Foodie fragrances are set to be *the* scents we'll all be wearing in 2025—a perfume expert just confirmed to me

No list of the best perfumes would be complete without a gourmand fragrance or two making the cut. You see, despite scent snobbery being a thing (I had to lie about my love of sweet perfumesat the start of my beauty career, pretending to be a fan of more ‘sophisticated’ woody scents) there is no denying the popularity of foodie fragrances.

“Gourmand fragrances connect us to something instinctual, almost primal,” says Romy Kowalewski, founder of 27 87. “They resonate because they evoke pleasure, whether that's nostalgia, comfort, or indulgence. But sweetness alone doesn’t cut it—it’s the tension that makes a fragrance unforgettable. Romy talks about the way that the best gourmand fragrances need to “hit a certain frequency” and balance both smelling good but making you feel. It’s why cosy, comforting notes like vanilla and fig are commonly found in all types of perfumes—they’re familiar and warming. This year, however, we’re going to see a new wave of mouthwatering foodie perfumes soar in popularity.

Moving beyond your fresh fruity scents and classic tonka bean colognes, this new generation of foodie fragrances will take inspiration from a whole menu of notes. From ripe tomatoes and herb gardens to coffee shops and childhood sweets, the perfumes ahead prove that gourmand fragrances don’t always have to be sickly sweet, but they do have to be mouth-wateringly delicious. “Think juicy red berries and caramels meeting a fresh citrus twist or roasted cocoa, honey and plum to create warmth and depth,” says Romy. “Looking ahead, we’re focused on pushing these contrasts even further—exploring unexpected textures and giving gourmands a modern twist.”

Truly, whether it’s a freshly picked strawberry scent, a nostalgic almond-spiked cologne or a homage to the humble coffee bean, ahead you’ll find the most unexpected foodie perfumes to satiate every taste.

The best foodie perfumes of 2025

1. Phlur Mood Ring Eau de Parfum

I’ll come right out and say it: if you don’t like sweet scents then you won’t like this. However, despite one of the key notes of this unusual perfume being fruit gummies (yes, you read that correctly) I don’t think there is anything sickly about this complex fragrance. Instead, to me, this is like enjoying your first fruity cocktail on a beach holiday that you’ve been dreaming about for months. It’s vibrant, exciting, and bursting with energy. And despite the almost nostalgic candy sweetness at first spritz, a lively floral bouquet soon emerges with a sticky citrus element from oranges. Once it’s dried down, however, you’re left with a skin-like warmth from patchouli and amber which lingers long after the initial sugar rush.

2. Maison Margiela Replica From The Garden Eau de Toilette

An uplifting, sun-drenched perfume that captures the spirit of an afternoon spent unwinding in a lush, green garden in the Italian countryside. There’s an earthiness at the heart of this perfume, from an abundance of green notes and woodiness from moss, but it’s the combination of fruits and tomato leaf that lend this perfume a ripe juiciness. It’s truly delicious, but in a grounded, herby way rather than anything saccharine. Imagine tearing open the flesh of a ripe tomato in the baking sunshine and inhaling the scent. Delicious.

3. Who Is Elijah Cherry Fiesta Eau de Parfum

A decidedly playful perfume, this punchy cherry scent screams date night to me. It’s fruity, fun and, dare I say it, quite sexy, yet it feels undeniably modern too. At first sniff, the cherries really do come to fruition—a ripe, glossy, sweet cherry that wouldn’t be out of place atop a retro ice cream sundae. However, there is nothing dessert-like about this perfume. Instead, once that initial fruit explosion has settled down, you’re left with a grown-up bouquet of white florals, sweet patchouli and comforting vanilla that will have everyone leaning in to ask what exactly it is you’re wearing that smells so good.

4. Juliette Has A Gun Into The Void Eau de Parfum

Foodie perfumes tend to have a bit of a reputation for being safe or familiar choices in the fragrance world, but this one is an absolute power perfume and will turn heads as soon as you enter the room. In my opinion, some of the best signature scents are divisive and I love that liquorice taking centre stage in this perfume means it innately has a love it or hate it element. Personally, I adore the warm, sticky bitterness of it—it almost has an aniseed edge—but love how it’s been blended with tonka bean for a slightly spicy sweetness. Alongside some woody notes and the heady bloom of black orchid, this is a strong, sensual scent that really brings a dramatic flair to a category of scents that are often considered to be cutesy.

5. 27 87 Elixir De Bombe Eau De Parfum

Known for its unusual note pairings, 27 87 is fast becoming one of my favourite fragrance brands. A foodie perfume at its heart, Elixir De Bombe is like a Michelin star tasting menu—I would never for a second imagine that red pepper would smell incredible alongside caramel and leather but, turns out, it does. This is a sweet, spicy and bold perfume that starts with a fresh squeeze of juicy tangerine, before an immediate zing of red pepper and ginger adds a little heat to the proceedings. Once some of that fire and spice has tempered, you’re left with the worn-in sweetness of amber, caramel and sharp raspberry to keep things lively. You really have to smell this one to grasp its appeal, but once you’ve spritzed it it’s unbelievably moreish.

6. Kilian Paris Intoxicated Eau de Parfum

Capturing the warming comfort of a cup of smooth, dark coffee, this addictive perfume from Kilian Paris is utterly decadent without being overly sweet. Lots of coffee-inspired perfumes that I’ve smelt in the past have relied on notes from things like milk and vanilla bean to add a creaminess to them, but this perfume is like a shot of strong Turkish coffee. It’s still smooth, but it has an almost woody element thanks to spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and a herbaceous streak of green cardamom. It’s strong, rich and utterly additive.

7. Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81 Eau de Parfum

A foodie perfume for those with a sweet tooth, the notes in this scent read like the fever dream of a child who has been let loose in a candy shop. However, while I’m not going to sit here and pretend that this isn’t a sugary scent—it definitely is—it has a surprising softness to it that keeps me coming back for more. Sure, at first sniff it’s the vanilla, fluffy marshmallow and tropical coconut that erupts like a candy floss cloud, but there’s also a freshness from the blossom of fruit trees and an underlying tartness from biting pink lady apple. And, like with all moreish perfumes, it captures a nostalgic warmth with musks and amber that wouldn’t be out of place in a minimalist skin scent. Truly, I’ve been surprised at how much I love wearing this. Spraying it on is like wrapping myself in a childhood blanket—pure joy.

8. Malin + Goetz Strawberry Eau de Parfum

Talking of skin scents, if you love a more pared-back perfume and don’t think that gourmands are for you then allow me to introduce you to Malin + Goetz’s ode to strawberry. This is a foodie perfume for the minimalists amongst us. Rather than a freshly-picked, juicy strawberry, this is like a homage to the concept of the fruit. It’s light, powdery and bright with a subtle sweetness that you’d expect from a fruity fragrance, but also a green freshness and a pink pepper kick.

9. & Other Stories Desert Edition Eau de Toilette

For affordable fragrances that rival the most expensive I’ve tried, & Other Stories is my go-to place on the high street. This year, they launched four new perfumes including this one—a contemporary gourmand that smells at least £100 more expensive than it actually is. Capturing some of the foodie notes that will be trending this year—pistachio, sage and cardamom to name just three—it has a nutty warmth to it with a rich, deep honeyed sweetness from hints of dried fruits and tonka bean. It’s decadent, and lingering, yet will appeal to both lovers of sweet scents and more woody aromas alike.