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Gourmand scents from Portland’s perfume houses are surprisingly sparse. It could be that the unisex olfactive family’s fantasy notes often come from synthetic ingredients, and local labels tend to prefer using naturally derived oils. But if it’s important for you to support a homegrown brand, these three labels will leave you smelling like cake, ice cream and even fruity cereal.
Versailles and Venetian Cafe by Flame and Fable
French lavender, decadent cakes
Roasted coffee, almond biscotti and sweet cream
Mykhol Estrada is an accountant by day, but once she clocks out, she expresses herself and her love of literature creatively through Flame and Fable Candle Company. Flame and Fable translates fantasy, sci-fi and horror titles into both candles and wearable rollerball scents. Estrada’s Fritalian gourmands evoke a romantic bygone era. Versailles pours strong French lavender over cakey notes in a way that feels modern, like Marie Antoinette reaching for her Converse. Venetian Cafe, meanwhile, is smooth, creamy and refined, a more savory gourmand that doesn’t overwhelm with sweetness. Find at flameandfable.com.
Pink Milk by Nightwork
Bergamot, crushed berries, cereal, toasted coconut, sandalwood, vanilla
Nightwork Candle Company’s burnable and wearable scents are all fun, flirty and unapologetically feminine. Pink Milk might be the label’s most young-at-heart combination. Haeley Gjesvold’s perfume pyramid somehow perfectly adds up to smell like Fruity Pebbles cereal milk. Pink Milk settles into something irresistibly addictive upon drydown, so good luck not getting distracted by how good you smell. Find at nightworkcandle.com and at Mantel, Ford Grey and Tender Loving Empire.
A Whiff of Waffle Cone, Second Edition by Imaginary Authors
Vanilla, salted caramel, saigon cinnamon, heavy cream, sandalwood, orgeat, scoop shop
Imaginary Authors set out to mix edible fragrances for Salt & Straw, and while they did deliver on an inventive trio (which Josh Meyer recommends for food, not personal wear), their efforts resulted in A Whiff of Waffle Cone. The first edition turned out to be woodier and spicier than one might expect for an ice cream-based smell. Its 2024 reformulation makes for an elevated redux on the original, perhaps due to the addition of sandalwood in the new recipe. Though IA did put out Dipped in Chocolate as another foray into its ice cream collection, the chocolate results in something more bittersweet than milky rich. IA still has all three bottles available online, so curious noses ought to check them out while supplies last to decide for themselves which version is best. Find at imaginaryauthors.com and at Fumerie Parfumerie.