I Tried the Viral Auntie Anne’s Perfume That You 100% Knead: My Review of the ‘Pleasantly Surprising’ Scent

One of the best aspects of perfume is how the scent can boost your overall mood. Well, if a happy moment or memory for you consists of walking through your local mall and getting an Auntie Anne’s pretzel, then you’ll love to hear that the brand released a perfume called Knead Eau de Pretzel on August 14 and it immediately sold out. Yes, you read that right and it’s not a marketing ploy but an actual fragrance . And before you think why on earth did the pretzel makers release a perfume, foodie-inspired fragrances — also referred to as gourmand fragrances — are all the rage right now. A big reason for this is that we can find comfort in food and the ingredients and aromas that make up certain foods smell good enough to wear. Read on to learn more about Auntie Anne’s Knead perfume and if it actually smells like the famous pretzels and how you can get a bottle for yourself.

What does Knead perfume smell like?

The brand says the perfume “transforms the iconic Auntie Anne’s aroma fans love into a scent. With hints of buttery dough, savory salt and touch of sweetness, each spritz of Knead evokes the experience of an Auntie Anne's store.”

Auntie Anne’s posted the below video on their TikTok account, which gives more insight into the fragrance. And if you check the comment sections, commenters went crazy, saying things like “it’s not a want, it’s a knead” and “this gotta be a sign for me to get Auntie Anne’s.”

TikToker and perfume expert @affordableperfumereviews shares her thoughts about the fragrance in her video below. She confirms what the brand said above and says that when it dries, the fragrance does have a slight sweet aroma but is overall more savory than sweet.

One thing to note: When Knead perfume first went live on the brand’s website, it sold out in minutes. If you want a bottle for yourself, the smaller bottle size is available for pre-order now while quantities last.

How to wear Knead perfume

While of course the perfume can be worn on its own, if you like a more sweet-savory aroma, there are a few ways to help the fragrance lean even more sugary sweet. We have (an unconfirmed) feeling Auntie Anne’s will release a cinnamon sugar version in the future, but layering Knead perfume with a vanilla-based fragrance is one option. Vanilla mixes well with the buttery dough notes without overpowering the original scent.

Or you can create a sugary-sweet and bespoke aroma by applying a vanilla-sugar body lotion, like Bath & Body Works ​​Warm Vanilla Sugar , prior to spritzing on Knead perfume. Not only will this create a sweet smelling base, but applying lotion before perfume can help fragrance last longer so it’s a win-win!

I tried Knead perfume, here's what I thought

Being a fan of Auntie Anne’s (it’s one of my favorite snacks to pick up at a mall or airport), I could not wait to test the fragrance out. It’s not the typical type of perfume I go for since almost all of the fragrances in my collection of perfumes fall in the airy, fresh or floral categories. But I do like to switch up my perfume occasionally, so I test wore this for a day. And wow did Knead perfume shock me!

Upon the first few spritzes, it does smell exactly like the aroma coming from an Auntie Anne’s — they really bottled up their signature pretzel scent. I was immediately transported to my local mall and pictured myself holding shopping bags while waiting in line to treat myself with a buttery, salted pretzel with just a touch of sweetness. A true sensory and serotonin boost! And the hint of saltiness gives the fragrance more depth to help balance the buttery notes.

To do my due diligence, I DoorDashed Auntie Anne’s to do a smell comparison, and to be honest, I also wanted a snack too! And after intently smelling the two, the only slight difference is that the perfume is just a hair sweeter than the real pretzel. There is a complexity to the fragrance that the real-life has as well, a touch of sweetness in one sniff, a rich hint of butter and salt in the next.

I was also pleasantly surprised at the longevity of the scent, I could still smell it lingering on my skin at the end of the day. Will this become my new signature scent? I’m not entirely sure. But if I’m ever craving a pretzel and can’t make it to the mall or want to fight the craving, I can just spritz this on to get my fix.

See more fragrances that we love:

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