See it in action
2 AM Doughnut Fragrance Oil
You swore you would only have one, but here you are at 2 in the morning with a beautiful pink box of donuts. This scent is a shameless overload of fried dough with brown sugar that forms a buttery caramel drizzle. There is a solid base of whipped vanilla and heavy whipping cream and melted butter so intoxicating you wont even pretend to feel bad.
Description
2 AM Doughnut Fragrance Oil
What it smells like and what it does in a base
You swore you would only have one, but here you are at 2 in the morning with a beautiful pink box of donuts. This scent is a shameless overload of fried dough with brown sugar that forms a buttery caramel drizzle. There is a solid base of whipped vanilla and heavy whipping cream and melted butter so intoxicating you won't even pretend to feel bad.
For the formulator, this is the most versatile oil we have put in a gourmand collection — and the one that asks the most of your colour plan. It is rated for both cold process soap and candles, which a bakery accord rarely survives: high pH usually flattens vanilla and caramel into something thin and plasticky, and most fried-dough accords are built on materials that do not burn cleanly. This one holds in both. The tax is vanillin. At 3.6% it is the highest in the collection, and it will take a white base to cream and then to tan — faster in cold process, where the alkalinity accelerates it.
Guilty Pleasures
A fall and winter collection with no pumpkin, no spiced leaf and no cider stand — built on sugar, dairy and fried dough instead. 2 AM Doughnut is the anchor: the broadest in the set, and the one the rest of the collection is balanced against.
Scent architecture
How the fragrance unfolds — use this to write your own product copy
Tagged year-round rather than seasonal, and that is accurate — a bakery gourmand sells in June. The collection window is a merchandising decision, not a limit on the oil.
Bases we'd build this into
Tested pairings from our own kitchen
Behavior in base
The four things that go wrong, and whether they will here
How much to use
Two different limits apply. Always use the lower one.
| Base category | Fragrance load |
|---|---|
| Body Sprays & Mists | up to 1% |
| — Body Spray Base | up to 5% |
| Salts, Fizzies & Bath Bombs | up to 2% |
| Body Scrubs & Polishes | up to 2% |
| Body Washes & Bubble Baths | up to 1% |
| Lotions, Creams & Butters | up to 1% |
| Hair Care | up to 1% |
| Body Oils | up to 1% |
| Melt & Pour Soap | 0.3–1% |
| Men's Personal Care | 0.5–1% |
| Facial Formulations | 0.3–0.6% |
Category maxima across our 86 bases. Facial and tear-free versions sit lower than the body version of the same base, and five of our sulfate-free bases specify a different load for vanillin-containing fragrances — which this very much is. Always take the figure from the base product page you are actually using, or see the full reference table.
| What you're making | Max | IFRA category |
|---|---|---|
| Body spray, body mist, deodorant | 0.39% | Category 2 |
| Facial makeup, eye products, face wipes | 0.59% | Category 3 |
| Facial moisturizer, toner, beard care | 1.19% | Category 5B |
| Body cream, body oil, body lotion | 1.82% | Category 5A |
| Hand cream, nail care | 1.82% | Category 5C |
| Leave-on hair styling, hair spray | 4.85% | Category 7B |
| Fine fragrance, perfume oil, aftershave | 7.13% | Category 4 |
| Body wash, shampoo, bar soap, bath bombs | 13.99% | Category 9 |
| Candles of all types | 56.33% | Category 12 |
All 18 IFRA categories, as certified
| Category | Max | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | 0.000% | Lip products of all types, children's toys |
| Category 2 | 0.390% | Deodorant, antiperspirant, body sprays and mists |
| Category 3 | 0.590% | Eye products, facial make-up and foundation, make-up remover, face and body paint, facial masks, wipes for face and body |
| Category 4 | 7.130% | Fine fragrance of all types, aftershaves, solid perfume, scent strips |
| Category 5A | 1.820% | Body creams, oils and lotions, foot care, powders and talc |
| Category 5B | 1.190% | Facial toner, facial moisturizers and creams, beard and mustache care |
| Category 5C | 1.820% | Hand cream, nail care, cuticle cream, hand sanitizer |
| Category 5D | 0.390% | Baby cream, baby lotion, baby oil, baby powder and talc |
| Category 6 | 0.000% | Toothpaste, mouthwash, breath sprays, toothpowder |
| Category 7A | 4.850% | Rinse-off hair chemical treatments, rinse-off hair dyes |
| Category 7B | 4.850% | Hair sprays, mousse, gels, leave-on conditioners, dry shampoo, hair perfume |
| Category 8 | 0.390% | Intimate wipes and sprays, tampons, baby wipes, wet toilet paper |
| Category 9 | 13.990% | Bar soap, shampoo, liquid soap, body wash, shower gel, bath bombs and salts, shaving cream, depilatories |
| Category 10A | 13.990% | Laundry and dish detergent, hard surface cleaners, fabric softener, reed diffusers, pot-pourri |
| Category 10B | 51.390% | Air freshener sprays, animal sprays, aerosol insecticides |
| Category 11A | 0.390% | Feminine hygiene pads and liners, baby diapers, incontinence products, dry toilet paper |
| Category 11B | 0.390% | Scented socks and gloves, facial tissues, napkins, pillow spray, paper towels, facial masks |
| Category 12 | 56.330% | Candles of all types, automated air fresheners, incense, dryer sheets, scent beads, paints, plastics |
Certified by Essentials by Catalina under the 51st Amendment of the IFRA Code of Practice, published June 2023. Certificate dated 6 October 2026. The 51st splits several of the old classes — what used to be Class 5 is now 5A through 5D, and candles have their own Category 12 — so these figures do not map one-to-one onto certificates issued under the 48th Amendment.
Documents
Everything you need for your own compliance file
Blends well with
Build a signature accord — run the ratios through the calculator
Pure & undiluted
Why our oils behave differently from most
Many suppliers sell fragrance oils cut with carrier oils or diluents to reduce cost. Ours are concentrated, pure, undiluted and cosmetic grade. A concentrated oil means a lower fragrance load per batch — a little goes a long way, and your cost per unit drops even when the per-ounce price does not.
Product compatibility is not the responsibility of Essentials By Catalina, Inc. We strongly advise sampling before committing to larger quantities so you can evaluate performance, compatibility and safety in your own formulation. Keep all products out of children's reach.
2 AM Doughnut Fragrance Oil
Oozing with richness and sweetness, our 2 AM Doughnut fragrance is pure delight. This masterfully blended aroma combines the comforting scent of a fresh-baked treat with a swirl of decadent caramel. Warm spices and a touch of fruit tantalize the senses, creating a perfectly balanced fragrance that's both mouth-watering and sophisticated. It's a scent that promises to transport you to a realm of pure, sweet indulgence.
products we love to create with this fragrance oil
Pure & Undiluted
While other suppliers may offer different grades of Fragrance Oils that may be diluted or cut with carrier oils, at Essentials by Catalina we only offer concentrated, pure and undiluted Cosmetic Grade Fragrance Oils. Working with concentrated Fragrance Oils such as these reduces the need for high fragrance loads. A little goes a long way. For recommended fragrance loads please see the "Customization" tabs or consult the fragrance or essential oils IFRA document.
Additional Info
Scent Profile (Bakery, Gourmet)
Why this matters
Best For
Audience: Unisex
Season: Year-Round
Why this matters
Flashpoint
93.33 °C (200 °F)
Why this matters
Vanilla Content
3.6
Why this matters
Compatibility
Candles: True
CP Soap: True
Why this matters
INCI Name
Parfum
Why this matters
Country of Origin
USA
Why this matters
There are no question found.
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