What makes a feminine gourmand
A gourmand perfume smells like something you could eat: vanilla, praline, coffee or chocolate. Before 1992 these notes already existed in perfumery, but they were tucked away in amber bases. Angel pushed them to the front, and women's perfumery has never been the same. Today gourmands come in several styles. Patchouli gourmands pair sugar with dark earth to keep it from going limp, as in Angel and La Vie Est Belle. Coffee gourmands play on bitterness, like Black Opium or Coffee Break. Caramel gourmands focus on a single treat, as Candy does. Fruity gourmands add cherry or almond, in La Petite Robe Noire and Lost Cherry. Men's gourmands tend to lean on lavender and tonka, as in A*Men. Feminine ones push further toward praline, fruit and orange blossom.
Choosing a gourmand you won't tire of
The risk with gourmands is sugar fatigue. To avoid it, look for a counterpoint: patchouli, coffee or licorice. Angel has its patchouli, Black Opium its coffee, La Petite Robe Noire its anise. Gourmands with no counterpoint, like Cloud, are pleasant but linear. Strength matters too. Angel and La Vie Est Belle hit 5 out of 5, so one spray is plenty, especially indoors. Coffee Break, on the other hand, stays close to the skin and works at the office without bothering anyone. Gourmands love the cold. In summer, heat amplifies the sugar and makes them heavy fast. For warm months, choose the lightest ones or save them for evenings. Finally, wear them on your own skin for a full day. A gourmand can smell like a bakery on one person and like synthetic candy on another.
