Food-Scented Perfume Is All The Nostalgic Rage Right Now
We must admit that emitting a redolence of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies sounds pretty amazing. While plenty of people prefer alluring aromas of lovely flowers or spicy musk blends, an oddly delicious trend is happening in the beauty space. More consumers are gravitating toward gourmand notes that remind them of sweet and savory edible delights and evoke comforting feelings.
Science has proven that our sense of smell is closely linked to our memories and emotions. Throughout history, fragrance has been worn as a personal form of expression. Perfumes and colognes not only make us smell nice and cause heads to turn, but they also have the power to induce intense nostalgia. One emerging trend in the fragrance world involves food-inspired scents crafted to eerily replicate our favorite treats. While several designer labels, including Tom Ford and Clinique, have fashioned legendary scents such as Lost Cherry and My Happy Cookies & Kisses, several independent perfumers are joining the fun.
Some of these spritzes are designed to embody true-to-life desserts like no other. For candy lovers, Demeter Fragrances has partnered with Tootsie Roll to transform the iconic flavors of Tootsie Rolls, Junior Mints, and Dots into balmy mists.
Food-inspired fragrances are (almost) good enough to eat
Food-scented fragrances are making a big comeback. If you grew up in the '90s, you might remember Juice Bar, a line of brightly colored cotton candy, lemonade, and gummy bear-inspired body sprays, and Art Stuff, a now-defunct Bath & Body Works collection featuring a line of products that smelled like mint chocolate chip, cherry, strawberry, and grape.
Kayali's Yum Pistachio Gelato, the brainchild of the co-founding sisters of Huda Beauty, has been generating hype for several months. With a creamy, dreamy profile of pistachio gelato, hazelnut, rum, cotton candy, marshmallow, and whipped cream, wearers admit they love the recipe as much as the compliments they receive when wearing it.
Imaginary Authors prides itself on formulating perfumes that trigger pleasant reminders of yesteryear through the nose. It even partnered with Portland-based ice cream company Salt & Straw to create one of its best sellers, A Whiff of Wafflecone, which possesses notes of vanilla, salted caramel, and cinnamon. Another beloved brand concocting eau de toilette products reminiscent of indulgences is Colornoise, a Las Vegas Etsy shop that offers a series of "Memory Perfumes." From Circus Peanuts and Cereal Milk to Jelly Donut and Bubblegum, these bottles contain luxurious liquids that stir up sentimentality in every sniff.
Honorable mentions of brands that have gone to bat for offbeat foodie scents include Pizza Hut and Burger King. Hard pass... unless you want your body to diffuse the odors of pizza dough or a cheeseburger.