I’d say I have a serious sweet tooth. Scratch that—I’m a total dessert fiend. And, for a while, I also wanted to smell like the most sugary confections. (Think: Caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, praline... is your mouth watering yet?) I’ve been able to endlessly indulge my sweet tooth thanks to the gourmand perfume craze, but I swear 2026’s fragrance launches have gotten more syrupy, honeyed, and honestly, just too saccharine. You know what they say about too much sugar, right? You’ll end up with a stomachache.

About halfway through this year, I reached my gourmand perfume breaking point. A whiff of any scent swirled with buttercream, marshmallow, cotton candy, or frankly, even a touch of sweetness sent me spiraling. I’m not sure if I experienced sugar overload or if my scent preferences simply shifted and matured.…