Battle of the Gourmand Lemon Scents

Lemon gourmands are one of my favorite fragrance choices for the "inbetween" season of not-yet-spring, but still-sick-of-winter. 😅🍋🧁 Battling it out for the best of sugary-sweet lemon confections, we'll start with the "worst" - then move to the "best":

Dislike:

1. Hufflepuff

You might remember just how popular Hufflepuff was in 2022. It's a fluffy lemon cream + slightly-floral combo - but to my nose it's very underwhelming and too synthetic, so the price does not feel justified.

2. "Casamorati - Lira (Eau de Parfum) | XerJoff"

I saw many claim "Casamorati - Lira (Eau de Parfum) | XerJoff" as a "realistic" lemon cake. I know fragrance is subjective, but to me it's a very "perfume-like" take on a lemon gourmand - as some of the most prominent notes (even as the fragrance developed throughout wearing) were a very strong bergamot, lavender, and licorice.

3. A Sweet Pastry in Paris

This has been re-released and is currently available again on Zara's website, but my experience is with the original formulation. I had high expectations, as I read many reviews about this being the ultimate lemon gourmand - but I personally think it's overhyped. I mostly get candied lemon and a bit of sugary cake, but it quickly becomes synthetic & cloying.

4. Lemon Cake

The entire Oakcha gourmand collection was sorely disappointing to me, and Lemon Cake was no exception. It's an extremely synthetic vanilla-based poundcake paired with ultra-sharp lemon "cleaner" accord, and is unfortunately too artificial for me to enjoy.

5. Choux Choux

If you're familiar with LaCroix sparkling water, you'll know that it's commonly joked about - since their "flavors" are nothing more than a whisper of whatever fruit they attempt to embody. Choux Choux could be "the LaCroix of lemon gourmands": fresh lemon zest in a distinctively-aerated or whipped vanilla frosting, and a hint of coconut cream - but very, very quiet overall/poor performance.

6. Lemon Tart

I understand that fragrance names are a form of creativity - but it bothers me when the scent doesn't resemble its own name in any way. Lemon tarts are a dessert, so I expected gourmand - yet Lemon Tart is just a blast of savory, earthy thyme that slowly evolves into a hint of fresh citrus. Very herbal, and not at all sweet or gourmand.

Enjoy:

1. Bake

Bake is the lemon gourmand to beat all lemon gourmands: a burst of zesty, lifelike lemons sweetened with just the right amount of brown sugar, whipped cream, and delicious praliné and bourbon vanilla. To me it feels like a moist lemon cake, baked to golden perfection and soaked in a creamy, ambery glaze.

2. Lemon Tart

Unlike Lemon Tart , this lemon tart is actually sweet! Instead of a fresher lemon note, I get more of a gourmand lemon pound cake - veering almost towards sugared lemon "Fruit Loops" cereal. Theodoros Kalotinis is a master of gourmands, and this is yet another one of his sweet successes.

3. Bright Lemon Snowdrop

This smells exactly like the frosted lemon-flavored sugar cookies you can buy from your grocery store's bakery. It's not a "fresh" lemon, doesn't have the tartness-level of a lemon bar dessert, and it's not a "house cleaner" lemon either. Instead it's mostly sugared lemon, a vanilla baked-goods note, and something that cools everything down or imitates the "icing"/frosting feel.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Devotion Eau de Parfum

The orange blossom came through more for me than the other notes - making it more powdery, and less gourmand, than what I hoped for. Despite it's powdery and floral feel, it is still a beautiful + slightly-sweet lemon - just not something I'd personally consider a "true gourmand".

2. Unknown Pleasures

All notes showed up for me in this - so if you look at the pyramid and find it appealing, you might enjoy it. The waffle cone was a bit smokey and the bergamot too strong for my liking - but it's still a very well-done citrus gourmand!

3. Iced Lemon Pound Cake

Where Bright Lemon Snowdrop is a frosted lemon cookie, Iced Lemon Pound Cake is distinctively a lemon poundcake. I really wish this one worked with my skin chemistry, as it has a zesty lemon and rich cake feel - but on my skin, the "baked goods" note smells more like "feet" than anything edible. But if it works with your skin chemistry, it's a delicious gourmand lemon blend!

Battle of the Gourmand Lemons final results:

• 🏆 Top gourmand lemon overall: Bake
• 🎖️ Top budget gourmand lemon: Bright Lemon Snowdrop
• 🚫 Worst gourmand lemon overall: Lemon Cake

Do you have a favorite gourmand lemon? 🍋🧁
Have you tested any of the above fragrances?