Here’s What Bath & Body Works' Milk Bar Collection Smells Like
So good you’ll want to eat it.
Bath & Body Works is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. When it comes to birthdays, you can’t party without some cake, so the brand has teamed up with viral bake shop Milk Bar to release a limited-edition gourmand fragrance.
The Milk Bar Birthday Cake collection is the first-ever collab between Bath & Body Works and the NYC sweet shop, which is inspired by its famous rainbow sprinkle cake. Christina Tosi, chef and founder of Milk Bar, shared in the press release, “Our beloved Milk Bar Birthday Cake has always been an experience for all five senses, especially the sweet, nostalgic scent of our epic layers of frosting, crumb, cake, and sprinkles. Now, thanks to our friends at Bath & Body Works, we’ve captured that joy into a collection of products that we can’t wait for you to try.”
The full lineup of Milk Bar Birthday Cake products includes the fan-favorite three-wick candle, fine fragrance mist, body wash, body cream, foaming hand soap, hand sanitizer spray, and a holder to match. Bath & Body Works loyalty members have been able to shop the collection since the store’s official birthday on Sept. 13, while everyone else will get the chance to browse in-stores and online starting Sept. 19.
While this is a limited-edition drop, it isn’t the last time you’ll see a Milk Bar and Bath & Body Works crossover. The two brands have a two-part collaboration, with the second chapter involving holiday scents coming later this year. As Betsy Schumacher, Bath & Body Works’ chief merchandising officer says, “This collaboration is a match made in dessert heaven.”
If you’re wondering if you should add to your cart, below you’ll find my review of the vanilla cake scent.
Bath & Body Works’ Milk Bar Birthday Cake Is The Dreamiest Vanilla
Vanilla is quickly becoming the “it girl” scent of fall 2025 with even Ariana Grande releasing a Plush Vanilla in her LOVENOTES fragrance collection. Out of all the gourmand options I’ve tried recently, this is by far my favorite.
For anyone looking for a true vanilla that smells like you just opened a fresh tub of frosting, this is it. Unlike Selena Gomez’s Rare perfume, which has notes of vanilla mixed in with other scents, this is all vanilla and smells exactly like Milk Bar’s famous layered cake. I found myself wanting to sniff myself after using the lotion and apply an extra layer of the fragrance mist to really douse myself in the deliciousness.
I’m not always a gourmand fragrance girlie, because it can become too artificial and strong — especially as a candle. However, the Milk Bar Birthday Cake felt fresh like I had cookies baking in the oven. It might even be better than the popular Vanilla Bean Noel from the holiday collection.
Overall, this drop is getting a solid 5 out of 5 for both the nostalgic and delicious scent I wanted to eat as well as the adorably pink packaging that blends in so well with Milk Bar’s iconic look.
