If you’ve been in the store recently and noticed a distinct bakery smell coming from the shampoos and soaps, you certainly aren’t alone. Gourmand fragrances, which are designed to smell strongly like desserts, have rapidly become one of the defining trends in body care. Food-adjacent fragrances have existed for years, but the new scents go far beyond popular flavors like cherry or vanilla. These blends mimic doughnut glaze, caramelized sugar, and cake batter with the goal of transforming everyday hygiene into indulgent sensory experiences. Consumers are increasingly reaching for deodorants, lotions, and body washes that smell like sweet treats, drawn to the nostalgia and emotional warmth these scents evoke. Industry analysts say this response is rooted in psychology: in stressful or uncertain periods, people seek products that feel familiar, comforting, and tied to positive memories. 

Major brands have accelerated the trend through high-profile partnerships with beloved dessert makers. Dove collaborated with Crumbl Cookies to create a strawberry crumb cake body scrub. Native partnered with Dunkin’ to launch a Boston Kreme-scented conditioner and Vanilla Sprinkle deodorant. Bath & Body Works marked its 35th anniversary by teaming up with Milk Bar on a Birthday Cake line offering body sprays, creams, and hand sanitizers inspired by the bakery’s cult-favorite recipe. These collaborations represent a strategic merging of food culture and personal care, using recognizable desserts to create fragrances that are both comforting and highly marketable.

But the rise of intensely sweet scents has also sparked debate. Enthusiasts often embrace syrupy fragrances enthusiastically, yet not everyone appreciates being enveloped in a cloud of caramel or cake batter while shopping or working out. For some, gourmand scents offer joy and self-expression; for others, they are overwhelming or intrusive. Experts say the smell’s intensity is part of the draw because it launches an endless debate over, “Would I wear that?” As the trend continues to expand, so does the conversation about where and how these powerful fragrances fit into daily life.

Questions:

  1. Why are some consumers drawn to body care products with “gourmand scents”? Why are others repulsed by them?

  2. Do you think dessert-scented body care products are just a fad, or will they be fixtures on store shelves for years to come?