Following the popularity of nineties nostalgia-inducing perfumes in 2024, and neuroscents (scents that induce neurological responses, like positivity or a relaxed feeling) in 2025, this year brings with it a novel trend – and your smell isn’t the only sense it’ll appeal to!
Taking the phrase “smelling like a snack” very literally, the latest generation of perfumes transform our favourite sweet (and savoury) flavours into wearable scents. So, if it has always been your goal to smell like an iced bun, or if simply eating the viral Dubai pistachio chocolate isn’t enough, you’re in luck, because the scents currently dominating the market are a foodie’s dream.
In the realm of fragrance – one steeped in tradition and saturated with sophisticated French words – perfumes that feature food-related notes are called “gourmand”. While the romantics in us delight in using this stylish and refined name for our newfound fragrance fave, francophones may smirk. The word rolls beautifully off the tongue, but it roughly translates to “a person who enjoys eating large amounts of food”. Well… hands up if you can relate.
Despite the translation, the gourmand fragrance category is growing at a rate of 77.5% year-on-year (according to consumer trend forecasters Spate), fed by consumers on the lookout for familiar smells and the feel-good factor of comfort food without the calories. It’s a playful shift in the perfume world, mingling fragrance and flavour in a way that feels both nostalgic and new.
Chelsea Morning by LUSH, £25 for 30ml
Chelsea Morning smells like a warm bakery window at elevenses, when willpower is at its weakest. Tonka and butterscotch bring the sweet, lemon myrtle adds a little zing, and a sprinkle of fenugreek stops things from going full dessert-cart chaos. It’s cosy, cheerful and very moreish.
English Pear & Freesia by Jo Malone London, £122 for 100ml
Known for their classics, Jo Malone are perhaps the pioneers in serving up our favourite homegrown ingredients. Bursting with notes of freshly picked English pears, don’t think of this as sickly sweet. Thanks to the woody accord of patchouli and amber, it can be worn solo or layered. Think stack and snack!
Last Date, by Ghawali, £175 for 75ml
From the first spritz, you’ll be met with a bevvy of fruity aromas, all dancing in harmony. Pink pepper, orange and frozen dates are the masterchef recipe of top notes making this a frontrunner to wear on long hot summer days, or as part of your five a day.
Tart lemon peel kicks things off, giving you a bright, zingy first impression, before Chantilly cream and praline swoop in. Then comes the brown sugar and vanilla base that lingers like the memory of a very good cupcake.
Bianco Latte by Giardini di Toscana, £110 for 100ml
Soft, sweet and comforting, this scent could be the next best thing after your morning coffee. Vanilla, milk, honey and caramel float around you in a cloud that’s indulgent but never overwhelming. No stickiness, no sugar rush; just a smooth, milky warmth that’s made it a social media sensation for a reason.
Capri in a Bottle Lemon Sugar | 14 by Kayali, £80 for 50ml
Bright lemon and sweet vanilla meet in a sort of summer romance, followed by floral notes and a juicy hint of raspberry. Praline and benzoin (a sweet, vanilla-scented tree resin) add depth and warmth, making it feel as if it were a sun-soaked holiday in a bottle. Ideal for anyone who likes their perfume as sweet as their cocktail.
Coriander by D.S. & Durga, £155 for 50ml
For those who prefer their gourmand on the savoury side, Coriander serves herb garden with a twist. Fresh coriander, pepper and juniper needle make a sharp first impression, before geranium, clove stem and clary sage warm things up. The final flourish of musk, magnolia and mace adds subtle depth. It’s earthy, cool and confident.
Sticky Fingers by Subversive Scents, £99 for 100ml
Boozy and daring, Sticky Fingers swaps sweeties for spirits. Whiskey and bourbon vanilla take centre stage, backed by smoky patchouli, musk and sandalwood. With a nod to rock ’n’ roll rebellion and a distinctly night-time mood, this one is heady, dramatic and unbothered by convention (no actual sticky fingers required).
Do perfumes have ‘best before’ dates?
It’s not just that old, half-eaten jar of pickles sitting in the back of your fridge that needs to go – perfume has a shelf life, too (three to five years, on average). Yet, according to research by PerfumeDirect.com, 87% of people are still using fragrances that they believe were bought before 2020. And if that bottle’s been sitting on a sunny windowsill or near a steamy bathroom, chances are it’s already gone off.
In the same survey, 78% were also unaware that perfume has an expiry date!
“Perfume doesn’t last forever,” says Jonny Webber, fragrance expert at Perfume Direct. “If bottles are exposed to direct sunlight or heat, the scent can degrade long before the typical three-to-five-year shelf life is up. In fact, in the wrong conditions, perfumes can ‘turn’ in less than a year.”
Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely culprits, with many owning what’s now dubbed a ‘fragrance wardrobe’ – often more than eight bottles open at a time. “And if one of those is a £200 EDP saved for special occasions,” adds Jonny, “you might want to check it’s not just a bottle of sour-smelling alcohol.”
