Expert Perfume Advice

Chocolate makes a perfume smell warm and earthy, with just a hint of bitterness. Although, in some perfumes, it can bring a slight spiciness. Perfumes that smell like chocolate are some of the most popular fragrances on the market. They have a warm, inviting scent that is perfect for any occasion.

There are many different types of chocolate-scented perfumes, from light and airy to rich and creamy. Most chocolate perfumes contain notes of vanilla, caramel, and patchouli, which add to their sweetness.

Some of the best chocolate perfumes also have a touch of cocoa, oud, or almond, which give them a more complex scent.

Chocolate evokes thoughts of sinfully sweet desserts, and its smell is one of the most addictive in the world. The tantalizing aroma beckons you to indulge in luscious chocolatey goodness, promising warmth and spice with every bite.

Cacao notes are also used in perfume, and they can create a great effect. That’s why chocolate, or cacao, is often used as a note in perfumes when seeking a sweet and delicious vibe.

Although many women love chocolate, they most likely don’t want to smell like a box of it.

Fortunately, adding chocolate to perfume doesn’t make it Reese’s Pieces-scented; instead, generally creates a more nuanced and complex aroma.

But rather, chocolate makes a perfume smell warm and earthy, with just a hint of bitterness. Although, in some perfumes, it can bring a slight spiciness.

The chocolate scent is usually balanced with sweeter, lighter flavors to bring out the best in the chocolate and make the perfume more complex and interesting.

So what perfumes smell like chocolate?

Angel By Thierry Mugler For Women

Thierry Mugler’s Angel for women was released in 2011 and takes the best of both worlds, gourmet chocolate, and luxury fragrance to create a beautiful soft chocolate scent.

Helene Dazzoe, a highly respected French chef, created sweet dishes inspired by this perfume. This pleasant warm fragrance has been distilled with pure cocoa powder added to it. Consequently, there is a subtle bitterness that contrasts with the sweetness of the odor.

The top notes of Bergamot and mandarin mix with cocoa powder, over sweet stone fruits in the heart. Lastly, the base notes of patchouli, chocolate, and caramel give a sugary conclusion.

This is the perfect perfume for a date night in winter. It brings to mind romantic images of warm cups of hot chocolate and sitting by the fire. It is quite long-lasting, so will easily last the duration of a date.

Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin Guerlain for women

Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin Guerlain for women was created with gourmet in mind, right in the name. It is a stunningly feminine scent, less sweet than you might think for a chocolate-inspired perfume. Guerlain Elixir Charnel has a spicier scent, more like a chili chocolate truffle. The perfume was launched in 2008 and was created by Christine Nagel and Sylvaine Delacourte.

Guerlain Elixir Charnel has spicy notes of vanilla, rum, and pepper, with a hint of rose. It smells more like expensive dark chocolate, evocative of a high-end chocolate shop and luxury. The opening is very much like dark chocolate.

This perfume is long-lasting and a little bit unusual. People will know you are wearing something special but will not be able to place it. It is great in winter or fall, any time of the day or night. The less sweet scent means it would be good for a casual event or even the office, rather than a date. 

Black XS for Her Paco Rabanne for women

This warm perfume is the female companion for the very popular Black XS by Paco Rabanne – Black XS for Her by Paco Rabanne for women. It was released in 2007.

This chocolate-inspired scent starts with a fruitier note, with cranberry, peppercorn, and tamarind. It is a sweet and fruity combination that works perfectly with the heart of cocoa, rose, and violet. This perfume is a grown-up’s chocolate perfume – warm, exotic, and intoxicating, but with a hint of indulgence from the chocolate. It is the perfume you reach for when you want to give a hint of chocolate, but not be too sweet or sickly.

This is a great date night perfume, with its sensuous scent and the complexity of the flavors. It is not suitable at all for the office or a more casual event. Even the bottle suggests a seductive date, with its striking writing and rose-inspired color. This perfume is generally long-lasting, but some people find it does not last as long on their skin, so test it first.

Hugo Boss The Scent Private Accord for Her

Inspired by chocolate, Boss The Scent’s Private Accord for Her is another option for a chocolate-scented perfume. It was created by Louise Turner and launched in 2018, the most recent of the additions to this list. However, the relative newness of this perfume means the obsession with chocolate perfume is definitely still current. So you will be very much in fashion with this choice.

This perfume has top notes of mandarin, with cacao and coffee in the heart and the base. This combination gives it a very oriental scent, with the sweetness of the fruit balancing out the bitter spice of the coffee and chocolate.  It is not a heavy smell, with the mandarin lifting it up to be light and fun. The combination also means the chocolate smell is not earthy or dark, but rather fresh and crisp.

This is a moderately lasting perfume, so might need touch-ups on some people. Although it would suit an evening event, it is particularly good for the daytime, especially in the fall.

Santal Majuscule Serge Lutens for men

It is not just women that want to hint at the alluring scent of chocolate. Men too might find the scent that suits them. Santal Majuscule Serge Lutens for men gives that option. Less sweet than the feminine perfumes in this list, Santal Majuscule Serge Lutens is a spicy and woody scent.

Santal Majuscule Serge Lutens is extremely complex, with a hint of chocolate swirling in a mix of spicy and sweet notes. It has sandalwood, cacao, and damask rose, combined to give a strong fragrance that is not too sweet. It is neither feminine nor masculine, but rather suits everyone who might want to wear something chocolate-inspired without being over the top. Even the bottle is neutral, simple, and elegant, with the chocolate-colored perfume visible in the clean lines of the glass.

This perfume is long-lasting for most people. It is well suited to wearing in fall when the spicier scent is better than the overwhelming warmth of a more chocolate-heavy perfume. It works well in the daytime, including in the office.

A Serge Lutens perfume is not merely a blend of ingredients, it is the very essence of an experience, a particular sensibility. – Serge Lutens