In France, ‘gourmand’ literally means ‘glutton’ (though the word is used positively!), conjuring up feelings of culinary delights, fine dining and delicious indulgence. It’s used in the fragrance world to describe a category of perfumes that have an edible aroma.

Gourmand fragrances first made their mark in the early 1990s with dessert-inspired notes like praline and chocolate to the mainstream. These scents were rich, unapologetically sweet, and instantly iconic. Over the decades, gourmands have evolved from playful and nostalgic to layered and sophisticated, now often blended with florals, spices or woody notes to create more complex, modern interpretations. Today’s gourmands feel less like candy and more like couture: still delicious, but with depth and edge.

Gourmand fragrances are surprisingly versatile, making them just as perfect for everyday wear as they are for making a statement. Lighter, fruity gourmands like pear or passionfruit are ideal for daytime spritzing, adding a joyful, uplifting feel to your routine. For evenings or special occasions, opt for richer notes like coffee, vanilla or tonka bean to create a more indulgent, sultry impression.

Layering gourmand fragrances is also a great way to make them your own. Try pairing a sweet, edible note with something contrasting like a fresh floral or a woody base to bring depth and dimension. For example, blend a vanilla-based scent with something citrus-led to brighten it, or combine a creamy, dessert-inspired fragrance with soft florals like peony or rose for a more elegant twist. It’s all about creating your signature scent, one that’s both personal and irresistible.

We don’t believe so, no! At Floral Street, our gourmand scents are perfect for everyone thanks to their more complex and interesting ingredient combinations. When gourmands were introduced in the 90's younger customers were drawn to the introduction of sweeter scents. 30 years later their tastes have evolved in the same way that gourmands have and are now enjoying the 'grown up' gourmands.

During the development of our Wild Vanilla Orchid gourmand scent, our founder Michelle Feeney was hesitant about creating a vanilla scent that felt too on-the-nose, so was keen to include richer complimentary ingredients alongside a natural vanilla, sourced from Madagascar (the home of perfect creamy vanilla oil).

“Natural vanilla has a much more complex, layered scent profile so you're likely to pick up deeper, richer tones with hints of floral undertones. Synthetic vanilla does a good job of capturing the sweetness of vanilla, but it definitely doesn't have the same sophistication as a natural vanilla.”