Sweet & Gourmand

Gourmand fragrances smell good enough to eat. Vanilla, caramel, chocolate, coffee, honey, praline and tonka bean are the usual cast. Some are sugary and playful. Others use coffee, tobacco or smoke to keep the sweetness grown-up.

Sweet scents are some of the most complimented there are, because they come across as warm and approachable from a distance. They also last well on skin, since vanilla and tonka are heavy materials that evaporate slowly.

In the heat, sweetness can turn cloying fast, so most people wear these in the evening or from October onwards. If you like the idea but worry it'll be too much, choose one with a woody, coffee or tobacco base rather than pure sugar.

Good places to start: Bourbon Blush, No Regrets and Spiced Tobacco.