Madeleine

I genuinely expected to hate this but kept hearing how Odette's gourmands were less cloying and more airy & palatable so I tried this along with a few others and a heavy dose of skepticism. So far, almond has been a hard one for me in most perfumes and I always hate coconut so I was really taking a chance. Like Petit Gateau, this opens with straight up almond extract (ironically my favorite smell on earth) with an added dash of sweet coconut. It quickly dries down to a much softer, photorealistic madeleine cookie that lasts all day but is never, ever cloying no matter how much I spray. The coconut is definitely there, but not blaringly obvious and does not at all smell like coconut "fragrance," i.e. sunscreen and beaches, but more like toasted coconut in baked goods. You get gentle wafts throughout the day and up close it is just as soft and YUMMY. The more I wear it, the more I love it. If you typically find gourmands kind of gross but wished you liked them, this one is for you (along with Petit Gateau because realistically they are nearly identical). If gourmands typically give you headaches, this one likely won't as it does not contain the common allergens found in most.

after sampling pas de chat, i knew i wanted to explore more from odette. i have also been on the hunt for a coconut-forward fragrance, and this might actually be it! what i love is that it is not just coconut. there is a lot more going on here. i get the almonds, i get the sugar, and there is this really soft creaminess tying everything together. this smells like baking, but not the part where something is in the oven. it smells like having all the ingredients laid out on the counter, measuring everything out before it all comes together. as it develops on my skin, it feels like that mixing process finally begins. the real showstealer for me though is the coconut. specifically sweetened shredded coconut. it is so realistic and so comforting that i keep going back for another sniff. i absolutely love this one. it feels warm, cozy, and delicious without ever becoming too simple.

I uncovered this gem on a mad hunt for an almond croissant fragrance after hearing mixed reviews about Mirage Gourmand (and frankly, not wanting to shell out for that bottle.) This has exceeded my expectations so far beyond what I could have imagined. A heavy dose of marzipan paste and coconut cream on a base of deep tonka and vanilla that add that bakery warmth. It’s such a romantic gourmand. At $92 for 100ml this is utterly mind blowing. I also picked up three other fragrances in travel size and was thoroughly impressed by all of them. The scent profiles of all of these are cohesively soft and feminine with a gentle, dancing scent bubble, perfectly matching the coquettish ballet vibe of the brand. For what is relatively new indie house, this is a brand that feels so fully realized. I am head over heels. Odette is most definitely one to watch.

sampled this and went out to buy a dirty chai latte and madeleines to ruminate. sniffed the madeleines i bought, sniffed my wrists, went back and forth for a good five minutes until i pictured how weird i must've looked. good news though; this captures madeleines better than any other madeleine inspired frag i've ever tried ever. it smells like a sweet, airy little pastry and the coconut + almond combination really makes it work and veer almost realistic to the madeleines i had in my purse. it's so delicious. the type of perfume that makes me sniff my wrists constantly. i want to replicate the euphoria of inhaling my obligatory sweet treats so i will be on the hunt for a dirty chai scent to pair with this in order to relive my most precious joie de vivre. i need this in my bloodstream, merci odette

this scent is a light, fresh coconut scent with some beautiful vanilla frosting and some almond cake. the sillage is intimate to moderate and the longevity is moderate. as the scent wears through the day, the vanilla really shines through and becomes almost buttercream-like. all that said, this isn't a lactonic, butter cookie scent. this is a great summer gourmand as it is sweet but not at all cloying or that sunscreeny beachy scent. i highly recommend!!