The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Some fragrances chase complexity. Affair Of Sweets by The Dua Brand doesn't bother. Mahsam Raza composed it in 2025 as a love letter to Dulce by By/Rosie Jane, that cult favorite everyone describes as "cozy and creamy" without quite explaining why it sticks. This one fits a simple brief: a gourmand that wraps you in something sweet without making you work for it. The inspiration is direct. Dulce's charm is its restraint, that "just one more treat" quality that never tips into sugar overload. Raza translated that brief into a composition stacked with vanilla from every angle, brown sugar, dulce de leche, sugar cane, and tonka, then anchored the sweetness with hinoki wood so the whole thing doesn't float off.
The vanilla architecture is what separates this from a typical gourmand. Multiple vanilla expressions, vanilla bean, vanilla flower, and more, come together to create depth within a single material family. Brown sugar and dulce de leche bring the lactonic, almost-butterscotch richness. Sugar cane adds a green, grassy sweetness that keeps the opening from feeling baked. Then hinoki wood cuts through the sugar with a quiet astringency. It's the structural beam holding up the roof.
The evolution
The opening phase is pure indulgence. Vanilla bean and brown sugar lead, with sugar cane lifting the top into something almost confectionery. Not sharp, not aggressive. Just immediate sweetness that announces itself without shouting. The heart opens properly next. Dulce de leche takes over, that slow-cooked, almost burnt-caramel warmth that feels edible without crossing into food-scent territory. Vanilla flower adds a soft, almost creamy floralcy underneath. The sugar notes settle. Amber starts threading through, and the whole composition turns warmer, denser, more golden. This is where the fragrance earns its name. It smells like an affair, indulgent but not reckless. Later, the base settles in. Tonka bean brings its almond-vanilla warmth. The amber deepens. Hinoki wood surfaces more clearly now, a dry, slightly woody counterpoint that keeps the sweetness grounded. It doesn't disappear.
Cultural impact
Affair Of Sweets sits in the same lane as Dulce by By/Rosie Jane, a gourmand that became recognizable for its restrained sweetness. Wearers who want that "cozy and creamy" experience find it here, presented as an accessible interpretation of a beloved profile. The composition lands squarely in the territory of everyday gourmands, the kind of fragrance designed to be worn without occasion or announcement. It's close to skin rather than projecting broadly, which suits a category built around comfort rather than performance. The appeal is straightforward: a sweet, lactonic profile without the heavier price tag of the original.
