Meet The Foodie Fragrance Notes Dishing Out Success

Why Are Gourmand Perfumes So Popular?

For Ellis Brooklyn founder, Bee Shapiro, it’s obvious, “Food and especially dessert notes are comforting!” Bee tells us. “They remind us of the warmth and cosiness of the kitchen. There is also something so direct about smelling like you’re literally good enough to eat.” Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Milk Eau de Parfum, £35.00 has become a firm favourite on PerfumeTok due to its smooth creaminess.

It would be criminal of us to talk about dessert-inspired scents without mentioning the new Juliette Has A Gun Miami Shake Eau de Parfum, £25.00. The blend of strawberries, whipped cream and vanilla really does leave you smelling delectably delicious.

The rise of gourmand perfumes among younger fragrance fans has a nostalgic element according to Lisa Payne, who heads up beauty at the trend forecasting company, Stylus. “They crave sweet, sugary concoctions that remind them of childhood treats and give them a scented link to their favourite coffee shop delights,” Lisa explains.

The Fruity Twist

“We are seeing the foodie fragrance trend continue to evolve with guava, cherry and mango all hitting the right notes for 2025,” says Sophie Wayman, Space NK’s Head of Seasonal. Sniff out Floral Street Wonderland Peony Eau de Parfum, £29.00 to see pink guava in action, while PHLUR Mango Mood Body Mist, £25.00 highlights the juiciness mango can bring to a scent.

There is no shortage of cherry perfumes with the likes of Creed Carmina Eau de Parfum, £165.00, Juliette Has A Gun Juliette EDP, £25.00 and of course, Tom Ford Lost Cherry Eau De Parfum, £180.00. Unlike a lot of fruity perfume notes, cherry can be both sweet and sour which can give gourmand scents a grown-up twist.

Cherries aren’t the only stoned fruits proving popular in the olfactory world right now as Space NK’s Seasonal Buyer Helena Drozd pinpoints peach as an up-and-coming note for summer… you heard it hear first. It would be rude not to mention Pleasing’s Bright Hot which is a rich, warm scent with a waft of plum and vanilla.

The Rise Of Savoury Fragrance Notes

Historically, gourmand perfumes have always been on the sweeter side, but the quiet rise of softer foodie notes like watermelon, pistachio and herbs has seen the trend slide towards more savoury flavours. Always one step ahead, Space NK’s buying team tapped into the trend with the herbaceous Tuscan Vines range. The green tomato leaf and fig combo is best smelt with Space NK Tuscan Vines Diffuser, £45.00.

“Savoury notes - to me - are far more interesting than the sweet, as they seem to be barely explored. I would love a pistachio-olive oil combination, which may even already exist,” says fragrance expert and content creator, Sam Wonder of My World Of Fragrance .

While we haven’t come across that combination, five years ago, D.S. & DURGA Pistachio, £155.00 launched under the name Studio Juice and it proved so popular that the brand renamed it and made the perfume permanent.

Will savoury gourmand perfumes prove as popular as the sweeter scents in the long run? Only time will tell. But with the UK fragrance industry set to be worth over £2 billion by 2029 (according to Mintel), it’s safe to say there will be plenty more foodie fragrances. David Moltz from D.S. & Durga puts it very succinctly: “Food is familiar,” and, let's face it, there is real comfort in familiarity.