I recently received a fancy tomato-scented candle from Flamingo Estate and because I’m not the kind of person who reserves nice things for special occasions, I immediately unboxed it and lit the wick.
To my surprise, I didn’t get the bright tomato fragrance I was expecting and I didn’t get “bursting with juice,” like the box promised either. But scent can be subjective and I still really loved what I smelled—which was exactly like my fingers do after I pick perfectly ripe tomatoes from a vine in late August.
Damn! That was kinda poetic, I thought about my observation, for a smug, fleeting moment before remembering that, as a writer at a food magazine, one liners like that are literally my job. But it did make me curious to see how people who don’t write about food would describe the scent, so I turned to the customer reviews on Flamingo Estate’s website. Sure enough, the overall consensus was: sun-kissed vine during peak tomato season.
It was nice to know the ol’ olfactory system hadn’t failed me. But more importantly, the reviews sent me down the gourmand fragrance reviews rabbit hole. And I don’t ever want to come out of it.
In the fragrance world, “gourmand” refers to inedible products (though mostly perfumes) that smell like food. If you’ve ever sniffed your way through the TJ Maxx perfume aisle, you’re familiar with the concept. There are multiple reddit threads, product lines, and brands dedicated to things that smell so good you’d want to eat them. And this isn’t just a cheap, cutesy trend; Tom Ford’s Lost Cherry has had a cult following since it was released in 2018, and the Vanilla Sex (released in 2023) is wildly popular too.
I unknowingly dabbled in the (more accessibly-priced) gourmand lifestyle for years. When I was pregnant, the only perfume I could wear was a now-discontinued Philosophy scent that, to me, smelled as much like cotton candy as the floral notes on the label. And I’m sure I’m not the only TJ Maxx shopper who’s indulged in a discounted pastry-scented shower gel or two from the same brand.
Now that I’m in the know, I’m spending way too much time scrolling through amazingly-specific customer reviews for gourmand fragrances. Some of them have been clipped for length or lightly edited for spelling and grammar—and some haven’t because they’re better in their original form. They’ve certainly inspired me to grow my food smells collection and I bet they’ll do the same for you.
Malin+Goetz Tomato Home Spray
The tomato-scented room spray from lifestyle brand Malin+Goetz promises to neutralize unwanted odors in your home. Apparently it also complements the wanted ones, as reviewer Ari. L noted after going whole hog with the gourmand theme here:
That’s it. That’s the whole review. If it was sarcasm, it was perfect.
Demeter Pick Me Up Tomato Cologne Spray
If you want your body to smell like the Flamingo Estate tomato candle, Demeter’s Pick Me Up Tomato Cologne is the way to go. Most customers compared it to the smell of a tomato vine or leaf, but Barbie’s review, titled “Scent of Summer in the South,” was by far the most descriptive.
The full customer review: “I absolutely LOVE this scent!!! It’s the smell of summer, walking past a vegetable garden with fresh turned soil. Sun ripe tomatoes fresh for the pickin’ with torn cloth and stakes to hold the heavy fruit!!!!”
Al Rehab Choco Musk Eau De Parfum Spray
Al Rehab’s Choco Musk is an affordable eau du perfume spray for chocolate gourmand lovers, especially if they’re into Jell-O chocolate pudding cups or hot chocolate with marshmallows in it. But according to this review, we’re not talking about those packets with the tiny, dried marshmallows. This is giving Swiss Miss with real marshmallows, thank you very much.
The full customer review: “While it’s not crazy strong or long lasting on skin, I still adore this. It’s very true-to-life without being too sweet. It smells like a cup of Swiss Miss hot cocoa with marshmallows in it (the kind that you buy separately and put in yourself). On my skin, it fades to a beautiful, soft, natural vanilla in a couple hours.”
Philosophy Fresh Cream Body Lotion
If you want to smell like a baked good, but you’re not sure which one, according to this review, Philosophy’s Fresh Cream Body Lotion will make you smell like an entire Parisian bakery.
The full customer review: “I cannot get enough of this!! I’ve been using the lotion and I’ve fallen in love with the scent! It makes me feel like I’ve just walked through a Parisian kitchen, baking macarons and meringues!!”
Montale Chocolate Greedy Parfum Spray
Or perhaps you’d rather smell like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Honeybee’s review wasn’t the only one that compared Montale Chocolate Greedy to orange chocolate, but it was certainly evocative.
The full customer review: “This is now my go to chocolate fragrance. It smells exactly like those chocolate oranges that you whack on the table during the Christmas holidays.”
But buyer beware because another reviewer, Artemis, says: “Wear this on a date and your man will be under a spell. Your scent will be unforgettable! Be warned, it hypnotizes men. May require a restraining order to keep men away, so use sparingly.”
Native Limited Edition Jarritos Passion Fruit Deodorant Stick
I never knew I wanted to smell like Fruit Stripe gum (RIP), but thanks to this review, I’ll be adding this limited-edition Native + Jarritos deodorant stick to my cart ASAP.
The full customer review: “SMELLS LIKE CANDAAAAAY! You wanna get ateup? You wanna smell like Fruit Stripes gum, fruit punch, or candy? Then buy this now! I layer this over my unscented clinical strength deodorant and I smell so delicious throughout the entire day. Gurlllll, strangers will notice your pits in a good way.”