Vanilla Scented Perfume vs. Gourmand Fragrances

Long gone are the days when vanilla fragrances were confectionary overloads. Harris explains that in present-day vanilla scented perfume is often paired with woodsy, citrus, or spicy notes to help balance the sweetness of vanilla while still letting it shine through. Consider a vanilla fragrance that combines other favored notes for a more sophisticated take on the gourmand scent.

The beauty of vanilla perfume is its ability to fuse with other ingredients. And here, this blend of spices and fruit notes with subtle vanilla scented perfume is ideal for warmer months, day or night. From its initial opening of juicy pineapple to its grownup dry-down of heady patchouli and exotic sandalwood, it’s a worthy cologne contender.

It starts quite peppery but soon melts into the skin to leave you smelling fresh, yet warm at the same time. Although this perfume has spices in it, the base note of purple vanilla orchid shines through, for a powdery and fresh scent as the day goes on. It's the perfect counterpart to the oaky vanilla bourbon you notice upon first spray. My roundup of the best vanilla colognes encompasses a diverse range of fragrances to cater to the tastes of even the most discerning scent enthusiasts.

Delicate orange essences combined with cocoa, caramel, musk and, of course, a mellow touch of vanilla fragrance. To create a more mysterious elixir, base notes of oak, musk, oud, wood and coffee will complete the delicate blend. The top notes will be amber or spicy and accentuated by nutmeg or pink berries. The heart notes will bring a touch of sensuality thanks to incense, datura flower, rose or cognac. She’s an authority in all perfume categories but an expert when it comes to vanilla perfumes after sniffing, testing, and reviewing nearly every perfume launch over the last year. Vanilla bourbon perfectly balances out the smokey, earthy vetiver tones in this to create a velvety scent that won’t leave your nose feeling overwhelmed after just one spritz.

From cheap and cheerful The Body Shop Vanilla Mist to reasonably-priced, there’s a vanilla scented perfume for most budgets. Oud Satin Mood is in my top three all-time longest-lasting colognes, and I’m not alone. A staggering 82% of Fragrantica users who reviewed Oud Satin Mood experienced 7-12+ hours of wear. If you want your cologne to go the distance, you need one that combines the sweet scent with other powerhouse notes. No best vanilla cologne roundup would be complete without this legendary luxury scent.

If you want to give off that ‘old money’ rich vibe, then put this classic vanilla perfume on your wishlist ASAP. Mancera Velvet Vanilla boasts sweet vanilla, accords, pear, jasmine and neroli as well as a sensual musk dry-down. But also ideal for the office, making it a must-have for summer. This scented mist is the best vanilla cologne for the conscious consumer. With 96% natural ingredients and a 31% recycled glass bottle, this cruelty-free, vegan cologne leaves your skin sweet and your conscience clean.

While some may discount them as too cloying or too basic, let's not forget, vanilla fragrances are a bona fide aphrodisiac with a proven ability to soothe, seduce and even increase arousal. In fact, as an individual note, vanilla is one of (if not the most) popular one in the world of modern perfumery, and understandably so. Vanilla perfumes for women offer a world of comfort, warmth, and elegance. From a spicy and bold blend to a sweet and cozy gourmand, there is a vanilla story waiting for everyone to explore.

It’s affordable at just $19 for an EDP eau de parfum, and the longevity is amazing. A hidden gem.” It also has notes of amber, jasmine and sandalwood to bring it a more warm, tropical scent at the forefront. Plus, the fragrance comes in a purple bottle—reminiscent of the violets—that will surely stand out on your vanity. If you’re looking for the best overall vanilla perfume, look no further than “By the Fireplace” from vanilla scented perfume. This eau de cologne takes you back to 1971 to a French commune called Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Chamonix for short), nestled high in the Alps at the base of the tallest summit.

An oldie but a goodie, YSL's Black Opium is a classic designer perfume for a reason. Coffee and florals don't exactly sound like a great pairing, but I'm here to assure you that it works. The coffee note adds a dark, seductive punch to the classic white floral notes, while warm vanilla is at the base of it all. I feel my most feminine, confident self when I'm wearing this perfume, which is why I wear it on all of my date nights and special occasions. While I like to smell like a freshly baked cookie or marshmallow treat personified, you might prefer a gourmand balanced by leather, smoke, or citrus. Thankfully, 2025’s roster of the best vanilla scented perfume blends the inherently comforting fragrance family with a range of notes, ensuring there is something to suit every preference.

Warm and sensual, Coach Platinum takes its inspiration from the spirit of the open road. The fragrance is a call to arms for daring guys wanting to escape the humdrum of city life. The same reason that “leather” is a positive attribute when describing wine. Think more vintage sofa than ratty old handbag though, and that's what you'll get when you douse yourself in this intoxicating scent.

If you like darker undertones with your sweet scents, this is the vanilla scented perfume for you. YSL’s signature scent of fresh black coffee mingles with the sultry smell of vanilla. The orange blossom and white flower add grace and richness to the overall fragrance, resulting in a perfume that delights in bold contradictions.

Remember when I promised that there were vanillas that were sophisticated and complex? If you’re a fan of Tom Ford’s vanilla perfumes or Heretic’s Dirty Vanilla, I feel confident that Byredo’s Vanilla Antique will be happy on your shelf. Like previously mentioned, it’s not sweet in the classic sense, so if you’re more of a sugary vanilla girlie, save yourself the money. However, its dark and earthy aroma is a must try for those who like vanilla scented perfume in the woods category. It has musky undertones and an initial kick that you’ll either love or hate. Shop our collection of vanilla perfumes today and embrace the sophistication and warmth of this timeless scent.

Among the buzzy and celeb brands, there are vanilla scented perfume that should be on your radar like Rosy & Earnest. The brand describes it as “the embodiment of sensuality and confidence” and if you’re looking for a traditional vanilla, LaBarbera recommends putting this in your rotation. I also love that the ingredients are EWG-verified, so they're safe to wear all day long,” she shares. They’re either a shadowy note in the background or a thumping animalic scent that has you in a chokehold. By layering zippy mandarin and Sicilian lemon over a soft, spicy landing of vanilla absolute, iris and white musk, perfumer Lyn Harris has created a scent that feels perfect for wearing every day. This fragrance opens with a sweet burst of sugared petals, red berries, and mandarin orange.

It also layers well with headier, more masculine scents, like D.S. Several customers on ScentBird said it was a good date night perfume, as well, and that it was also sexy. Because our body chemistry and personal taste change with time, I’ve been hunting for a new perfume; preferably one infused with the classic note.

The vanilla scented perfume can be detected right away, and it stays into the dry down. What I like best, however, is that the nutmeg starts shining through after a few minutes, and the orange blossom sort of brightens the entire fragrance up. I’d categorize it as part of the gourmand family, so if you like vanilla scented perfume, this may be for you. Its first impression is sweet and salty — sort of like a sexy, salty cake. However, the dry down is where the real magic is, overtime developing into something more musky and grownup-ish.

There's a beautiful warm feeling about this scent that has us yearning for cooler temperatures so we can finally drench ourselves in this concoction. Vanilla certainly works wonderfully during any season of the year in my view. Its cozy warmth is perfect for those chilly winter months yet it also pairs seamlessly with lighter, more summery notes of fruit and citrus. That inherent sweetness makes vanilla such a flexible, versatile scent.

Ahead, you'll find reviews of a few of my all-time favorite scents, plus a few select from experts and fellow Marie Claire editors. Whether you're looking for a floral fragrance for summer or a warm perfume for winter, it's all here. To figure out which vanilla perfumes were worthy, I needed to make sure that they met a few requirements. First, every perfume on this list needed to have other prominent olfactory characteristics that enhanced their vanilla notes like floral, woody, beachy, cool, warm, spicy or gourmand.

It’s about more than just picking a vanilla scented perfume; it’s about finding a fragrance that resonates with your essence. We meticulously select raw materials that are as pure as they are potent. Every ingredient in our fragrances is chosen by expert noses for its superior quality and ability to create a scent experience like no other. The scent adds an intoxicating brightness, fresh and feminine with an orange blossom floralcy. The aroma of Jasmine Sambac scent is captured using vegetable oil followed by a supercritical fluid extraction. This reveals the flower's natural and original note without the typical green and fatty facets that are usually captured in absolutes.

The vanilla scented perfume also needed to hit a variety of price points, from affordable throw-it-in-your-cart-at-check-out fragrances to indulgent splurges worthy of their own savings accounts. In addition, I also sought out different kinds of fragrance concentrations from the stronger parfums and eau de parfums to the lighter eau de colognes and eau de toilettes. Plus, I looked for household names and indie labels to capture a wide range of vanilla perfumes and made sure they were all vetted by PureWow editors and reviewers. Normally, as soon as our wardrobes lean towards sheer cottons, our fragrances follow suit with laundry-fresh florals, greens and marines.

I've always been a Lancôme stan (in addition to vanilla scented perfume—my mum wore a few of its staple scents), so it's a warm and fuzzy line of fragrances that is only punctuated with this new debut. It's unlike anything I've ever smelled before, and the compliments have been coming in hot ever since I added it to my regular arsenal of fragrances. The combination of perfume oils is what makes a fragrance unique, and the types of oils can play a huge role in the outcome of a perfume. When it comes to vanilla in fragrances, Harris explains that it can either have natural or synthetic origins depending on the fragrance's desired character. "Synthetics tend to be used to give a more sweet, addictive quality, while the natural extract brings a more animal, leathery, or spicy dimension," she says. The ingredient list can shed light on its overall sense when shopping for a vanilla perfume.

Given how tricky the plant is to cultivate, the majority of the vanilla scents and flavourings you'll come across are synthetic (99% of them, in fact). But just like in nature – where there's numerous different varieties and species, depending on the soil and climate its grown in – synthetic vanilla can come in a huge array of scents. Choose right and it can smell phenomenal – creamy, sweet, smoky, spicy or floral. But first you have to find one that's not too sickly and not too sweet. Word on the street is that this is Rihanna’s signature scent, and it has more than 4,000 five-star reviews to prove it’s the real deal. It falls in the warm florals family as it opens up with marshmallow before settling into the orange blossom and vanilla notes.

Although most of our writers and editors were on the fence about it, our deals writer loved it. It’s bold, hedonistic and positively polluted with the signature ingredient. I applied one healthy spritz to my wrists around lunch and it was still clinging to me when I went to bed 12 hours later. Honestly, it was a little too much for me — I know, I can’t believe it either. From Byredo’s Vanilla Antique to Kayali’s Vanilla 28 to Sol de Janeiro’s Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 62, there really is a vanilla scent for everyone. This scent dresses you in memories and nuances of joy that echo long after the initial note wears off.

Our perfumes are not only good vanilla perfumes, but they are also crafted to be clean, cruelty-free, and vegan. This commitment to ethical practices ensures that you can enjoy luxury fragrances without compromising your values. A signature ingredient in the composition of sensual fragrances. Our vanilla scented perfume typically last up to three years after opening. Store your bottles in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight or heat. This keeps the vanilla note creamy and stable while preserving the fragrance’s full character.

If you change your perfumes with the season, I recommend this as a winter perfume, as it's warm and soothing. Vanilla scented perfume is one of the most iconic and beloved notes in perfumery. Derived from the cured seed pods of the Vanilla planifolia orchid, it’s prized for its sweet, creamy, and comforting aroma. Its soft, gourmand character creates an inviting sweetness that appeals to a wide range of scent profiles—and it adds warmth and richness to countless fragrance compositions. One of the biggest hitters in the long-lasting league is Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood.

It actually reminds me of a headier version of Bath & Body Works vanilla scented perfume. It’s the opposite of young, so if you go for scents like Pacifica’s Island Vanilla or Aquolina’s Pink Sugar, this may have too much bite for your olfactory senses. Now, having said this, if you like luxe perfumes with that unique, designer feel, give it a try. It also layers very well with BohoBoco Vanilla Black Pepper, if you want things a touch sweeter. Honey and warmed rum come together in this fragrance to create something deep, hypnotic, and alluring. A hint of vanilla bean and sandalwood adds just the right amount of complexity.

Its lasting power is unmatched—lasting through meetings, cocktails with friends after work, and even till dawn on those endless evenings out. Finding a scent that complements your skin tone adds another layer of consideration. Join a community of people obsessed with changing the fragrance experience. Amberwoods grounds this gourmand addiction, adding a luxurious depth and modern elegance to nostalgic vanilla. A fresh, true-to-nature take on the iconic night blooming flower.