With the arrival of September and the first autumn chills, our minds and skin crave warmth, comfort, and sweetness. Yet, if you are thinking of the usual sugary gourmand perfumes, loaded with vanillin, cotton candy, and cloying caramel, you are on the wrong track.
The artistic perfumery landscape is experiencing a real revolution: the birth of Neo-Gourmands.
Setting aside sugary, summery nuances, autumn compositions embrace a more mature, intimate, and enveloping elegance. The new olfactory creations explore notes of toasted nuts, lactonic accords, delicate cereals, and subtle spices, giving us a feeling of "cocooning" without ever becoming cloying.
Let’s discover together the key notes of the Neo-Gourmand trend for Autumn/Winter and how to choose your new seasonal olfactory signature.
1. Toasted Nuts: Hazelnut and Chestnut
While in classic gourmands almond was often associated with sweet syrups and confections, today nuts are interpreted in their most authentic and dry form: that of roasting.
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Hazelnut: Toasted hazelnut offers warm, woody, and slightly buttery nuances. It doesn't evoke a sugary spread, but rather the smell of warm, freshly shelled hazelnuts or the fragrance of a master pastry chef at work. Must try Cafè gourmand by Maison Tahitè, the delight of a rich and creamy hazelnut coffee.
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Chestnut: It is the true queen of autumn. The chestnut note — often paired with smoky woods or benzoin — evokes the warmth of lit fireplaces, toasted shells, and a powdery, elegant, and measured sweetness. Perfect is By the Fireplace by Maison Margiela, where roasted chestnut unleashes a refined gourmand character that blends with guaiac wood.
2. The Embrace of Lactonics and Cereals: Rice, Matcha, and Almond Milk
The advent of the "Clean & Comfort" trend has led perfumers to seek raw materials capable of reproducing tactile sensations: the softness of cashmere, the warmth of a cup of tea, the delicacy of clean skin.
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Lactonic Accords: Almond milk, rice milk, and hints of whipped cream do not serve to make the perfume sugary, but to give structure and roundness. Discover the whipped cream of Lullaby by Francesca Dell'Oro!
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Rice and Steam Note: Basmati rice steam or rice powder give a talcum-like, slightly toasted, and reassuring nuance. Combined with the green and creamy notes of Matcha, it creates meditative perfumes, perfect for facing rainy days. Discover rice powder in Blanc Sada by L'Entropiste!
3. Subtle Spices: Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Spiced Tea
In Neo-Gourmands, spices are not used to create an "old-fashioned oriental" effect, but to balance the creaminess of the base notes with a burst of pungent freshness.
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Cardamom: With its fresh, balsamic, and slightly citrusy nuances, cardamom breaks through the density of milk and hazelnut, providing a bright and modern opening. Discover it in the fragrance 301 by Bon Parfumeur, where cardamom frames the sandalwood.
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Cinnamon and Clove: Used with a very light hand, they recall the infusion of a Chai Latte or the scent of homemade spiced cookies, instilling an immediate sense of well-being. These spices are all to be discovered in Patchouliful by Laboratorio Olfattivo, where Patchouliful, wrapped in iris and frangipani flower, is first lifted by the sparkling top notes of bergamot, cinnamon, and clove, then settles on a base of musks, cedar, and cistus.
The new gourmands do not try to make you smell like a dessert, but tell the poetry of an autumn afternoon captured in a drop of perfume.
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To add depth: Layer a milk and rice perfume with a woody fragrance based on Vetiver or Cedarwood.
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For a touch of sensuality: Combine a hazelnut or chestnut note with a base of Incense or Ambergris.
