We may earn commission from links on this page. Each product featured has been vetted and chosen by our editors.
The perfume industry has been on a bit of a sugar kick over the past few years. Gourmand fragrances aren’t anything new—the category itself has been around since the early ‘90s—but as people continue to seek out uplifting nostalgic scents, the demand for sweet, succulent perfumes has boomed.
Today’s most popular gourmand scents feature drool-worthy notes of vanilla, chocolate, marshmallow and cotton candy, but Mona Kattan, founder of Kayali Fragrances, says that caramel perfumes are making their way into the limelight.
“There are so many gorgeous fragrances that highlight caramel notes, and because there is a bit of an obsession with dessert-like fragrances, I expect to see a lot more of this note in the near future,” she says.
Featured experts
- Mona Kattan is the founder of Kayali Fragrances
- Erwan Raguenes is a perfumer at dsm-firmenich
- Carlos Huber is a fragrance developer and the founder of Arquiste
- Bettina O’Neill is the SVP of Business Development and Merchandising at ScentBird
Why is caramel perfume becoming popular?
If you browse through your local Sephora’s fragrance aisle—or quickly search ‘vanilla’ on the retailer’s site—you’ll find well over 50 perfumes that feature the note. There’s no denying vanilla’s universal popularity, but Erwan Raguenes, perfumer at dsm-firmenich, mentions that there’s also a sense of vanilla fatigue amongst consumers. “Fairly recently, vanilla is being stigmatized as being boring or bland, and with consumers continuing to seek new and exciting olfactive experiences, caramel brings a new rich, sweet facet that also evokes feelings of nostalgia and indulgence,” he says.
Caramel also mimics the sweet, warm aura that vanilla exudes, in a richer, deeper way, helping it earn a reputation as vanilla’s sophisticated older cousin. “Caramel notes typically have rich, sugary, buttery aspects and can range from subtle and creamy to lush and decadent,” explains Raguenes. “The key word here is addictive,” adds Carlos Huber, fragrance developer and founder of Arquiste.
What do caramel perfumes smell like?
You may think that caramel perfumes smell sweet (and you’re not wrong), but due to the note’s complex silky nature, there are many intricate layers. Kattan says caramel fragrances can feel warm, dense, sticky, buttery and, of course, rich.
While there are a variety of perfumes that spotlight specific caramel notes, there are also plenty that replicate the same aroma with a mix of sugared elements. “Lactonic notes, brown sugar and tonka can mimic some of the characteristics of caramel when blended with the right ingredients,” explains Kattan. Additionally, Raguenes says that playing around with hints of maple or toffee can produce different levels of indulgence, richness and textures that embody caramel.
You can also expect caramel notes to be paired with other quintessential gourmand components. “Caramel blends nicely with vanilla, chocolate and coffee notes,” explains Bettina O’Neill, SVP of business development and merchandising at ScentBird. For the most part, you’re likely to only find caramel layered in the base or featured as a secondary note in many fragrances. Several experts—O’Neill included—feel that caramel works better as a strong supporting role as opposed to being the main attraction.
That’s not to say that the caramel tides aren’t shifting. As caramel perfume’s popularity surges, we’re likely to see it appearing as the headliner in new potions. Until then, you can get your fix with a number of scents where caramel subtly shines.
Discover some of the most refined caramel gourmands below. Even if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, one sniff of these beautifully blended perfumes is sure to captivate.
Caramel perfumes to try
