Gen Z’s fragrance obsession with smelling like desserts — from vanilla frosting to pistachio cream — is driving a booming market for so-called gourmand perfumes, fueled by TikTok trends and sweet-toothed influencers.
For instance, TikTok influencers with millions of followers are raving about Lush’s kettle corn-scented body spray, called “Let the Good Times Roll.” One user gushed in a TikTok review: “You just smell like caramel cake and like you’re ready to be served on a decorated plate.”
The scent trend has exploded online, with sweet, edible-smelling perfumes dominating #PerfumeTok and #FragranceTok. These sugary scents aren’t new to perfumery, but their popularity is surging. According to trend tracker Spate, online searches for gourmand perfumes jumped 77.5% year over year.
The fad has gone mainstream, with high-end brands like Tom Ford and Kayali releasing vanilla-heavy bestsellers, and mass retailers offering doughnut-scented deodorants.
Dove recently teamed up with viral cookie chain Crumbl to launch a lemon glaze hand soap and a cupcake deodorant. Even Auntie Anne’s sells buttered pretzel perfume.
“Sweet scents tap into powerful nostalgia,” Shelly Socol, CEO of marketing agency 1r, told Vox. “People recognize them instantly, and they offer comfort — especially when customers can’t smell a product before they buy it online.”
TikTok users praise the fragrances not just for how they smell, but also for how others react. They say people flirt with them as a result of their scent.
Caroline Stern, one such TikToker, said her sugary perfume combo got her “chased down the street” by a suitor in a video.
“I bought the Escapade Gourmand a month ago, and every single time I wear it somebody stops me. It’s f——— delicious,” wrote a commenter.
The demand has turned into serious cash. Future Market Insights estimates the gourmand fragrance market will grow from $32.5 billion in 2025 to $55 billion by 2035.
Critics point out that instead of choosing a scent that reflects personality or taste, consumers are being nudged toward products that perform well on social media — or that promise validation from strangers.
“Perfume Culture Is Starting to Stink,” declared a recent piece in The Cut, noting that the concept of a personal “signature scent” is being replaced by a rotation of perfumes to match their feelings or the viral trends they’re embracing.
“The concept of the signature scent has been phased out for the ‘scent wardrobe,’ aromas for every mood, identity, and occasion,” Cat Zhang wrote in the piece.
