before a base of caramel, chocolate, and tonka bean. Other floral and sweet notes come through, making this an unmistakable scent, ideal for ladies looking for a signature scent that will get them noticed.
4. YSL Black Opium – Best gourmand fragrance for women
In recent years, many gourmand definition perfumes have tried to become iconic, but none have succeeded as well as Black Opium. This immediately noticeable scent is sexy, luxurious, and outgoing and will match a similar personality.
Black Opium has heady notes of coffee that run alongside seductive jasmine and fresh pear. Licorice and vanilla give this an extremely gourmand boost, while cedar and cashmere wood provide a long-lasting base.
For adventurous women who want to stand out, the excellent sillage on Black Opium will do the job. What’s more, with exceptional longevity, just a couple of sprays at the start of the evening will ensure that your presence lingers all night.
5. Lancome La Vie Est Belle – Best fruity-floral gourmand perfume
You only need to look at the delicate, feminine bottle to know that this is a perfume for overly girly ladies. And while this is true, La Vie Est Belle is also a very sophisticated fragrance that is an ideal gourmand for older ladies wanting to demonstrate their style and class.
La Vie Est Belle is the original in a line of similar fragrances and begins with pear and blackcurrant that dry down through a floral heart. At the base, you are left with rich and creamy praline and vanilla for a very sweet yet warm finish.
La Vie Est Belle works wonderfully as a go-to fragrance for all occasions, but it has an extraordinary place as a summer perfume, thanks to its lightness.
6. Mmmm…Juliette Has A Gun – Best niche gourmand perfume
The bright pink bottle of this gourmand fragrance for men and women immediately demonstrates its fun and exciting vibe. But it might not be what you expect. Colors like this give you an idea that a scent will be intense and very fruity, whereas Mmmm…. by Juliette Has A Gun is much softer and more powdery.
If you are looking for a gentle gourmand perfume that is easy on the nose Mmmm…Juliette Has A Gun could be right for you. It brings together the fruitiness of raspberry with delicate floral notes of neroli, iris, and tuberose. At the base, caramel and vanilla provide that sweetness that gourmand fans demand alongside sandalwood and patchouli.
7. Mugler A* – Best gourmand cologne for men
When you ask:” What is a gourmand fragrance?”, you will typically be shown a lot of women’s perfumes, but A* by Mugler is a prime example of why gourmand works for men just as well. Coming in a stunning grey chrome bottle, A* hints towards the incredibly masculine scent within.
For guys who want to appear elegant but with that sense of boyish adventure, A* is a great signature scent. It begins with bergamot alongside herby notes of mint and lavender. Moving through the heart, we find floral notes blended with honey and caramel for that authentic gourmand experience. A musky, woody base with heavy coffee notes leaves an intense and unmistakable fragrance wherever you go.
8. Britney Spears Fantasy – Best sweet gourmand perfume
Potentially one of the most iconic gourmand fragrances of all time, and perhaps the one that brought on the gourmand craze back in the early 2000s, Fantasy is now considered a classic. Presented in a spherical pink bottle encrusted with Swarovski crystals, this is a loud, feminine fragrance from the off.
Fantasy doesn’t shy away from being overly gourmand and uses notes like cupcakes, quince, white chocolate, and musk. There are gentle hints of florals like jasmine that give this perfume a very seductive and flirtatious vibe.
While this is one of the best gourmand perfumes for affordability, it still manages to boast incredible longevity and will work excellently as an all-day fragrance.
9. Maison Margiela Replica Coffee Break – Best long-lasting gourmand fragrance
Coffee is listed as one of the most well-loved smells in the world, and to wear this as a perfume is going to get you noticed. That is even more true when you consider how powerful and intense Replica Coffee Break is. But it won’t offend the nose; this is a warm, milky coffee that feels comforting and cozy. The kind of fragrance you would wear on a cold winter’s day in front of the fire with a loved one.
But Coffee Break isn’t just a bold coffee hit. You will find beautiful bursts of patchouli and orange blossom at the head while the heart is rich with lavender and tonka bean. At the base, the coffee accords develop into a more woody personality with cedar and vetiver complemented by sweet vanilla.
10. Montale Chocolate Greedy – Best chocolate gourmand perfume
Much like many other Montale fragrances, Chocolate Greedy comes presented in a beautiful chrome bottle that is, in itself, a statement. For lovers of rich and creamy gourmand fragrances, Chocolate Greedy is a perfect pick. It brings together the bitterness of chocolate with the tanginess of orange in a hugely outstanding composition.
In addition to these accords, vanilla fans will be pleased with the notable vanilla scents that mix effortlessly with tonka bean and coffee.
Made for women and men, Chocolate Greedy is perfect for evening wear, especially when you want to show off your sensual side. With such an enormous projection, you certainly won’t go unnoticed.
11. Be Layered Caramel Overdose – Best caramel gourmand perfume
Caramel Overdose is a gourmand perfume that can be worn on its own or layered with other scents from this range. If you want to create something unique to you, this would be a great place to start.
The rich caramel notes of this amber vanilla fragrance are undeniably sweet but not cloying. There is a very youthful feel to this perfume, and Caramel Overdose would make an excellent choice for guys and girls with a fun-loving, carefree attitude to life.
The projection of Caramel Overdose is pretty intense and will get you noticed, especially when you couple this with the fact that it is a very long-lasting scent. These things combined make the fragrance ideal for all-day wear.
12. Jessica Simpson Fancy
Fancy is presented in a delightful bottle with a very exotic feel; one might almost believe it pays homage to the Middle East. This could leave you expecting an oud-doused fragrance or something similarly mysterious. But that is the beauty of this mystery; what you get is a stunning gourmand perfume heavy with notes of caramel.
Jessica Simpson’s Fancy begins with fruity notes, which make for a sweet yet fresh beginning. But as the caramel and almond notes burst through at the heart, along with amber and sandalwood at the base, a much warmer character is revealed.
13. Women Secret Candy
Launched in 2021, Candy is a beautifully sweet fragrance that has heady notes of cotton candy. If you are looking for a perfume that will bring back memories of days spent at the carnival, then Candy might just be the right choice for you.
This intensely feminine fragrance blends the sugary sweetness of candy floss with fruity notes of raspberry and blackcurrant. At the base, woody notes allow for a much greater longevity giving you a flirty fragrance that will last throughout the day.
Women’Secret Candy is ideal for youthful ladies who want to show off their zest for life and outgoing personality.
14. Ganache Parfums Gold Couture
Made for men and women, Gold Couture is widely accepted as one of the best recent gourmand perfumes. This is a hugely sophisticated fragrance that doesn’t hold back, but it certainly isn’t overbearing.
The super sweet accords of marshmallow and vanilla blend perfectly with citrus notes and black tea for added freshness. Alongside this, the nose is treated to intense florals like white rose and saffron, while tonka bean adds a familiar warmth.
Gold Couture is an extremely long-lasting perfume that projects effortlessly around a room. To wear this, you mustn’t be afraid to show off your wild side.
15. Dior Feve Delicieuse
Coming in a striking yet simple bottle, Feve Delicieuse is a part of La collection Privee which showcases some of Dior’s most elegant and exclusive fragrances. If you are a lover of all things gourmand, then this scent will be hugely pleasing to your nose, with notes of cacao, praline, milk, and caramel at the base. These linger all day for an effortlessly sophisticated warming sweetness.
However, there is also a certain freshness to Feve Delicieuse thanks to light citrus notes at the head and the fruitiness of cherry at the heart. Made for women and men, this perfume is ideal for winter wear due to its richness and comforting character.
What is a gourmand fragrance?
Gourmand is a word that comes from the French language, meaning ‘greedy’, and this is the perfect description of this type of fragrance. If you look at a definition of the word gourmand, you will see that it refers to a glutton; somebody who loves to eat in excess.
You see, gourmand perfumes are composed of notes that resemble sweet foods such as caramel, sugar, cotton candy, chocolate, and so on. These are intense and result in perfumes that smell almost good enough to eat. But remember, they’re not edible.
Quite often, the base notes in a gourmand fragrance will be much woodier with things like sandalwood and cedar as well as other, sweeter notes like musk and patchouli. One of the great things about gourmand fragrances is that there is no limit to the scent you can achieve. With such a vast range of edible notes, the world is your oyster.
You will typically find that many people choose to wear a gourmand fragrance to appear more seductive and sensual. This is because many of these perfumes contain heady notes of vanilla, which is known to be one of the most intoxicating scents on the planet. When you blend this with the uber erotic fragrance of jasmine, as many gourmands do, the result is something utterly desirable.
How to choose your gourmand perfume
The right gourmand perfume for you will vary from what suits the next person. Since there are so many scent combinations available on the gourmand market, it is vital to research your preferred notes.
If you want something that is delightfully sweet and unashamedly gourmand, then you might opt for something that has heavy sugary notes and velvety chocolate accords. On the flip side, some people like a much more delicate approach to gourmand and may opt for a fruity scent with base notes like vanilla, milk, chocolate, and praline.
Moreover, it pays to think about how heavy you want the fragrance to be. If you’re looking for something that will make a statement, an eau de parfum will help you achieve that. Conversely, eau de toilette or eau de cologne typically uses lighter notes that are great for daytime wear. In this case, you will generally find your favorite gourmand accords blended with fresh citrus notes.
One of the best ways to discover your new favorite gourmand perfume is to look at guides like this one. It will help you find out fragrances you may not otherwise have heard of. Some companies, like Dior, offer a try before your buy service where you will receive a mini perfume to test before opening the full-sized bottle.
Since perfume dries down differently on everyone according to various factors such as heat and body chemistry, this is an excellent way to test which gourmand perfumes work on your skin.
