I Was Fully Over Gourmand Perfumes—Phlur’s Matcha Milk and Berry Cream Mists Changed My Mind

I'm falling in love with sweet scents all over again.

Collage of phlur matcha milk and berry cream body mists with ingredients with brooke knappenberger holding up bottles with white border
(Image credit: Phlur)

My foray into fragrance started when I first discovered that I could smell like a cupcake personified with a few spritzes of Kayali Vanilla 28. Its sugary sweetness led me down a path to finding the best gourmand perfumes, from candy-inspired scents to warm and cozy blends. But when I look at my fragrance wardrobe now, full of sweet, vanilla-laden perfumes, it leaves much to be desired. Where are the whimsical gourmands?

Enter: Phlur's newest fragrances, Matcha Milk and Berry Cream. The two latest additions to the brand's lineup of body mists are Phlur's answer to the gourmand fatigue of 2025. One is a creamy indulgence of macadamia and vanilla balanced with tea, while the other is a bright, juicy strawberry blend full of nostalgia.

Phlur consistently lands a permanent spot in my collection with its new launches—if there's one fragrance brand that could reignite my love for sweet scents, it would be Phlur. So, I took Matcha Milk and Berry Cream out for a spin, and let's just say their complex, long-lasting formulas did not disappoint. I wouldn't be surprised if they reach TikTok-viral status, but before they do, let's get into what makes them standouts in my collection, shall we?

Matcha Milk

I have a confession to make: I’m not a huge fan of matcha. You might think that would steer me away from this launch, but I’m game to sniff anything. Lo and behold, this body mist ended up being very much in my alley, thanks to a combination of other notes. Here’s the breakdown: There are top notes of bergamot and a black tea accord, plus middle notes of matcha, macadamia milk, and vanilla. It all sits on a warm base of musk, amber, and patchouli.

This might be a hot take, but I think this fragrance is a bit of a misnomer—I get very little matcha in Matcha Milk (at least with my body chemistry). If you’re a matcha lover expecting an earthy or even grassy blend that imitates your favorite drink, this isn’t it. What this scent actually is, though, is far better.

Don’t get me wrong, Matcha Milk is a tea fragrance through and through, but it more resembles a cup of black tea with cream rather than a matcha latte. It opens with a bright freshness from the bergamot, before it evolves into a sweet, creamy, and ultra-cozy scent. There’s the barest hint of florals and earthy patchouli, giving it a depth I don’t typically smell in the average milk perfume. All in all, Matcha Milk took me by major surprise. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do, but I’ve been reaching for it nonstop in recent weeks for a warm and cozy wintertime fragrance.

Berry Cream

I have distinct memories of crafting Valentine’s Day cards with candy hearts as a kid. When my teacher wasn’t looking, I’d pop a few into my mouth for a mid-day sugar rush. Berry Cream takes me back to those days with a similar sugary blend I enjoyed in my younger days.

Featuring top notes of raspberry, strawberry, and sweet cream, this body mist is Phlur’s take on the year's berry fragrance trend. It features a heart of violet milk, apple leaves, and hibiscus, with a base of vanilla bean, ambrette, and sugared amber. With Berry Cream, what you see is what you get: a playful, nostalgic strawberry fragrance complete with a candy-colored bottle.

One spray of this body mist and I’m instantly transported to more light-hearted days. Its bright and juicy opening immediately puts me in a good mood, and it lasts all day long. The longer you let this fragrance sit, the more its powdery floral facets mingle with its warm, creamy vanilla base, creating a blend that’s far from childish. Whenever the mood strikes for something fun, this fragrance has been the first one I grab.

The Takeaway

With its newest body mists, Phlur has managed to make gourmands interesting again, something I almost lost hope in over the last few months. Both Matcha Milk and Berry Cream have a familiarity to them, which I’m chalking up to their warm, cozy base. However, they both also stand out in my massive collection of sweet scents—there’s something just a little interesting about them, whether it’s a herbal tea note or a juicy berry opening, that makes them feel unique.

The layering combinations feel virtually endless, too. Of course, the obvious choice is to layer Matcha Milk with Berry Cream for a strawberry matcha latte experience—the subtle earthy blend of Matcha Milk makes for the perfect pairing to the dewy fruitiness of Berry Cream. I’d also wear Matcha Milk with a skin scent like Phlur’s Afterglow, a warm amber fragrance, for a more lactonic, yet personal blend. Berry Cream, on the other hand, will go the distance in my collection come spring and summer, as I’ll be pairing it with warm florals and more fruity perfumes for sunshine-filled scents.

If you, too, are bored with gourmands, Phlur’s new body mists might be what your fragrance collection is missing. Grab one (or both) and get to layering with my other favorite Phlur body mists, below.

More Phlur Body Mists I Love

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Brooke Knappenberger
Associate Commerce Editor

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire's Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.

She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.