Creamy fragrances: why are they so popular?

Creamy (or lactonic, milky) typically refers to a fantasy gourmand accord that imitates the scent of fresh and/or processed milk in a composition (such as clarified butter, boiled, or spiced milk). Despite its gourmand character, milk is often found in floral compositions, especially based on tuberose, coconut, and almond, as a way to enhance the creamy aspects of other components. The milky effect is also created by sandalwood: its warm, velvety, and rounded creamy notes remind us of milk.

To create the milky note in perfumery, substances called lactones (from Latin "lactis," meaning milk) are used. Lactones are internal cyclic complex esters of hydroxy acids. Some natural plant-derived musky odorants are lactones, but they are macrocyclic, consisting of 14-20 carbon atoms in their molecular structure. For instance, ambrettolide, a musk compound found in the seeds of Abelmoschus moschatus or Hibiscus abelmoschus, is a macrocycle with 17 carbon atoms.

Scents of this kind are adored by both children and adults. They are associated with the aroma of pastries, cakes, ice cream, desserts, and creams. The lactonic accord adds softness and smoothness to the fragrance, creating a cosy, enveloping effect. The nostalgic, sweet-fresh, and comforting creamy milk scent evokes the most pleasant emotions. Many people recall summers at their grandmother's in the countryside with a jar of warm homemade milk for a breakfast. Some may associate it with the milk porridge that their mothers used to cook or the milkshake they had at a city celebration.

In one of the interviews, Roja Dove admitted that he uses a milk note to evoke a sense of pleasure and comfort in customers when they smell his perfumes. Such scents as Chabaud Lait Concentre and Lait de Biscuit, along with other fragrances from the "milky" series of the brand, will bring back childhood memories. V Canto Mirabile will remind you of a cream and vanilla powder cocktail, just like Ex Nihilo Vetiver Moloko.

Compositions with a dominant or main note of the component: Good Girl Gone Bad Extreme By Kilian, Poivre Piquant L'Artisan Parfumeur, Palo Santo Carner Barcelona, Dent de Lait Serge Lutens, Secretions Magnifiques Etat Libre d'Orange, Jeux de Peau Serge Lutens, and others, in which the creamy/milky scent is created by white flowers, almond, sandalwood, and other notes.