Gourmand Isn’t Shy Anymore: My Take on The 7 Virtues BUTTERCREAM HAZE

I can smell the gourmand renaissance from a block away, and yes, it’s sweet. But not stupid-sweet. The 7 Virtues drops BUTTERCREAM HAZE in 2025 and it’s the perfume that licks the frosting spoon, then wipes its mouth with a silk blouse rather than a napkin. Composed with CPL Aromas and championed by Barb Stegemann, this one doesn’t pretend to be anything other than dessert first.

First spray on skin, I get plush vanilla buttercream, airy rather than dense, the kind that billows off a cake in soft peaks. There is a cool glazed facet that feels like sugar crystals melting on warm skin. As it settles, a quiet hum of woods and soft musk pulls the sweetness into focus, keeping it from collapsing into cupcake fog. No burnt caramel scorched the pan, no plasticky mall-vanilla. It’s indulgent, but polished.

I wore BUTTERCREAM HAZE on a drizzly morning and again on a late-night grocery run. In the rain it turned creamy and cocooning, like an oversized sweater that actually fits. Under fluorescent lights it read cleaner, almost a vanilla veil. The sillage sits in that sweet spot, present but not pushy. Expect 7 to 9 hours on moisturized skin, with a gentle bloom each time your body heats up.

Season wise, it sings in sweater weather, but a light hand makes it summer friendly. It is office safe if your office tolerates vanilla, and date-night perfect if you want skin that whispers come closer. If you are gourmand-curious yet allergic to sticky overload, this is your on-ramp.

A word on the build: the signature here is balance. CPL Aromas seems to have dialed in a weightless frosting effect, while Barb Stegemann clearly aims for joy that still reads grown up. The result feels modern, clean edged, still edible. Wear it solo for that I-am-the-dessert aura, or layer with a dry skin musk or a quiet sandalwood to tilt it from patisserie to perfumery.

Verdict, from a gourmand skeptic turned repeat sniffer. The 7 Virtues BUTTERCREAM HAZE is unabashed decadence with adult supervision, and sometimes that is exactly what a day needs.