So, Everyone Wants to Smell Like Cola Now

Tomatoes, milk, bananas, salt. This is not a peek at my growing grocery list, but rather a handful of recent fragrance trends. From last year’s Sardine Girl Summer to banana perfume trending for its second summer in a row, it’s no secret that food has been seeping its way into beauty and fashion for a while now. But before we could even process this odd foodie shift in scents, a new grocery store staple has just entered the chat: cola. The crisp canned (or bottled) beverage probably sitting in your fridge right now, waiting to be paired with a caesar salad and fries.

After diving through Reddit, where fragrance lovers filled thread after thread with requests for cola perfume recommendations, the trend had been solidified as one of the top scents of the season. Seoul-born fragrance house Borntostandout’s debut Sephora launch draws inspiration from the universal addiction to diet soda. Even Viktor&Rolf’s summery Bonbon scent trio includes a citrus-forward EDP inspired by the bubbly drink.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for fragrances that spark conversation and reflect their individuality,” says VP of Innovation & Product at Scentbird and Drift, Jeniece Trizzino. “A cola-inspired scent feels fun, approachable, and a little unexpected, while still being wearable. It also appeals to people who enjoy gourmands but want something with more freshness and complexity than a traditional sugary fragrance.”

This surge in cola scents may seem like it came out of nowhere, but like many trends today, nostalgia is driving it. According to Reddit’s People Beauty Index, searches for r/PerfumesThatFeelLike grew 1,129 percent YoY, with community members seeking a familiar feeling from perfume recs rather than a specific scent note. Trizzino explains that most people usually associate cola with happy memories. “Whether it’s movie nights, road trips, summer afternoons, amusement parks, or sharing a soda with friends. Those memories create an immediate emotional connection.” Nowadays, wearing your favorite fragrance isn’t just to smell good, it’s a form of escapism.

As weird as these gourmand fragrances may seem, they give a much-needed break into the many classic vanilla launches we’re used to, and Trizzino is confident these unexpected scent profiles will only grow in popularity: “I think we'll continue to see the category become more nuanced. Consumers still love edible-inspired fragrances, but they're gravitating toward scents that feel layered, refined, and emotionally driven rather than overtly sweet.”

So, whether you’re chasing a serotonin boost this summer or just want to smell like the popularized girl dinner side beverage, read on for the five best cola perfumes to try now.