Tag: easter

Chocolate – Not Just for Easter!

There’s something about Easter that invites indulgence—not just in foil-wrapped eggs and velvet truffles, but in scent. Chocolate, in perfumery, is less about sugar rush and more about texture: bitter, creamy, spiced, even smoky. It’s a note that melts into the skin, lingering like a secret rather than announcing itself outright. And just like the best Easter treats, chocolate fragrances are all about pleasure—with a touch of sophistication.

Perfumers often work with cocoa in its rawest form: think dark cacao powder rather than milk chocolate bars. This gives fragrances a richness that feels grown-up, sometimes paired with woods, resins, or spices to temper sweetness. The result? A scent that feels sensual and enveloping—like slipping into silk after a long, warm bath.

For those drawn to true gourmand decadence, there are fragrances that revel in chocolate’s dessert-like charm. Here, cocoa is whipped with vanilla, caramel, or hazelnut, conjuring patisserie windows and late-night cravings. These scents are comforting, nostalgic, and undeniably moreish—perfect for the long Easter weekend, when time slows and indulgence feels entirely justified.

But chocolate can also surprise. In more avant-garde compositions, it takes on a darker edge: paired with patchouli, it becomes earthy and almost bohemian; with chilli or pink pepper, it sparks into something unexpectedly vibrant. There are even airy interpretations, where cocoa is dusted lightly over florals, adding a soft bitterness that keeps petals from becoming too pretty.

What makes chocolate fragrances especially suited to Easter is their duality. They can be playful or polished, nostalgic or modern. One spritz might transport you to childhood egg hunts; another might feel like an elegant dinner by candlelight, a sliver of dark chocolate melting on the tongue.

Wearing chocolate at this time of year also feels seasonally apt. As winter’s heaviness lifts but spring hasn’t fully bloomed, these scents bridge the gap beautifully. They carry warmth, but with enough nuance to feel appropriate in softer light and longer days.

So this Easter, consider swapping (or complementing) your confectionery haul with a fragrance that captures chocolate in all its facets. After all, scent is the most lingering indulgence of all—calorie-free, deeply personal, and capable of wrapping you in quiet, cocoa-laced luxury long after the last egg has been found.

4160 Tuesdays Over The Chocolate Shop is pure indulgence: rich cocoa, warm vanilla, and a whisper of coffee create a cosy, nostalgic haze—like stepping into a sweet, softly spiced confectioner’s dream.

£150 for 100ml eau de parfum perfumesociety.com

Akro Dark is bitter cocoa made modern—dry, smoky, and quietly addictive. Less dessert, more atmosphere: think dusted cacao, soft leather and shadowy woods, with sweetness kept firmly, intriguingly at bay.

From £80 for 30ml eau de parfum lookfantastic.com

Shay & Blue Oud Alif is darkly magnetic: smoky oud wrapped in bitter chocolate and saffron, softened by leathered patchouli. Sensual, spiced, and quietly opulent—more shadow than sweetness, lingering with confident intensity.

From £25 for 10ml eau de parfum shayandblue.com

Indulgent chocolate scents for EVERY taste

As Easter approaches and chocolate eggs beckon from every corner, there’s another way to indulge in the world’s favourite treat – one that lingers far longer than a fleeting bite. Chocolate fragrances have become something of gourmand perfume phenomenon in themselves, offering everything from creamy comfort to enigmatic allure. While the idea of wearing chocolate might once have raised eyebrows, today’s perfumers are deftly weaving this note into scents that are as complex and captivating as the finest truffles.

But how do we get the note of chocolate in a scent? Well, sometimes it’s extracted directly from cocoa beans, but he natural materials – Cocoa Absolute and Cocoa CO₂ extract – are costly and can be too subtle for many compositions. Instead, perfumers often turn to a creative palette of molecules: isobutyl phenylacetate for its waxy, cocoa nuance; vanillin for sweetness; and pyrazines for that roasted, bittersweet depth. Sometimes, even patchouli or tonka bean is used to echo chocolate’s richness, while certain musks can conjure the creamy sensation of white chocolate. The result? A spectrum of chocolate scents, ranging from playful and sweet to darkly seductive, each evoking the irresistible pleasure of chocolate in a new, wearable form.

Why the current obsession, though? Gourmand fragrances, with their edible, nostalgic notes, have been (as we’ve reported, often) utterly booming these past few years; and they truly are continuing that renaissance in 2025. Of the ‘foodie fragrances’, chocolate in particular taps into a collective longing for comfort and sensory delight, while also offering a sophisticated twist when paired with woods, spices, or florals. Chocolate scents can be statements of self-expression, storytelling, and pure olfactory escapism.

 

For those tempted to explore, here’s a handpicked selection of chocolate-centric scents that prove this note is anything but one-dimensional…

 

 

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Figs in White Chocolate

Once an insider’s secret for the brand’s ‘Scenthusiasm’ subscribers, this fragrance is now available to all – and what a treat it is. Imagine the green freshness of just-ripe figs, their flesh glistening beneath taut skin, enveloped in a buttery veil of white chocolate. The chocolate here is not cloying but creamy and nuanced, lending a gentle sweetness that caresses rather than overwhelms. It’s a fragrance that captures the anticipation of biting into a chocolate-dipped fruit: lush, inviting, and utterly moreish.

 From £70 for 30ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

 

 

 

 

Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Cherry Baby

Sabrina Carpenter’s latest olfactory offering arrives in a playful, chocolate-bar-inspired bottle – its deep red hue hinting at the delights within. This scent taps into the trend for cherry notes, but it’s the dark chocolate that anchors the composition, adding a sultry richness to the juicy fruit. Cashmere wood, peony, and glazed apple swirl around the chocolate, creating a fragrance that is both flirtatious and sophisticated. The chocolate note here is decadent yet balanced, offering a plush backdrop for the cherry to shine – a modern gourmand with irresistible charm.

 From £24.99 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

 

JUSBOX Fifty Four

 Inspired by the legendary glamour of Studio 54, this fragrance is as subversive as it is dazzling. The chocolate note emerges on the dance floor alongside a boozy splash of Piña Colada and rum, soon joined by cinnamon bark and tobacco-infused patchouli. Here, chocolate is not sweet but smoky and mysterious, adding depth and intrigue to the composition. It’s the scent of velvet ropes and disco balls, of midnight escapades and whispered secrets – a chocolate accord for those who prefer their indulgence with a side of rebellion.

 £235 for 78ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

Fabrica Della Musa Île Bourbon

 Named for the vanilla-rich island of Madagascar, Île Bourbon is a gourmand fantasy that swirls dark chocolate with creamy vanilla, spiced cardamom, and clove. The chocolate here is dark and seductive, its bitterness softened by the lushness of vanilla and the warmth of exotic spices. A breeze of Somalian incense drifts through, lending an air of mystery and sophistication. This is chocolate as a passport to faraway lands, a scent that lingers like the memory of a decadent dessert shared under starry skies.

 £195 for 100ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

 

Sarah Baker Gold Spot

Sarah Baker’s Gold Spot is a tribute to the golden age of celebrity, and its chocolate note is as glamorous as a red-carpet moment. Bergamot and orange blossom bring a sunlit brightness, while butterscotch and a dusting of dark chocolate create a luscious, layered sweetness. The chocolate here is rich and luxurious, enveloped in the warmth of Laos oudh, Suyufi agarwood, and amber. It’s a fragrance that glows with opulence, conjuring the allure of old Hollywood and the thrill of being in the spotlight.

 £145 for 50ml extrait de parfum available in our Shop

 

Chocolate fragrances, then, are far more than a fleeting trend – they are a celebration of perfumery’s power to evoke pleasure, comfort, and adventure. Whether creamy or bitter, playful or mysterious, the chocolate note continues to enchant, offering a deliciously wearable escape for every mood and moment. This Easter – and beyond – why not indulge in a delicious fragrant treat of your own?

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Easter Egg Hunt: WIN a bottle of AKRO Dark!

As Easter approaches, we at The Perfume Society are delighted to offer you the chance to win something far more sophisticated than your average chocolate egg. One lucky winner will receive a full bottle of AKRO Dark, the sumptuous chocolate-inspired fragrance from the house founded by Master Perfumer Olivier Cresp – the very nose credited with popularising ‘gourmand’ fragrances – and his daughter Anaïs.

The Prize: AKRO Dark – A Chocolate Lover’s Dream

AKRO Dark is not your typical sweet confection. This is chocolate for grown-ups – a sophisticated olfactory experience that captures the essence of fine dark chocolate with remarkable authenticity. From the moment it touches your skin, Dark envelops you in a rich, bitter cocoa embrace that feels both decadent and mysteriously alluring.

The fragrance opens with robust, unsweetened chocolate and the caffeinated depth of bitter cocoa. As it develops, you’ll detect toasted hazelnuts bringing their distinctive nutty warmth to the composition. A whisper of cinnamon adds a gentle spice that perfectly complements the chocolate core, while the earthy, woody undertones prevent it from becoming overly sweet or dessert-like.

 

 

What makes AKRO Dark truly special is how it manages to capture the adult pleasure of fine dark chocolate – that moment of pure sensory indulgence when a square of 70% cocoa melts on your tongue. There’s something almost primal about it, a sophisticated sensuality that lingers on the skin for hours. Even as vanilla emerges in the dry down, the composition maintains its elegant, grown-up character.

This is not a fragrance that shouts; it smoulders. It’s the olfactory equivalent of that first bite of exceptional dark chocolate – transportive, enlivening, and utterly addictive. Just as the finest cacao can take you to the mountains of South America, AKRO Dark is a journey for the senses that radiates pure perfumed pleasure.

How to Enter Our Easter Egg Hunt

To be in with a chance of winning this stunning scent, we’ve created a special Easter egg hunt around The Perfume Society website. Follow the clues below to find all five Easter eggs hidden throughout our pages. Once you’ve discovered all five locations, simply fill in the entry form with your answers to enter our prize draw.

 

 

Your Egg Hunt Clues:

 

 

1: Truly Delicious: Our first egg is hiding on a page dedicated to the key ingredient in AKRO Dark. Where might you learn about the history, use and significance of this note in perfumery?

 

 

2: Meet the Master: Olivier Cresp is the genius behind AKRO Dark and countless other beloved fragrances. Seek out a behind-the-scented-scenes insight where he discusses his passion for gourmand creations, and you’ll find egg number two nestled among his words of wisdom.

 

 

3: An Eggcellent Discovery: The third egg has found a nest in the place where you can explore the story behind this indulgent fragrance house and its unique concept of capturing our greatest pleasures in perfumed form.

 

 

4: Egg Head: Your fourth egg is hiding on a page where you can explore all manner of tomes to feed your need for fragrant knowledge. But WHERE? Maybe you need to acquire a Taste for it?

 

 

5: Sweet Dreams: For your final egg, seek out our page dedicated to a trend-worthy bean that provides the sweet, creamy foundation to AKRO Dark’s composition. This beloved ingredient has a fascinating history and presence in perfumery, and has been dominating the gourmand trend for some years now…

 

The hunt begins now and the prize draw closes at midnight on Easter Sunday. The winner will be announced the following week. Remember, only entries with all five correct egg locations written on the entry page in this blog post will be entered into our prize draw.

 

Happy hunting, fragrance lovers! May the most dedicated chocolate aficionado win this most sophisticated of Easter treats – a fragrance that captures the essence of dark chocolate indulgence in a bottle that will last far longer than any Easter egg, and allow you to indulge in chocolate-laden decadence every single day!

Easter Egg Hunt – WIN Maison Tahité Cacao2 worth £90!

We’ve set a fragrantly themed trail of clues to lead you around our website – simply follow your noses, find the hidden easter eggs and in our fragrant prize draw, one lucky person will WIN a 100ml bottle of Maison Tahité Cacao2, worth £90!

Maison Tahité is a new niche house specialising in stunning, contemporary versions of gourmand fragrances – using deliciousness rippled through every creation, the collections span Cocoa, Coffee and Vanilla. As it’s Easter, of course we’re focusing on the chocolate, and their Cocoa collection investigates the aromatic universe of this divine raw material, also known as “the food of the gods”. By stimulating the release of endorphins, Cocoa pushes us to listen to our senses and indulge in hedonism. Its enveloping aroma is an invitation to enjoy every moment of life, without the guilty feelings often connected with the “sin” of eating chocolate.

 

 

Perfumers such as David Maruitte, Paul Guerlain and Luca Maffei have developed this theme for Maison Tahité in a series of tempting creations; and we know you’re going to fall hard for the sumptuous Cacao2, created by David Maruitte. Maison Tahité says:

‘For those who love strong sensations. An enveloping and reassuring, still intensely emotional fragrance. Fully embodying the Cocoa collection, it sublimates all the nuances of this divine ingredient: Cinnamon reveals its spicy side, Toasted Notes fascinate us, while Cedar and Vetiver enhance its character. Just like biting a bar of extra dark chocolate.’

You have until midnight Wednesday 3rd April to enter – simply list your answers of the pages you’ve found the eggs on:

Terms & Conditions: No cash alternative to the prize will be offered. The prize is not transferable. Only entries accepted from U.K. residents, prize cannot be posted elsewhere. Entries only accepted until midnight Wednesday 3rd April 2024.

 

 

Fragrant clues to egg hiding places around our website:

1 – This house specialises in deliciousness, with collections of Cocoa, Coffee, and Vanilla scents to tempt you…

2 – This Fragrance Family is the most recent, and these ‘foodie’ fragrances smell almost edible!

3 – This ingredient is found in Maison Tahité Cacao2 – rich, smooth, and meltingly delectable…

4 – Reading this taste and flavour-full book (originally developed for people who’ve lost their sense of smell / taste due to Covid) will have you drooling…

5 – Historically, this was the sweetest-smelling king, who presided over a perfumed court…

Don’t forget you have until midnight Wednesday 3rd April to email us your answers. So, we wish you all a very happy Easter, and good luck!

Easter Egg Hunt to WIN Atelier Materi Cacao Porcelana, worth £210!

We’ve set a fragrantly themed trail of clues to lead you around our website – simply follow your noses, find the hidden easter eggs and in our fragrant prize draw, one lucky person will WIN a bottle of Atelier Materi Cacao Porcelana, worth £210!

 

 

 

 

Cacao Porcelana is an incredible, ultra-chic gourmand scent – it’s chocolate, but NOT as your nose thinks it knows it. If you don’t think you’re one for gourmand creations, be prepared to have everything you think you know about chocolate turned on its head when Cacao Porcelana reveals the bitterness of the beans, rippled with rum and swathed in rings of tobacco…

White cacao beans are a rare ancestral variety of cacao also known as the ‘Nectar of the Gods’. The beans are removed from the pods, fermented, then sun-dried and roasted. White cacao yields sensuous notes of walnut and milk with hints of tonka bean.

After opening on sweet, syrupy top notes, Atelier Materi’s Cacao Porcelana unpacks its bitterness, sustained by powdery and woody notes. Light tobacco, patchouli and sandalwood scents give Cacao Porcelana a sensual, even fleshy signature.

 

We are sure you’ll fall hard for this delicious scent – surely the chicest way to enjoy chocolate, ever?! Here’s how you could be in with a chance of smelling delectable this Easter…

How to hunt: Simply read the scent-themed clues and set off in search for all the colourful eggs pictured below (FIVE in total) scattered across our website, then enter your details and answers telling us the location of each egg below. We will only contact you by phone if you are a winner.

One winner will be chosen –  due to postal restrictions, only entries from U.K. residents, sorry!

Closing date: Sunday 9th April 2023 at midnight.

ostereier_farben_viele

Fragrant clues to egg hiding places around our website:

1 – Brush up on your history to this ‘sweetest smelling king of all’…

2 – This Working Nose‘s first scent memory is of cakes that ‘…smelled like Anis and Vanilla, made by the Carmelite nuns in my town.’ (He’s famous for creating some of the world’s most-known scents, and now has his own house, Mizensir).

3 – This ingredient is found in Cacao Porcelana – an unexpected soft smokiness adding to its sensuality?

4 – This Fragrance Family is the most recent, including the note of chocolate, these ‘foodie’ fragrances smell almost edible!

5 – Reading this book (originally developed for people who’ve lost their sense of smell / taste due to Covid) will have you drooling…

We wish you all a very happy Easter, and good luck!

Terms & Conditions: No cash alternative to the prize will be offered. The prize is not transferable. Only entries accepted from U.K. residents, prize cannot be posted elsewhere. Closing date for entry is midnight 09/04/2023. After this date no further entries to the prize draw will be accepted.

 

Easter Egg Hunt to Win Delicious Perfume Prizes!

We’ve set a fragrantly themed trail of clues to lead you around our website to the most delicious perfumed prize – simply follow your noses, find the hidden easter eggs and one lucky winner will receive TWO stunning scents from British niche fragrance house, Olfactive O.

One lucky winner will win 2 x 30ml bottles Olfactive O fragrances: Gourmand & Skin. Everyone’s skin is unique – this fragrance works with your body to create a scent of your own. Gourmand, meanwhile, is a rich, indulgent fragrance with notes of vanilla and dark chocolate that we associate with Easter. Why not try layering, creating a new, deeper, intoxicating perfume that becomes your signature…? However you choose to use them, we know you’re going to adore indulging!

 

 

How to hunt:

Simply read the clues and set off in search for all the colourful eggs pictured below (FIVE in total) scattered across our website, then enter your details below telling us the location of each egg. Closing date: Friday 22nd April 2022 Midnight GMT. Good luck!

 

Clues to Easter Egg Locations (all to be found on our website)

1. This ‘foodie’ fragrance family smells of sweet temptations like chocolate, caramel and cupcakes…

2. A perfumer who created Mugler’s Angel (which began the sweet scent trend), this nose wishes he could have created a fragrance for Napoleon.

3. Sweet, nuzzleable and delectably comforting, this creamy ingredient is a key base note in Olfactive O’s Gourmand fragrance (and often found in ice-cream).

4. This novel, by Kathleen Tessaro, is called something that many fragrance-lovers become!

5. An historical era which is sometimes called ‘the age of enlightenment’ and saw the start of ‘the spice trail’…

 

The competition closes midnight Friday 22nd April 2022 GMT. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via DM through the Perfume Society Instagram account. We will not contact winners before the closing date via any external accounts. Please do not accept accounts claiming to be us. The winner will receive two Olfactive O fragrances: Gourmand 30ml & Skin 30ml. The chocolate eggs in the picture are for illustrative purposes only and are not part of the prize. Due to postal restrictions, the competition is for UK residents only.

Terms & Conditions
By entering this competition you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and are giving consent for the Perfume Society to contact you by email for marketing purposes. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the link at the foot of any email. Please see our Privacy Policy for how we care for your information.

Easter egg hunt to win perfume prizes!

We’ve set a fragrantly themed trail of clues to lead you around our website – simply follow your noses, find the hidden easter eggs and THREE prize-draw winners will receive a fabulously fragrant Discovery Box of YOUR choice!

To keep for yourself, or to nominate a friend who’d love to get one as a gift? Well, that’s up to you… We’ll ask all three winners to choose, and we’ll send the box wherever you want (within the U.K.)

We’d love to give you chocolate, of course, but the Easter Bunny is having a hard time of it this year, what with everything that’s going on. So we thought, as perfume lovers, you probably wouldn’t mind a wonderful perfume prize, instead…

How to hunt: Simply read the clues and set off in search for all the colourful eggs pictured below (FIVE in total) scattered across our website, then drop us an email [email protected] telling us the location of each egg.

Closing date: Thursday 23rd April 2019 at 10am

ostereier_farben_viele

Fragrant clues to egg hiding places around our website:

1 – Brush up on your history right back to the very beginning…

2 – This Working Nose is the son of the perfumer who created masterpices such as Chanel No.19, Chanel Cristalle, Dioressence…

3 – You might like a slice of this aromatic ingredient in your G&T, or worn in a classic Jo Malone London scent…

4 – Perfumery ingredients grown in Cyprus are the origins of this Fragrance Family…

5 – Reading about this precious, fragrant ingredient (that floats in the sea) might make beachcombers of us all…

We wish you all a very happy Easter, and good luck!

Terms & Conditions: No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice. Closing date for entry will be 23/04/2020. After this date no further entries to the prize draw will be accepted.

Scented gifts to give this Easter

Yes, of course we’ll be stuffing our faces with chocolate (you know us, right?) but obviously we want to have our [Simnel] cake and eat it, too. For those loved ones who prefer fragrant gifts – or perhaps as an extra treat for yourself – here’s some suggestions of adorable scented last-minute presents to give, that are just as sweet…

Mary had a little lamb – but we bet it didn’t smell as lovely as this. You can also choose a darling duckling, bunny or Easter chick, and each tin is decorated by Northamptonshire based wildlife artist Christie Lloyd. Enriched with moisturisers and shea butter, wild orchid blends top notes of iris, rose and jasmine with a fresh fruity bergamot twist on a warm base of amber, sandalwood and soft musks.

Bronnley Lamb Easter Egg Soap £3.99 for 50g
Buy it at bronnley.co.uk

Envelop your body with the delicious scent of almond, while leaving it soft and toned. This egg contains an indulgent selection to stimulate the senses, all packed into a collectible egg-shaped tin, complete with ribbon. Almond Shower Oil [75ml], Almond Delicious Soap [50g] and Almond Delicious Hands [10ml] are perfectly sized for travelling, too.

L’Occitane Almond Beauty Easter Egg £15
Buy it at uk.loccitane.com

Classic Lush treats nestle inside this golden egg – once cracked open you’ll discover Which Came First?, Free Rangers bath bomb and Golden Egg bath melt, plus a delicious Cream Egg ‘bubbleroon’ (which smells exactly like mint chocolate). Fragrantly delicious, it’s simply too nice to give to children!

Lush Golden Egg £20
Buy it at uk.lush.com

Perfume-lovers tend to like everything to be beautifully scented – even their lips! The cult lip balm EOS comes in the cutest Easter-themed duo this year, featuring striped egg-esque pots of balm formulated with naturally conditioning oils, vitamin E and Shea Butter in kissably delicious Melon Cucumber and Coconut Milk.

EOS Easter Lip Balm Duo £12.99
Buy it at very.co.uk

Okay now we’re sorry, but this does contain a chocolate egg (oh dearie me) but it also has booze, and a beautifully scented one at that. We’ve noticed small-batch gins who focus on fragranced botanicals are incredibly popular with perfumistas (certainly here at The Perfume Society!) and many links are being forged between the gin and fragrance worlds, with rhubarb being an on-trend note for both right now. Plus, you’ll likely need a swig of this if you are planning an Easter egg hunt this weekend…

Edinburgh Gin Easter Egg & Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur £12.50
Buy it at johnlewis.com

Whatever you’re up to this Easter, we hope you have a fragrantly beautiful one!

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Charlie & The Chocolate Olfactory – 7 Easter scents for cocoa addicts

We could have begun by saying ‘instead of an Easter egg this year, why not treat yourself to a new fragrance…?’ But sod that, life is too short: buy the choccy egg AND the perfume. For those of us who not only enjoy the softly yielding slide of chocolate as it melts in our mouths, but would quite frankly like to bathe in the stuff, it is to the Gourmand family we turn – pulses quickening, pupils dilated and ready for the dose of dopamine (a pleasure-inducing neurotransmitter released by the brain when we eat – or perhaps even smell – chocolate).

Indeed, scientific researchers have concluded that chocolate doesn’t have to be eaten to stimulate that hit of happiness and promote a sense of wellbeing – it seems the mere whiff of chocolate alone may lead us by the noses to react favourably to a situation. A team of scientists led by Lieve Doucé at Hasselt University in Belgium conducted a study that involved releasing the scent of chocolate in selected bookstores, and noting particular changes in their customers purchasing habits. The scent was subtle yet strong enough to be noticeable, and dispersed for half of the shop’s opening hours. Apparently customers not only spent longer browsing the shelves, on average, but spoke to the staff more frequently, too. Published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, their conclusions were that ‘…customers were 2.22 times more likely to closely examine multiple books when the chocolate scent was present in store, compared with the control condition.’ Sales of books related to food and drink along with romantic novels reportedly increased by a whopping forty percent, suggesting a sniff of chocolate had a direct influence on the genre of books they were buying, too.

It seems that smelling of a chocolate-like fragrance could well have you perusing bookstores and being more loquaciously friendly, while also being more romantically inclined – a win-win-win situation if we ever heard it. Though perhaps make time to eat some chocolate, as well. Just to be doubly sure, you know…

 

10014163Inspired by Mugler‘s childhood memories of fairground smells, this candy floss, caramel and chocolate concoction was groundbreaking when first launched in 1992 – often cited as the first true ‘gourmand’ – and retains that power to this very day. Once sniffed, never forgotten, it’s the much copied mixture of berries and patchouli that cuts through the sweetness and swaggers onwards for hours, years, miles…

Thierry Mugler Angel £50 for 25ml eau de parfum
At Boots

photo 5
Originally released as a limited edition for Valentines Day it quickly sold-out, and when chocoholics across the pond began demanding it from American perfume retailer Luckyscent, indie-perfumer Sarah McCartney took the hint. Made with an intense dose of pure cocoa absolute mixed with a touch of strawberry, the sugar’s cut through with a tart tingle of bergamot. It’s the next best thing to writhing around in a huge box full of reassuringly expensive chocolates while being dusted with cocoa powder, but don’t let us stop you trying that, too.

4160 Tuesdays Silk, Lace & Chocolate RRP £40 for 30ml eau de parfum (currently on offer at £24)
At 4160 Tuesday

anima-dulcis-arquiste_1024x1024Redolent of dipping just-cooked cinnamon-dusted churros into an unctuously glossy pot of chilli-spiced chocolate sauce, wearing this perfume conjures colourful Mexican festivals and sultry dances that sashay long into dawn. The unmistakably carnal tang of hot-body-like cumin and night blooming jasmine lend a distinctly animalic edge that could well lead to other dopamine-inducing activities, we feel duty bound to warn you.

Arquiste Anima Dulcis £125 for 55ml eau de parfum
At Bloom

photo 4There are times when one wishes to smell as though you have glided straight from a couture catwalk – an immaculately put together, properly grown-up lady with clicky heels, a perfect coiffure and very likely carrying one of those handbags that snaps shut with a terrifying metal clasp. I’m not going to lie to you – this is not the scent for that occasion. But yet there are also times when one wishes to smell like a Bourbon biscuit (yes there are, be quiet ye snobs) and revel in childhood memories of licking the spoon clean of cake batter and then skipping giddily around the garden dressed as a fairy on a sugar high. And this is my incredibly pocket-friendly guilty pleasure for exactly those kind of days.

Al-Rehab Chocomusk £1 for 3ml perfume oil
At Al-Rehab

photo 1Milk chocolate aficionados are sure to love the cocoa absolute mixed here with meltingly creamy Brazillian Cumaru wood, infused with marzipan-esque tonka bean, smoothed with comforting vanilla, gently warmed by an amber accord and wrapped in a silver foil-like white musk. A sophisticated way to enjoy your favourite treat, we suggest informing the family they can cook their own flippin’ Easter banquet if they want it, and ramping up the pleasure of freedom while wearing this, retiring to a velvet chaise lounge with a good book and a bar of chocolate, the better to indulge your frivolous side. And don’t forget to lock the door.

Parfumerie Générale Musc Maori £81.50 for 50ml eau de parfum
At Les Senteurs

Dark-Chocolate-LOF-Hero.jpg_1024x1024Sometimes you need a scent that simply does what it says on the tin (or, well, bottle) and The Library of Fragrance excel in this, with a huge selection of perfumes made to be worn alone or layered-up to create your own bespoke blend. Perfect for those who wouldn’t dream of purchasing a bar that doesn’t scream 80%, shudder at the mere mention of white chocolate and raise an eyebrow while silently judging those who prefer the milky blends; here’s a hit of satisfyingly chocolate noir. You needn’t fear an overdose, either, as the formula’s subtle enough that it can be re-sprayed whenever the need arises. Layering suggestions include trying it with their Musk scent for a crisp white sheet freshness, or with the Fig for a fruity finish; but a favourite combo is dousing with Frankincense for a smoky incense wallow in chocolate as a spiritual awakening.

The Library of Fragrance Dark Chocolate £15 for 30ml eau de toilette
At Bootsphoto 2If you have ever experienced lifting the gilded lid of a beautifully packaged box of Charbonnel et Walker‘s Sea Salt Caramel Truffles, you’ll know the smell can immediately transport you to a world of soon-to-be satiated lust. Chocolatiers to the Queen, no less, we imagine HRH doesn’t leave these hanging about the place too long, and bet they don’t make it to a Tupperware container, either. Nothing is more disappointing than lifting that lid only to find the sad rustle of empty paper casings because some blaggard has beaten you to it, so huzzah for Shay & Blue founder Dom De Vetta for enticing perfumer Julie Massé to create this photo-realistic longer-lasting fragrant interpretation of the addictive cocoa confection. Caramel and bourbon vanilla rock on the precipice of sweetness before being dashed through with a hint of freshly-hewn sandalwood and an ultra-intriguing definite note of the salt crystals to set your taste buds salivating.

Shay & Blue Salt Caramel £30 for 30ml eau de parfum
At John Lewis

Written by Suzy Nightingale