Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
At only 25 years old, singer, songwriter, and actress Sabrina Carpenter has twirled her way to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list in ultra-high heels with the release of her newest album, Short n’ Sweet. As a fellow short girl and member of Gen Z with an affinity for flirty hemlines, I’m ushering in my Carpenter renaissance by blasting her album on repeat, treating myself to too many espresso martinis, and matching my favorite tracks with fragrance picks. As a beauty editor, I just can’t help myself!
Ahead, I’m sharing the 12 mouthwatering fragrances that remind me of each songs on her recently album from brands like Le Labo, Maison Margiela, Montale, and Tom Ford. Find them all listed below along with glowing five-star reviews and a deep dive into their scent profiles.
Fragrances for Every Short n’ Sweet Song
1. “Taste”
Dior
Hypnotic Poison Eau de Toilette
Scent Type: warm and sweet gourmand
Key Notes: bitter almond, carvi, jasmine sambac, jacaranda, vanilla, musk
The viral music video for “Taste” draws inspiration from the 1992 black comedy film Death Becomes Her that stars Meryl Streep as a fading actress who gains eternal youth after drinking a magic potion. Both the film and music video juxtapose beauty with pain. Similarly, Dior’s Hypnotic Poison is as sweet as it is sensual, with a hint of something dark lurking beneath the surface.
Customer Review: “This perfume is absolutely amazing. The smell is unlike any other one. No comparison. I’ve used for years! The smell will relax you and everyone around you! Will never wear any other perfume!”
2. “Please Please Please”
Tom Ford
Lost Cherry Eau de Parfum Fragrance
Scent Type: warm and sweet gourmand
Key Notes: black cherry, bitter almond, jasmine sambac, rose absolute, sandalwood, vetiver, cedarwood
Okay, I’ll admit it—I wasn’t immediately hooked on this perfume, but it eventually won me over. The sticky, sweet black cherry scent is one of the most polarizing and popular fruity gourmand fragrances on the market. Flirty and playful, it’s exactly what I would imagine someone wearing if they wanted to beguile their significant other into playing things safe.
Customer Review: “I absolutely love this perfume and am so happy I got to test it. This scent is warm, sexy and very cherry! I love the sleek packaging and long lasting power this perfume has, I would highly recommend it!”
3. “Good Graces”
Phlur
Missing Person Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm musk
Key Notes: skin musk, bergamot nectar, jasmine, cyclamen, neroli blossom, orange flowers, Australian sandalwood oil, blonde wood, white musk
Phlur’s Missing Person combines notes of warm musk with bergamot nectar, neroli blossom, and Australian sandalwood oil for a chic fragrance that exudes confidence. In the same vein, Carpenter’s “Good Graces” is a testament to the power of setting boundaries in a relationship. Once someone has fallen out of her good graces, there’s no coming back.
Customer Review: “Everyone that comes across me whenever I wear this scent always stops me. It is a very soft and sensual scent that is easy and very pleasing to smell. You can wear it for both day and night.”
Henry Rose
Jake’s House Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: fresh aquatics
Key Notes: neroli, peony, jasmine, ambroxan, musk
In the heartbreaking fourth track, Carpenter confesses that she knew her ex wasn’t the sharpest tool in the metaphorical shed when it came to their relationship and that she craved emotional awareness. My top pick for the song is Henry Rose’s Jake’s House, which offers beautifully melancholic notes of neroli, peony, and musk that are reminiscent of young love, no matter how misguided it may be.
Customer Review: “Finally, the search for the perfect fragrance ends. This offering is simply outstanding—a scent that lingers beautifully. It’s hard not to fall in love with it. I totally enjoyed using it!”
(Image credit: Gotham/Getty Images)
5. “Coincidence”
Boy Smells
Les Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: fruity florals
Key Notes: bergamot, cardamom, black currant, peony, peach blossom, rose, vanilla, cedarwood, jasmine rice
In this song, Carpenter takes cheeky jabs at her previous partner, noting the many ways in which he pursued other women and remained dishonest despite her pleas for the truth. The complex narrative is set against peppy, country-inspired instrumentals, not unlike how the top and middle notes of this floral scent are deepened with notes of cedarwood and jasmine rice.
Customer Review: “Les is such a perfect floral. It has definitely made its way into my everyday perfume line up. The sweetness is just right. It’s cute but sophisticated. No notes.”
6. “Bed Chem”
Tom Ford
Vanilla Sex Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm and sweet gourmands
Key Notes: vanilla tincture, vanilla absolute, sandalwood, bitter almond essence, tonka absolute
“Bed Chem” is all about the undeniable sexual chemistry between new lovers, possessing the same energy as one of Tom Ford’s newest releases. The aptly named Vanilla Sex perfume is a deeply seductive fragrance with vanilla notes, white florals, and sandalwood. While it’s certainly a sexy scent, there’s also something innocent about it… perhaps even playful.
Customer Review: “This fragrance exudes an elegant, mysterious, and daring take on vanilla. It has an almond candy sweetness that is not too sweet, just enough to round it out. A sandalwood and vanilla lover’s dream!”
7. “Espresso”
Montale
Intense Cafe Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm and sweet gourmands
Key Notes: rose absolute, coffee beans, amber, vanilla, white musk
Since Carpenter introduced us to her hit song “Espresso” on the Coachella stage last April, I’ve been on the hunt for a versatile perfume that smells like the beverage in time for fall. This one by Montale counters the scent of coffee beans with powdery-sweet rose absolute and soothing vanilla. I love a good layerable scent that can be worn year-round, especially if it reminds me of one of my favorite S.C. songs.
Customer Review: “Intense Cafe is an exciting fragrance that takes you on a wild ride, mixing dark espresso with the beautiful scent of rose, and finishing with a delightful touch of vanilla, amber, and white musk that wraps you in a cozy, irresistible warmth! Not to mention the bottle looks great on my shelf.”
8. “Dumb & Poetic”
DedCool
Xtra Milk Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: sheer musk
Key Notes: amber, bergamot, white musk
Described by DedCool as an amplified take on universal musk fragrances, Xtra Milk takes everything we love about the original Milk Eau de Parfum up a notch. Familiar and soothing, this scent reminds me of the bittersweet comfort experienced after someone has come to terms with the fateful events and glaring personality flaws leading to the downfall of a relationship.
Customer Review: “I’ve been looking for a scent like this forever. This was a blind buy, but it turned out to be the best decision ever. I always get compliments, and it layers so well with my other perfumes. Can’t wait to grab another bottle when this one’s empty!”
(Image credit: Marleen Moise/Getty Images)
9. “Slim Pickins”
Le Labo
Santal 33 Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: aromatic woods
Key Notes: Australian sandalwood, cedarwood, cardamom, iris, violet, smoky wood alloy, ambrox, leather accord, musky
Who said pop is all Carpenter can do? Her song “Slim Pickins” proves the singer knows her way around a country-inspired hit with a track that ponders the idea of ending up alone instead of settling for the few available prospects. It calls to mind Santal 33, Le Labo’s homage to the American West that blends spicy, leathery, musky notes with intoxicating cardamom, iris, and violet.
Customer Review: “This scent is such a standout. I have such a hard time selecting any other perfume in my collection because Santal 33 seems to fit every occasion and every season. And it only takes a tiny amount.”
10. “Juno”
YSL Beauty
Libre Flowers and Flames Eau de Parfum Florale
Scent Type: fresh florals
Key Notes: palm-tree flower accord, lily flower accord, lavender, orange blossom absolute
The catchy 10th track of Carpenter’s album is a cheeky reference to Juno, the cult-classic 2007 movie of the same name. In the song, she expresses a desire to fall in love and start a family with her significant other. Equally cheeky and imaginative, Libre Flowers and Flames is one of my favorite perfumes to reach for that gives the same energy.
Customer Review: “This perfume is very feminine. Sweet with floral, citrus, vanilla. For me it was a bit intense, but I think that’s why I was impressed by how long it lasted.”
11. “Lie to Girls”
Glossier
You Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: warm spices
Key Notes: pink pepper, iris, ambrette seeds, ambrox
The second to last song on Carpenter’s album, “Lie to Girls” explores the complexity of girlhood, especially as it pertains to deception and overlooking red flags. Glossier’s You is a skin scent formulated to smell different yet familiar on everyone, which speaks to those complex emotions.
Customer Review: “My favorite perfume I’ve ever owned. Literally bought it the second I smelled the bottle at my friends house. I’ve turned at least three people on to this perfume. It’s the only one I’ll buy now.”
12. “Don’t Smile”
Maison Margiela
Replica Dancing on the Moon Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: amber floral
Key Notes: aldehyde, moonflower, sambac jasmine, frangipani tree, iris, cashmeran, accord of ambergris, musk
If you caught Carpenter on stage at this year’s VMA’s, you may have recognized the space imagery as a clear homage to Britney Spears’s iconic “Oops!…I Did It Again” music video. The last song on the album, “Don’t Smile,” is far from the upbeat medley of her performance—instead tapping into heartbreak one may experience at the conclusion of a relationship.
Customer Review: “This is [a] stunning fragrance. Words cannot describe it. Try it on a sunny day and you will never forget it. I haven’t found anything similar to it. Feminine, euphoric, and unique. Ethereal, out-of-this-world beautiful with a very fitting name, Dancing on the Moon.”
