Annabel's Birthday Cake

Sometimes the babydoll energy of Annabel's Birthday Cake is merely comforting, because it does smell like frilly, girly, childhood memories. Annabel Gat said she wanted this to smell like scented vintage dolls, like Strawberry Shortcake, and Marissa Zappas does a fantastic job of communicating that. The flowers and candy of this perfume are decidedly, endearingly childlike, yet somehow elegant, like a Gunne Sax dress. But other times, it makes me feel ravenous . It makes perfect sense that two Aries femmes made this. I didn’t think this did much for me when I first tried it on, as someone who isn’t much of a gourmand girl. But now when I wear it, it genuinely makes me wanna be the girl with the most cake. That babydoll energy can escalate into this Veruca Salt territory, where I remember this competitive aspect of growing up as a girly girl, wanting the best princess party, and the sparkliest decorations, and the best-looking Barbie doll cake. You smell that perfect party in this, where the desserts are gorgeous, but also taste good, and the gifts all look enticingly shiny, and even the balloons smell nice! It smells like planning a My Super Sweet 16 level party for a little girl, or an adult femme wanting to step back into that energy. I totally understand the frenzied reaction to this. After such a long period of fresh, clean, woodsy unisex perfumes, the girlies have clearly been clamoring for some unabashed, loud femininity, and Marissa and Annabel heard them loud and clear. Marissa has rightly pointed out a degree of misogyny to modern fragrance's approach to gender, and the femininity of scents like Annabel's Birthday Cake is so reassuring with that in mind. Annabel also talked about this being a scent that was born out of COVID frustration, and wanting to actually celebrate, which is such a huge part of why people have gotten so obsessed with perfume in the past couple of years. We’re longing for sensual pleasure, and pure expression, and something to get excited about. Annabel’s Birthday Cake perfectly captures the feeling I think a lot of people have right now, of longing for simpler times, and the wild dreams of childhood, where the future was full of promise. I have no doubt that we're right on the edge of an explosion of really fun, femme fragrances, and Marissa Zappas is bound to be at the head of that wave. Annabel's Birthday Cake reminds me of my mom asking me at age 4 to think really hard about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I remember the question hurt my brain, and I didn't want to think about it. As far as I can tell, my generation (millennials) were the first who were pressured to think about that stuff early. I somehow knew it was way too much to contemplate at such a young age, but I felt guilty about not knowing, like it meant something was wrong with me. And a lot of adults asked, like it was a reasonable question, and I'd need to know soon, and I couldn't choose again. So after a really long, hard think, I came back to my mom in maybe the middle of the night, so sure of myself, saying, “I want to be a fairy princess.” I looked at her with perfect confidence, thinking, I totally win! I figured out the secret answer, right? But my mom just looked back at me dumbfounded, half-asleep, and said, “...you can’t do that, honey.” And I was genuinely crushed , because I had no Plan B. It was fairy princess or bust for me. But at the same time, no one ever told me that the kind of life I wanted when I got slightly older was unattainable too. As an older kid, I dreamed of being a pop star, or an actress, then when I was a teenager, I developed the only slightly more realistic dreams of fashion magazine editor, Hollywood screenwriter, or bestselling fiction author. These other ambitions all still had some glamour to them, though their bombast decreased over time, the more I became a bit numb to reality's demands. Then the stock market crashed right before I graduated high school, and just going to college was harder, and a degree had less prestige to it by the time I left school. I got the right internships and was in the right city but there was no ease to it. I saw what felt like the very last breaths of the media industry having a lot of money to blow, before the magazines folded, and every salaried writer I knew got laid off, or struggled to find sustainable pay. The competition for these increasingly scarce, big titles became so cutthroat that I just ducked out. I made peace with the sense that there was no Sex and the City -style future where I was going to be able to afford a glamorous lifestyle on the strength of a (lol, RIP, oh no) Village Voice column, of all things. But Annabel's Birthday Cake feels like sweet, loving reassurance that these hopes and dreams for nice things don't have to be dead. They might be damaged, and a little worse for wear, but I can still feel that desire underneath the pain and fatigue. This perfume reminds me of the aggressively girly child I used to be, and how unafraid I was before life shook the sparkle out of me. I used to casually waltz out of my house in a sparkly gold dress and jelly shoes, in January , with no concern for the cold, just because I wanted my neighbors to see how cute I looked. Over the past year or so, I’ve felt sadness for this past me, and worry I didn’t quite live up to who she wanted to be. But one of the reasons Annabel’s Birthday Cake is so special is because it feels like it’s saying it isn’t too late. It’s not just the pretty femme tea party scent everyone says it is— to get a little woo, it smells like inner child work. It smells like the memory of those big, sparkly dreams. It smells like envy for the kind of Instagram femmes who casually have picnics where everyone is wearing ambitious rococo looks (if you know, you know). They made what I stopped doing into a practice, and they used it to find community. The feeling that animates the impulse behind all of that is so clear in this scent. It makes me wish I were more loudly femme, the way I used to be. It makes me feel empathy for my younger self. It’s just as special and transportive as everyone says. If you're thinking about trying it, honor the Aries spirit and just go for it. To wrap this very long (!!) review up with actual descriptions of ABC's scent-- if you like fancy niche gourmands like État Libre d'Orange's 500 Years, you will love this. It has the same powdery femininity and oddly approachable rich dessert vibe, but a little lighter and easier to wear. Plus, it's more unabashed with its femininity, more complex, and more affordable! A decidedly white cake with just a taste of chocolate, like a slice with the cursive “happy birthday” frosting on it.

this is the perfect nostalgic scent for me. it reminds me of the scent of those freebie lipglosses you'd get with early 2000s preteen girly magazines, you know the ones with boyband posters and hair bow tutorials and advice columns about how to talk to your crush. it smells like me when i was about eight years old, freshly diagnosed with autism and trying insanely hard to overcompensate on femininity so i didn't feel like an alien - walking around in a wonderfully camp miasma of glitter eyeshadow and rose buttercream body lotion and vanilla cupcake body spray and sugar cookie hand cream and... well, you get the idea - my perfect "human girl" disguise, my jean-baptiste grenouille moment. annabel's birthday cake captures that frenzied feeling i had of going to the mall as a kid and being filled with an insatiable hunger for claire's accessories lip balm and endless rows of pastel bath bombs and the huge, untouched, impossible world of being a girl, and all the ways that i could hide the fact that underneath it all i was actually some wild, uncivilised animal slathering lipgloss over my fangs. this perfume is such a wonderful thing - it's positively edible, frothy with frosting, cherry-on-top red 40 food dye fantasy. the latex note reminds me of a bouncy castle, with the huge box fan whirring in the background to keep it inflated. it's not overly fantastical either, it stays grounded in realism - i think it's the latex and citrus notes that keep it from becoming lost amongst a thousand other super-girly vanilla sugar cookie cake perfumes. that realism is what makes annabel's birthday cake such a sophisticated, intriguing scent - rather than just presenting a plate of pretty cupcakes, it paints a picture of the whole room and the scene around them, with the glitter streamers glued to the ceiling fan and the portable CD player blaring tinny, low-quality Spice Girls greatest hits in a village hall. pure sugar rush, sweet-toothed stickiness. this cake is almond sponge soaked in rosewater and lemon syrup, iced with noxiously oversweetened pink frosting and four feet high. candle wax dripping onto the top layer of icing and setting hard into little pink jewels. an absolutely mythical portrait of rose-coloured nostalgia that hits every mark for me.

The more I wear this the more I fall in love. I have the new birdcage bottle which is absolutely adorable and stunning, the art on the label is gorgeous and incredibly fitting - I love that the bottle is adorned with an adorable black bow. The box is beautiful and sturdy also. I feel like a life size inflatable clown (think of it like the inflatable version of the bed Bart won’t sleep in as a toddler on the Simpsons) covered in pastel pink tuberose icing ( from all the curious little kids with birthday cake hands haha ) and candied rose petals at a little girls birthday party, it’s 2004 and freshly baked honey sponge cake sits in front of me, her mum gives her a hug before taking a photo on a disposable camera, faint non descript floral perfume wafts as she frantically tends to the party, or maybe it’s coming from that auntie that kisses everyone sloppily on the cheek with slimy satin lipstick. The artistry in this is amazing - it envokes such a vivid image of a nostalgic little girl’s birthday party in the 2000’s - it’s common where I’m from for most kids around 4 - 6 to have their birthday parties at these huge indoor playgrounds, the types with ball pits, big slides, jumping castle and jungle gyms — if there was an added scent of bane maree nuggets and hot chips (maybe with the tomato sauce) it would be uncanny. But already this scent takes me back to all those birthdays I went to in kindergarten. The latex note is not prominent at all but does envoke balloons, sometimes when smelling close to the skin and I get the latex note I get that feeling in my gums like when you put on sterile gloves or rub a balloon the wrong way which is so cool honestly. Btw this lasts like no other - 4 sprays in the morning I smell it all day with a soft scent bubble - it leaves a slight trail of honey cake and powdery candied roses. Even after a shower and scrubbing with soap I can still smell it on my skin. Like others below have stated I will echo that it isn’t a safe blind buy despite the gourmand notes, I agree with the reviewer who stated that no matter how you think this will smell, it will surprise you.

This reminds me of Eloise at The Plaza and her unmistakable ENFP spirit, particularly the first episode of ‘Me, Eloise!’ where she invites everyone at the hotel to her birthday party. Very ENFP, very relatable. When I first read the story behind this fragrance on Marissa Zappas’ website, I knew I simply had to have it. And I am super thrilled to say it is perfect for me! It really does make my imagination run wild. Vanilla petit fours, delicate pastel roses, glittery pink balloons, party dresses, Parisian photo booths, 60s blush compacts, and a vintage doll just for you, because it’s your birthday! So thankful I waited on this because the new pleated glass bottle design is absolutely to die for! When I first sprayed it, I must admit I kind of panicked because the opening is a bit intimidating. It felt kinda mature for my tastes, and I was worried it might not suit me, but to my delight within seconds it transformed into a subtle, sweet, and elegant flourmand. The notes are balanced and blended incredibly well, and I’m super happy with the latex aspect that adds an air of playfulness to the fragrance. Annabel’s Birthday Cake is sassy in a Vivienne Westwood Boudoir-esque way. The gourmands and powder play well together, preventing the scent from ever becoming too childish or cloying. The gentle presence of rosewater come through, soft and romantic, and offers a subtle maturity to the perfume that I really like. I think this would wear wonderfully during any season, but seems perfect for the cooler seasons, which I’m excited about as a December baby. ♐️ Depending on your personality, this perfume could come across as old ladyish or really playful and cute. For me, it’s absolutely the latter. In a world of repetitive, cloying, and predictable gourmands, this definitely stands out. Annabel’s Birthday cake is eclectic, charming, cheeky, totally my vibe, and signature scent worthy for sure!

against all the forces which seek to contain her—godard the director, her museship, her triangle of affair, the income of dance, the theater of decay, interiors from every space, the light, language and the film itself—anna karina’s angéla has always felt a free light burning within godard’s 1961 film une femme est une femme. and she’s the first actor brought to mind in reflecting on marissa zappas’s decadent, intoxicating, playful annabel’s birthday cake, which she designed with astrologer annabel gat. this scent makes me think of joy extracted from rubble. it pulls me feet first out of the decay of our times. it starts off sweet and hypnotic, a luscious display. like I’m elbow deep in childhood past, gorging on my great aunt margaret’s divinity by the mississippi river. the strange effect of vanilla and what seems like an actual candle burning overwhelm. much like anna burning bright and lovely above all the smell of street and tin and brick. the fragrance makes you levitate. your feet can’t touch the ground. after a while it dries down to the most delicate of powdery notes. like skin and melting butter, flaky vanilla and a passing bouquet, the last notes of a party. how could you leave the ebullient, persevering images of anna, the titular woman is woman, and not be deeply present in the sweet mystic of life. like angéla led through her desires, marissa takes lead to show us the intricacies of what sweetness is and can be. it’s a vibrant fragrance that lasts til you dream. anna karina bathed in light and fur collars and primary color and spaces not her own. all you can do is float, high on a decadence that you’ve dreamt of and conjured. a platter of desire 🍰❤️🔥🕯🤩💫

I love her. Annabel’s Birthday Cake is a 90s birthday party. It’s the scent of a vivid and cherished scent memory of my childhood- shredded wrapping paper littered across the floor, twirling around in a sparkly dress with my new barbie doll, sugary pink frosting on chocolate cake and lemonade in paper cups, pink grocery store roses, colorful latex balloons bouncing around. I think Marissa Zappas so beautifully captures moments in time with her fragrances and Annabel’s Birthday Cake is no exception. This scent, while birthday party/cake themed, is not a saccharine sweet vanilla cake gourmand. Quite the contrary, it’s got plastic-y powdery doll heads and latex balloons at the forefront, followed by chocolate cake and vanilla frosting, and fresh, sweet rose and lemon. It is a true “unconventional” gourmand, where traditionally gourmand notes (chocolate, cake, sugar, honey) blend with unexpected facets (latex, plastic, lemon, rose, heliotrope) into a smooth, well-balanced and intimate scent. The dry down for me is powdery and soft, rosy, and just a hint of cake crumbs. It’s nostalgic and completely new at the same time. If you’ve tried The Pink Bedroom, I feel like these two scent exist in the same “scent universe”- the nostalgic plastic and powdery doll head note connects the two for me.

The more Marissa Zappas creations I smell, the more I love her work. I had no idea that this fragrance would be so good and so nostalgic for me. First of all, it's not a gourmand of the times. It's not full of cloying, sweet vanilla that makes you feel as if you are in a Bath and Body Works store. It doesn't smell like food - it doesn't even smell like cake. To me it is a musky, slightly spicy-sweet tuberose. I get the "frosting" but only because it's called "Annabel's Birthday Cake" - otherwise, I would not have associated this scent with cake or anything cake-related. It is sweet and musky and feminine. The best part is the drydown - the sweet musk that feels a little old-fashioned. It reminds me of the soaps and body oils I used to love from Crabtree & Evelyn and The Body Shop. There is an edge, though. I guess it's the latex note - but it doesn't smelll off-putting or balloony to me. Again, had I not known that this was in the note profile, I never would have guessed "latex." Instead, it just feels feels clean. . . and adds a little buzz to the experience. You never quite get the full sweetness or the full musk - it's that little buzz that makes this fragrance unique. I really love this and will treasure my bottle.

This fragrance is the essence of a hedonistic, decadent, champagne-and-cake, Rococo themed picnic in spring. It has the sexy babydoll energy of something like Vivienne's Boudoir; here for itself in all its bratty femme glory. There's no mistaking it's very sweet, but I think it must be the tonka bean and cacao in the base that really round it out into something that's totally wearable for everyday. The dry down has that soft bean spiciness, which mixes so well with the rose jam concoction of the rest of the fragrance. As others have said, it's a gourmand for non-gourmand lovers, which is certainly myself. I also resonated with 'thefondest' review below - I love a good woodsy scent as much as the next non-binary person, but it's so nice to try something in such a different direction. This is a modern but nostalgic scent for many reasons, but for me in particular it reminds me of my teens-early 20's when I dressed in Gothic lolita on the regular. I was lucky enough to be gifted a bottle of this, and though it immediately suited my taste, I've enjoyed getting to know its subtleties better. Definitely going to be wearing this a lot!

Very nice scent, after receiving a sample I ordered the full bottle the next day.. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it's really, really nice. Definite flormand and I wouldn't recommend this for gourmand lovers who don't like florals at all. It's not super cake-y, which could disappoint some. It's not at all like a vanilla box mix cake with heavy sweetness, but more of a sophisticated bakery cake that has been subtly fragranced with rosewater and lemon rind. It's a lot more mature than other scents I usually go for. It almost has a incense like quality to it on the dry down? Not sure if that is coming from the latex or the earthiness of the cocoa. I honestly don't really pick up on the latex note and that's coming from someone who wears latex clothing. Idk, it all blends together really nicely though I would NOT recommend a blind buy of this because it's different than what some of the notes might suggest edit: an hour so after spraying, my husband commented that I smelled like cake. He had no idea about the perfume or the name of it, so it definitely does have a CAKE scent! <3

I smell the beautiful tuberose, heliotrope, and rose, followed by a very light, airy lemon rind smell, the light spiciness of the cacao, and everything is slightly sweetened by the floral, aromatic honey note and the airy cream. I wouldn’t really consider this a true gourmand scent in my humble opinion, but it is so, so gorgeous. The airy, sweet florals mixed with the lemon zest and spicy cacao truly feels innocent and nostalgic. Is definitely not a linear perfume, and does change from being floral-forward to cream and vanilla notes coming forward as it wears, the cacao sticks around making it sweet and slightly spices. It fades into an incredibly creamy heliotrope with a hint of vanilla cupcake :) It also becomes a skin scent rather quickly, as in it doesn’t project much, which some people might dislike but I happen not to mind. I really love this scent and find it especially beautiful to wear in the fall, winter, and spring :) it can absolutely be worn in the summer, but I just love how cozy it feels during the colder months. Absolutely gorgeous!

I've already reviewed this fragrance but I have to come back and sing its praise again and get weirdly personal... I'm 35 and have struggled with my mental health for 25+ years and with two small children this year has been especially challenging. I quit alcohol and cigarettes five years ago and started using perfume as part of my self care and reinforcing the radical concept that I deserve nice things. I use it to help me remember that I've taken my medications because some of them make me forgetful. I have a nice collection of unique fragrances buy this is the one I reach for most often. Some days I tell myself that I'll put on something strong and spicy but my hand reaches for ABC because life is fucking hard and Anabel's Birthday Cake is the sweet and whimsical thing that I need to get through some of the harder days. Its the fragrance equivalent of putting on some adult size butterfly wings. I am so grateful for Marissa Zappas art in this world and am looking forward to a bottle of Maggie The Cat Is Alive for my birthday.

this scent is so fun and SO sweet! i get baby powder immediately and i love that about it, but on top of that it is layered with all these different types of sweetness which are hard for me to pinpoint individually. the name feels incredibly fitting because it really does smell like a layered cake, different sugary notes revealing themselves throughout the wear what fascinates me most about this fragrance is how personal it seems to become for people. i have seen so many reviews describing completely different memories and emotions tied to it, and i honestly think this might be one of those scents that becomes a unique experience depending on who is wearing it that being said: for me, it just smells happy. not nostalgic in a specific way, not tied to one exact memory, just genuinely positive and comforting. every time i caught it on myself throughout the day it felt a little different, like i kept noticing new things in it it really agreed with me, and i found myself enjoying it more and more as the day went on!

This might be the most unique and beautiful perfume I've ever smelled in my life. It's undoubtedly a girly scent, but unlike your usual girly scent which smells like something a popular "basic" pretty girl would wear.. this is like something an edgy girly girl would wear. Think Angelyne or Melanie Martinez. It's bold, edgy and feminine which perfectly encapsulates everything I aspire to be. It smells like honey, cream, roses, sugar and I also get sort of a patchouli note even though it's not listed, although it might just be the latex note and my nose is just confused. The rose note is similar to the rose in Kayali's Sweet Diamond Pink Pepper. It's a bold, edgy rose, not a delicate rose. This is a masterpiece. It's one of the very few perfumes that I've smelled and left me genuinely astonished. It reminds me of the opening scene of Frankenhooker. A party going on in a beautiful garden... with a gruesome accident! Someone said the balloon/latex note gives this perfume a sinister vibe and I agree slightly.

This perfume transports me back to that true all encompassing joy that was only achievable in childhood before I knew what the Supreme Court was. It's extremely transportive due to the ballon, scented doll and lemon cake that harkens back to a 90's toy chest but also has a fuzzy, sexy base that elevates it into adulthood. I feel like the reason this is truly full bottle worthy is that it doesn't rest on pure nostalgia but rather is clearly the idealized version of childhood that someone older has created partially from memory but also from romanticizing the lightness of what the concept of "childhood" symbolizes in contrast to adulthood. On my skin it starts with balloons, lemon cake and heliotrope, then melts into a fuzzy sexy gourmand that never loses that plastic smell in the back of the nose. It floats around me and envelopes my space without choking me out and lingers for just a bit to help someone notice I've gone.

I am someone who typically shies away from gourmand fragrances. I've smelled many vanillas, caramels, and syrupy-sugarbomb perfumes in my life that on my skin, always seemed to become cloying, cheap, and suffocating. Enter ANNABEL'S BIRTHDAY CAKE.... Sweet, but powdery and soft. Decadent, yet floral and delicate. There is a complexity to this perfume that makes ABC the only gourmand I have ever 100% enjoyed. I can't stop sniffing my wrist. Upon smelling, I think of lemon-rose confections served on pink depression glass dishes, or plastic doll parts strewn across a doily-covered vanity table. It's simultaneously youthful and refined, like an elegant woman reminiscing on her days as a carefree young girl. Romantic, playful, sophisticated. Captivating. Pair with: heart-shaped lockets, pale yellow babydoll dresses, sunlight filtering through sheer curtains, Cécile Brünner climbing roses.

Such a beautiful chic gourmand for a sophisticated palette. Heliotrope immediately gives the birthday cake accord an airy, powdery quality. I do get the "latex balloon" ever so slightly in the beginning but on my skin it isn't in any way weird or polarizing and it quickly fades into muted powdery floral cake. I find the airy quality remains throughout and although florals are there they don't overpower in any way. They simply serve to elevate the scent from the usual juvenile syrupy sweet category that is so popular. I bought this as a special milestone birthday gift on a family trip and created beautiful scent memories I will always cherish. It is a sophisticated lady like gourmand and I sure felt like "Anabel" wearing it on my birthday trip. Outstanding unique but wearable fragrance.

I absolutely adore this special fragrance! When I spray this perfume, I think of bouquets of various pink roses where some of the flowers are real and some are plastic, waxy red lipstick and powdery vintage eyeshadow palletes, old scented rubber baby doll heads from childhood memories, and a large sweet vanilla-chocolate cream cake with frilly rococo styled decoration made of pink and white sugary frosting, so pretty the cake could possibly be fake. Its beautiful, whimsical, nostalgic, comforting, complex, unique, playful, a little kitschy and so fun! It may not be for everyone, but the girls that get it, get it. And these girls are the girls who are invited to Annabell's birthday party. Duuuh~~~ 😜🍰🩷 **Layer this with Tihota by Indult to make it even more delicious and edible! 🍨

If Alice in Wonderland had a scent, this would be it. It brings me back to my childhood and makes me nostalgic for that simpler time; tea parties, balloon animals and plastic babydolls come to mind. This is a fun take on a gourmand fragrance, as I was getting quite bored of the typical caramel or vanilla scents. It’s a wearable fragrance and perfect for those who want a more edgy gourmand for those days when you’re feeling experimental. On my skin, it makes me smell like a delicious honey cake with whipped cream frosting and lemon bits. The latex and floral notes are very much in the background, especially as it dries down. The cake and whipped cream notes are definitely the main stars, I need a full bottle asap

I'm so into the whole idea of this fragrance and I also love Marissa Zappas so I went into this with a double bias....but who cares, I love it. I've never been drawn to gourmand scents, they just sit heavy on me and rarely develop into anything interesting. But this is more gourmand adjacent. An unidentifiable freshness + latex layer round out the fluffy sweetness so nicely, but this is coming from someone who loves a beachball/sunscreen/lycra note. This is also one of the first scents I've tried where the chocolatey note adds something toasty and decadent and not tootsie roll. Such a good autumn scent too, stomp through dirty leaves for some sweet polarity!!

I adore this perfume. Such a nostalgic and playful fragrance. Initially, cocao absolute, honeycomb and heliotrope pop off my skin but during the dry down, the latex notes peaks through as well as the creamy tuberose frosting. But the cocao, honeycomb and heliotrope don't disappear completely. Everything blends and builds off each other into a delightfully floral birthday cake. The party is completed with balloons and wax paper and candles. In some ways, I am reminded of play makeup sets, babydoll flesh and easy bake ovens. The scent is quite girly and childlike but the latex note troubles the whole thing. I smell like a Barbie doll.

One of the happiest and most nostalgic fragrances I've ever purchased. More rose forward than you would expect but it blends beautifully with the thick vanilla cake and sugar. The lemon and latex note cut the sweetness so it isn't overwhelmingly food-y. The whole fragrance is a bit waxy like a birthday candle, which is surprisingly pleasant. Once you get to the drydown and the festivities of the party die down, it becomes a beautiful, soft and comforting cacao hug. This fragrance truly has the feel of a colorful, flower filled birthday party full of love and joy. Blow out your candles, and celebrate!

This scent is one of the first I've had where I can identify each note in the fragrance. Annabel's Birthday Cake really toes the line between being too sweet and a rich gourmand - every time I smell it, I get a whiff of the heliotrope/lemon/sugar and it alllllmost overwhelms me before I get the rich cocoa and tonka bean notes. It's a very very lovely scent - I bought it feeling like I was indulging my inner child; and though I don't use it as an every day perfume, every time I spray it, I feel very indulgent and empowered in my femininity - a bit like Barbie or Cher Horowitz from Clueless.

Soft and sweet while still offering complexity. Its sweet like a cupcake but still offers some sophistication. Upon initial spray, I got a sharpness at the end that I didn't quite understand, perhaps that is the latex note. After letting it settle, the sharpness transforms into a plastic-y undertone. Initially this was distracting however the more I smell it, the more I like it. It offers a lovely "rounding off" that makes this way more interesting than it otherwise would be. Not typically a gourmand lover, however this scent is wildly playful and interesting, without being cloying.

Smelled for the first time last year and was immediately smitten. I never thought I would love a gourmand scent like this. This is a beautiful pink cake eaten at a beautiful pink party. The frosting is vanilla and a lone, blush-colored balloon's just grazed the piped flowers on one side of the cake. The cake is being cut by somebody's perfumed mother and under the pink vanilla frosting is a chocolate cake. It's sweet, it's powdery, it has chocolate, when I turn my wrist I pick up the honey, and somehow latex is a note I love this much. I cannot say LOVE enough.

Girly, fun, whimsical, with a tinge of something nostalgic that’s skyrockets this baby to the next level! It’s a gourmand, through and through (obvi), but the latex note adds something super unique and “cool” beneath the surface. It steers it away from just smelling like a cupcake or Aquolina PS vibes, just pure cotton candy, toothache sweetness. This has DEPTH. My boyfriend described it as “inviting” the first time he smelled it on me, which I kinda loved. It’s fast becoming one of my most reached for bottles in my entire collection and the bottle is so cute!

(Second review bc I've had this for almost a year now and its transformed a bit) There's something quite incense-y about this perfume. Something similar to Nag Champa.. like a sweet, creamy smokey floral scent. I still can't get over this perfume. It's my absolute favorite. I'm shocked that people are comparing this to Victorias Secret lol. Noses are so interesting! This is an absolutely unique scent, nothing as generic as VS. It's so witchy and retro to me. Think of the film The Love Witch! Girly and soft yet there's also something dark and seductive.

Prior to smelling this scent in person, I never had any intention of trying it, let alone purchasing this scent for fear it would be overly gourmand. I was wrong. I spritzed myself and immediately bought a bottle after testing so many other scents that day. I have tried many MZ perfumes and I’m a fan. This scent has the perfect combination of lemon and vanilla. There is something nostalgic about it. It lasts quite a long time on my skin, the sillage is intimate. Don’t judge a book by its cover! Try it before you knock it, you might be missing out!

I had a feeling my dabber sample wasn’t doing this scent justice. Got a spray sample from Marissa’s website and WOW! The scent is gentle enough that you really do need a spray. It’s not a literal gourmand, but it certainly reminds me of a birthday party! There’s balloons in the air and you’re cradling a gifted bouquet of roses with the taste of cake still in your mouth. My boyfriend hates it, but I think that’s kind of the point. This scent isn’t meant for other people to enjoy, it’s for YOU, with absolute disregard for what anyone else thinks.

With a name like Birthday Cake you might expect a sugar bomb but it’s not. It’s fluffy, sparkly and uplifting. Picture a room full of pastel pink balloons and in the center, an angel food cake. It’s drizzled with tuberose icing, dusted with lemon zest and surrounded by dewy rose petals. The balloon accord is not over bearing or weird and just adds to the pleasant mystery of this unique gourmand. I do put this fragrance under the umbrella of Doll Head fragrances. It shares this privilege with other greats like Hanae Mori, Lou Lou and SJP Coven

This is a tart lemon cake with fluffy vanilla frosting, next to a bouquet of flowers (roses) and some balloons around as decoration. Happy birthday beautiful. This scent makes me happy. I was not expecting to like this one that much. The lemon is balancing this one and it's not as sweet as I thought it would be and it's a great thing. I think it can worn in colder Summer days. I need this one :) Edi : I got sold on the marketing and the opening. On me I find this fragrance a bit annoying to be honest. Don't think I'll buy, I won't wear that.

Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. It's chiffon cake with lemon curd and flowers everywhere - pink roses, tuberose, heliotrope. The latex note is vaguely reminiscent of the rubber facet of Rosendo Mateu No.5 to me... they do not smell the same though, for those who hate No.5 - there's just a whisper of it. Terrible longevity (lasts a bit longer on clothes), but I find that appropriate for the office or in classroom settings. This is one I have to overspray. I find that it pairs well with Lush supermilk and the L'Occitane almond line.

The most beautiful and imaginative fragrance I have ever had the pleasure of spritzing onto my skin. ABC evokes fancy confections and velvet ribbons and party dresses like a memory in soft focus. An intimate cloud of haunting femininity that lasts long without oppressing those nearby. I feel like the ballerina inside an antique music box, a ghost wearing a victorian nightgown, and Alice at the mad tea party all at once. On a more helpful note, I personally cannot smell any latex.

This scent is so gorgeous & unique. The latex is just... chef's kiss. If you know, you know. Do you want to remember that playdough you almost ate as a child? Or your favorite scented doll you used to sleep with? The nostalgia is intense, which is the hallmark of what makes a good scent great, in my opinion. Definitely not an everyday fragrance but really beautiful, like a memory you can't quite remember. I'll wear this to brunch with friends but not on a date.

i never really reach for gourmand or sweeter scents but this fragrance really is a perfect gourmand for those who don’t like gourmands. it is extremely photorealistic (latex notes) which i think makes it not sickly sweet. it also lasted FOREVERRR on my skin and dried down to a nice rose cake like scent. it also has a lot of depth, almost eerie and haunting. this truly is a very sophisticated and multi layered floraly sweet scent that is perfect for everyday.

the story this tells is so special, it transports me to the memory of being a young girl at someone's 8th birthday party. fun and sugary but doesn't wear in a juvenile way, the lemon and rose lands this fragrance somewhere more mature than a straight up pink sugar bomb. the latex note is definitely present, but very wearable and approachable. this blew my expectations out of the water - after one wear, i know i absolutely need a full bottle.

I really wanted to like this but unfortunately the sillage is so low that I can barely smell it! Sillage is normally not something I care about, but I want to at least be able to smell my own fragrance! (And no it’s not a general loss of smell, I can smell all the other samples I got) My body temperature tends to run low, so this scent may just need warmer skin to really project. I’ll have to try it outside in the summer I guess lol

It smells like an 80’s doll to me—powdered sugar, a hint of citrus, and rose water. Think Strawberry Shortcake, Cabbage Patch Kids vibes. If I didn’t know the name or notes, I wouldn’t connect it to its description, but I really enjoy it for how nostalgic yet wearable it is. It’s fun and girly, but the quality makes it versatile for anyone. Don’t let the latex note scare you—give it a try!

Really beautiful. I can smell the latex note on my skin and I didn't expect to love it, but I do. Very reminiscent of childhood birthday parties I had at the local bowling alley. The latex note really gives this lemon-vanilla fragrance the upper edge and makes it a stand out. I was looking for an excuse to NOT get just anothet lemon frag, but I will be upgrading to a full bottle ASAP!

Such a special scent. Opening alternates between licks of lemon frosting and blowing up balloons. Definitely reminds me of those baby dolls with squishy hollow rubber heads. Then it dries to a warm cocoa powder scent. It's very feminine, but feels wearable to me (a not very femme person) unlike super floral scents. I wish it were stronger! My nose is on my wrist huffing it all day.

One of the most narrative and evolving perfumes I've ever tried. This is the most spot-on, illustration of a beautiful, white birthday cake. The balloons are in the corner and cacao scent is on the other side. I agree this isn't a gourmand that it's a reason why I appreciate it so much, is that it isn't fluffy. Straight-forward cake and the party too. Marissa Zappas, bravo!!

If you ever wanted to live inside Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette (2006) Petit Trianon dreamworld with Lesley Gore’s “It’s my party” playing in the background this is for you. The perfectly balanced mashup of cake, rose, sugar, lemon. Not too citrusy, not too sweet, not too rosey, not too cakey. Really enjoying it wearing it on clean skin throughout the winter.

There's a skin like warmth to Annabel that wraps around me and holds me. The latex is so specifically balloon. The sweetness is restrained and never cloying. The florals smell like perfume on a worn in sweater. It feels like the memory of a hug from my loved one on a childhood birthday; conjuring up nostalgia in a way that makes me feel content, not sad.

I’m wearing this today for my birthday :-). This is actually the first time I’m road testing my decant so it’s a little bit of a crap shoot to do that, but I’m really digging it! I find the latex smell to be more like grapefruit, which honestly is not a bad thing at all. It actually elevates it beyond your typical gourmand. 5 stars in my book!

My girlfriend got me a full bottle for my birthday! I think the latex note makes it a really interesting gourmand, and it doesn't start smelling cheap the way gourmands often do on my skin. The floral and lemon are incredible. It smells almost exactly like a baby doll head, kind of similar to American Cream from Lush. I absolutely love it!!!

It seems like this may be the perfect gourmand for people that don't normally wear gourmand (and those who do as well!) I am smitten with this fragrance and now want to own everything else that Marissa Zappas has made. It is complex, nostalgic and dignified in a way that makes a lot of other fragrances seem sloppy in comparison.

On first spraying, my reaction was "no," which quickly turned to, "maybe." Now, two hours later, I like this. Silage isn't strong (don't think this would work well if it was), but it's whimsical and inoffensive (the latex wouldn't even register with me if I didn't know it was there). To my own surprise, I'm buying a bottle.

Something about the heliotrope sends me straight back to the 90s. I’m smelling this and it feels like she’s created a scent memory for so many of us who grew up in the 90s. It almost even has a sunscreen vibe as well as the feeling of heavily perfumed grandma in the background smoking a cigarette next to the birthday cake.

This perfume is so good! Lemon loaf with icing, sprinkled cupcakes, balloons and just sweet everything! Definitely reminds me of childhood! Barbies, Easy bake ovens, the color pink! The dry down is very much the scented doll most of us remember. This is full bottle worthy! Will be purchasing! 💖💖💖

To me, this fragrance resembles photorealistic cake frosting heavily infused with powdered sugar, complemented by a hint of plastic. It evokes fond childhood memories of birthday parties in arcades, characterized by balloons, plastic table covers, and an abundance of food coloring, in a good way.

Half eaten honey vanilla cupcakes, popped balloons, confetti, and powder all spilled on a birthday party table. It's very honey forward and dries down into the softest white cake with tons of whipped cream on top. It's a softer and more elegant gourmand. A must have if you love sweet scents omg