Dalgona in perfumery — history, best perfumes, perfumers, pairings

What is the Dalgona Note

Dalgona is not just a gourmand note, but a true olfactory portal to childhood, where caramel crunch and creamy sweetness intertwine with the smoke of a campfire. It takes its name from a Korean street dessert — roasted sugar cookies with baking soda, sold in Seoul. In perfumery, this note sounds like a soft, enveloping caramel with a slight bitterness of burnt sugar and a barely perceptible creamy vanilla trail. Thanks to its cozy, "edible" warmth, dalgona belongs to the group of gourmand fragrances and is most often used as a heart or base note to add depth and sweet comfort to a composition.

History and Origin of Dalgona

The dessert itself, dalgona (or ppopgi), became popular in Korea back in the 1960s-70s, and experienced a rebirth in 2021 thanks to the series "Squid Game," where characters cut shapes from the sugar candy. In perfumery, the note arrived quite recently but has already won the hearts of fans of sweet, "comforting" scents. The first and so far only brand to officially declare this note as a separate ingredient in its compositions is the Korean niche house Elorea. Perfumer Linda Song was inspired by memories of carefree days playing ttigi-pakji and embodied this image in a fragrance that instantly became cult among fans of Asian aesthetics and gourmand perfumes.

Best Fragrances with the Dalgona Note

To date, there is only one composition in the world of perfumery where dalgona is decribed as a stand-alone note: Elorea - Cloud Daze. Despite its youth, this fragrance is already being called a modern classic of the gourmand genre. It opens with sparkling pear and lemon, while in the heart blooms warm dalgona, reinforced by whipped peach and pink pepper. The base of cedar and white musk prevents the sweetness from becoming cloying — on the contrary, it creates a "cloud-like" floating effect. Cloud Daze is ideal for those seeking an unconventional, cozy, yet very long-lasting everyday perfume.

What Dalgona Pairs With

Like any caramel note, dalgona unfolds best in the company of fruity and milky accords. The classic tandem is dalgona + pear or peach: this yields a juicy, almost candy-like sweetness. It also sounds interesting with spices (cinnamon, ginger, pink pepper), which tone down the cloy and add spiciness. For those who love unexpected contrasts, feel free to surround dalgona with woody notes (cedar, sandalwood) or herbal lavender — such a contrast makes the fragrance more adult and complex. Similar in mood are notes like "cotton candy," "caramel," and "sweet popcorn," but none offers that same crunchy effect as dalgona.

Tips for Choosing a Perfume with Dalgona

Dalgona is a distinctly "cold" note: its sweetness is better perceived in cool weather, when you want to wrap yourself in a warm blanket. The ideal seasons are autumn, winter, and early spring. Fragrances with this note suit rather extroverted, romantic natures who are not afraid to be noticed and love to wear a "treat" mood. If you prefer unobtrusive, almost weightless perfumes, look for options where dalgona is used against a backdrop of citrus or green notes — this will reduce the sweetness. And for those who dream of a long-lasting sillage, it's worth paying attention to compositions where it is supported by amber or vanilla. Try, inhale — and let your perfume become a little Korean dessert on the skin.