Sweet Treats
I could say my love of gourmand/foody scents began with vanilla, and in a sense it did, but being one of the most common fragrance notes in so many different types of fragrances, some that aren’t so foody smelling, I should really say it began with Thierry Mugler Angel. I was introduced to Angel by my sister. I remember the first time I smelt it, I crinkled up my nose. The second or third time, something very good happened. Until Angel, I had never smelt a perfume that combined food notes and the more traditional perfume notes (I think my love of patchouli started here too, but that’s another story), it just did something delicious on my skin…and I fell in love.
Angel is such a love or hate fragrance. To me, I think there’s a few reasons why some hate it: the patchouli note is heavy, and the gourmand notes can be a little overwhelming on some. It’s a strong fragrance. But applied lightly, it’s amazing. And very distinct.
To be honest, I never really thought of Angel as foody at first, just this yummy, sexy stuff that I loved to wear. But as my love of perfume grew out of control, I began to smell more in this complex scent. Patchouli was the first thing to hit me. I don’t think I’d ever really worn it until Angel. Sharp at first, then a very warm, earthy, kinda dirty (yeah, the original hippie scent!) note. Then slowly, other notes rise to the surface...deep, dark unsweetened chocolate and berries, and gradually, when the patchouli is at its softest, it becomes a rather honeyed vanilla with a white musk feel. The patchouli lasts throughout all the stages of drydown on me, and keeps it from becoming too foody.
So, Angel, though it’s also classified as an Oriental, was the first gourmand for me. I didn’t think to look for others, as I didn’t think they existed, but finding MUA proved me rather incorrect, and this brings me to the really sweet treats…Aquolina Pink Sugar (adult candy floss), Lolita Lempicka (sweet licorice), Givenchy Indecence (cinnamon vanilla icecream), Molinard Tendre Friandise (sweet candies), Serendipity 3 Serendipitous (chocolate orange), Pilar & Lucy the exact friction of stars (chocolate coconut tobacco), Escada Collection (sweet brandied cherries and rich wet tobacco)…I love all of these. But wait, there's more :) ... BPAL’s Lump of Coal (the most incredible chocolate scent I have ever smelt), Red Lantern (caramel and Irish coffee), Lick It (creamy peppermint stick), Sugar Skull (fruity browned sugar), Midway (pure cotton candy and donuts), Egg Nog (just that, and perfect) and DSH’s Au Lait. Sometimes I just absolutely crave this stuff. It’s pure old-fashioned butterscotch sauce: hot milk, creamy butter (with a teeny hint of saltiness), brown sugar, vanilla, and cream, lots of thick, thick cream.
Many of these are more than just edible smelling, they have other notes that take them slightly out of the realm of just food. If I want to be really comforted though, I dab the most pure foody ones, like Lump of Coal and Au Lait…they gently cradle me to the Land of Calm… So yes, I love Gourmand scents, adore them. They can be a little sweet sometimes, but at other times, they hit right on the spot. More foodies to come!