The best vanilla perfumes are wildly underrated in their versatility. In fact, vanilla fragrances often get a bad rap for being “too adolescent” or overly sweet—but before you write off vanilla entirely, it’s worth reconsidering its true potential. Vanilla is not just a simple, sugary note. In fact, this fragrance category is more akin to a jack of all trades, offering a broad range of olfactory experiences that go far beyond what you might expect.
When we talk about vanilla perfumes in the context of the best perfumes for women, there’s something for everyone—think of it as an inherent building block rather than the final structure. Fragrance specialist Eudora Nwasike recommends considering your preference for decadence when narrowing down the best vanilla perfumes.
“Decide what level of sweetness you want with a vanilla fragrance and you’re off to a good start,” she tells Vogue. Whether you gravitate toward classic scents, gourmand concoctions, floral infusions, spicy interpretations, or musky undertones, vanilla adapts seamlessly to complement these notes. It’s for this very reason that it’s such an essential component in modern perfumery. Below, find the perfect vanilla-based scent for every personality and fragrance profile.
Vogue’s Favorite Vanilla Perfumes:
In This Story
Best Earthy Vanilla: Jo Malone London Vanilla & Anise
- Why We Love It: Jo Malone London fragrances are like your most direct friend: composed and always to the point. What you read is pretty much what you get with Vanilla and Anise—warm vanilla with the licorice-like twist of anise (a plant that belongs to the parsley family), creating a scent that is equally sweet, herbaceous, and slightly spicy. The result is a fragrance that reads more fresh and alluring rather than overly sweet.
- Key Notes: Vanilla, anise, amber, jasmine
Best Smoky Vanilla: Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille
- Why We Love It: A personal favorite on my perfume top shelf, Tobacco Vanille masterfully blends two seemingly unlikely pairings: the smoky essence of tobacco with the sweet warmth of vanilla. The result is a bold yet harmonious contrast between warmth and spice. At the heart of the composition, tobacco is the shining star—smoky, leathery, and with a subtle sweetness. The scent is sensual, warm, and a sophisticated, unisex fragrance that feels timeless and mysterious.
- Key Notes: Tobacco leaf, vanilla, cacao, dried fruits, spice, cedar
Best Citrus Vanilla: Dolce & Gabbana Devotion
- Why We Love It: Dolce & Gabbana’s Devotion captures the essence of orange blossoms blooming on citrus trees. With its blend of sweet vanilla and zesty candied citrus, this fragrance evokes both warmth and sensuality. Embellished with the brand’s Sacred Heart emblem for quintessential Italian flair, Devotion balances fresh and candied citrus notes with a classic vanilla base.
- Key Notes: Candied citrus, orange blossom, vanilla
Best Woody Vanilla: Byredo Vanille Antique
- Why We Love It: Byredo’s Vanille Antique is downright sophisticated. While the sweetness of vanilla is undoubtedly present, it’s made more complex by woody, earthy notes. The layered amber adds a smokey, suggestive quality that exudes the ambiance of dark academia.
- Key Notes: vanilla, cashmere, wood, ciste, musk
Best Skin Enhancer: Glossier You Doux
- Why We Love It: Glossier’s second rendition of its wildly popular fragrance, You, is a light and airy fragrance, blending the best of both florals and woody notes. The first spritz of You Doux opens with sweet violet, followed by a precious blend of woody palo santo and smoky myrrh. Of course, in true Glossier fashion, the scent isn’t meant to be overpowering—it’s is intended to be applied directly to the body as a skin enhancer, brought to life by your own unique pheromones.
- Key Notes: Sweet violet, palo santo, frankincense, myrrh, ambrette
Best Spicy Vanilla: Diptyque Eau Duelle
- Why We Love It: At the heart of Diptyque’s spicy-sweet fragrance is Bourbon vanilla from Madagascar (an ode to travel, inspired by the Spice Routes.) Bourbon vanilla’s denser facets are enhanced by amber and saffron, with smoky nuances of saffron and cypriol. Cinnamon and cardamom add a warm, spicy kick, while juniper and musk give it a skin-like finish, rounding out the scent with a sophisticated, earthy warmth.
- Key Notes: Vanilla, pink peppercorn, cypriol, incense
Best Warm Vanilla: D.S. & Durga Deep Dark Vanilla
- Why We Love It: As you may gather from the name, D.S. & Durga’s Deep Dark Vanilla is a moody, warm fragrance that evokes the aroma of aged rum with smoky patchouli. Once the the fragrance dries down, the base note of vanilla absolute (a highly concentrated extract) emerges with an unsuspecting yet balanced sweetness.
- Key Notes: Orchid, vanilla absolute, patchouli, hay
Best for Daily Wear: Phlur Vanilla Skin
- Why We Love It: Vanilla Skin by Phlur is a sophisticated twist on the traditional gourmand fragrance, opening with a burst of pink pepper and sugar. As it settles, the fragrance unfolds into cashmere and sandalwood, evoking deeper notes of coziness. The combination of vanilla, tonka bean, and a hint of musk reduces the hyper-sweetness and, instead, allows the fragrance to feel more approachable and balanced.
- Key Notes: Vanilla, tonka bean, pink pepper, pink apple, cashmere wood
Best With Patchouli: Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Intense Spray
- Why We Love It: The little sister of Chanel No. 5—younger, spunkier, and more exuberant—Coco Mademoiselle is concocted through a concentration of patchouli that gives the classic vanilla to a more rebellious edge. Its intensity is balanced out through citrus and floral notes, like orange and bergamot.
- Key Notes: Orange, bergamot, rose, jasmine, iris, ylang-ylang, patchouli, tonka bean, vanilla, white musk, amber, cedarwood
Best Clean Beauty: Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Milk
- Why We Love It: For those who love clean beauty, consider Ellis Brooklyn’s Vanilla Milk—a gourmand powered by natural ingredients. Best of all, the decadent base note of this fragrance doesn’t come from synthetic scents—instead, upcycled cocoa shells left over from roasted cocoa beans are used to create a fresh-baked aroma, mixed with both bourbon and vanilla beans, and rounded out by a touch of musk.
- Key Notes: Creamy milk accord, bourbon vanilla bean, upcycled cocoa shell extract, frangipani, musk
Best Gourmand: Dior Vanilla Diorama
- Why We Love It: For those searching for a more elegant take on a delectable gourmand, consider Dior’s Vanilla Diorama. The fragrance takes inspiration from a dessert at the restaurant Maxim’s de Paris, which honored Monsieur Dior’s love of sweets, and the couturier’s chiffon skirt silhouette, famously named the “diorama.” Citrus notes work in tandem with cardamom and cacao to create an undeniably delicious scent.
- Key Notes: Orange, pink pepper, rum, cardamom, cacao, sandalwood
Best Unique Vanilla: Vilhelm Parfumerie Poets of Berlin
- Why We Love It: Vilhelm Parfumerie creates imaginative scents inspired by abstract inspirations. The moment in time that inspired Poets of Berlin is the mid-late ’70s when David Bowie called the German city home and recorded his iconic song “Heroes.” With all that in mind, this vanilla perfume captures the uniqueness of its muse with a potent mixture of berries and citrus, rounded out by more woody and earth-forward notes like Haitian vetiver.
- Key Notes: Blueberry, green wild orris, lemon, sandalwood, Haitian vetiver
Best With Lavender: Burberry Goddess
- Why We Love It: Burberry Goddess is a gourmand concocted with three different formulations of vanilla: vanilla absolute (a highly concentrated extract) with hints of lavender, vanilla caviar (those tiny black seeds inside the bean pod), and a vanilla infusion (a liquid extract achieved by soaking it in a solvent). While the initial spritz evokes a trio of edible notes, the scent dries down to reveal a light lavender essence that’s not overpoweringly floral.
- Key Notes: Vanilla, lavender, cacao
Best With Palo Santo: Matiere Premiere Vanilla Powder Eau de Parfum
- Why We Love It: Matiere Premiere’s take on vanilla is a gourmand for grown-ups, where girlish sugary notes take a back seat to a more powdery aroma, complimented by palo santo oil. The combination yields a woody musk, with the faint sweetness of vanilla balancing out the overall fragrance intensity.
- Key Notes: Palo santo, coconut powder, Madagascar vanilla absolute, musk
Best Herbaceous: Heretic Dirty Vanilla
- Why We Love It: Calling all cool kids—if you’re too edgy and rebellious for a standard gourmand, Dirty Vanilla is for you. Heretic prides itself on crafting fragrances from entirely raw ingredients, with unpolished takes on beloved classic scents. Case in point: Dirty Vanilla is inspired by the vanilla plant itself rather than a baked good, with herbaceous notes of coriander and various woody notes to surround it.
- Key Notes: Cedar, coriander, ho wood, patchouli, sandalwood, styrax, vetiver
Best True Vanilla: Bvlgari Allegra Magnifying Vanilla
- Why We Love It: For those who like to keep it simple, consider Bvlgari’s Allegra Magnifying Vanilla—its one and only note is vanilla. That’s it! Bvlgari lets the Madagascar vanilla speak for itself by drying the plant’s beans in the sun for a more toasted, darker iteration of a gourmand. The result is a vanilla scent in its purest form.
- Key Notes: Madagascar vanilla
What Are the Most Popular Vanilla Perfumes?
Vanilla scents can range from sweet and gourmand to warm and woody, and each category offers something unique. There are sugary vanillas perfect for those who love to smell like a treat. Then there are the darker, spicier vanillas, with hints of tobacco or amber, offering a more sultry, sophisticated vibe. Some prefer fresh, floral vanillas with a light, airy feel, while others gravitate toward rich, resinous versions that leave deep, intoxicating scent. By narrowing down the category you’re after, then you can determine what will work best for you.
How to Choose a Vanilla Perfume
With so many notes to round out a vanilla base, the key to choosing the perfect perfume is actually staring back at you in the mirror—you! As a starting point, Nwasike recommends deciding what level of sweetness you’re after. From there, you dive further into the world of vanilla and figure out if you prefer something woody, gourmand, fresh, or spicy. Next, consider the weather, and the occasion you’ll be wearing your fragrance to, wether that’s during the day, for a date night or special occasion, Nwasike explains. While warmer months evoke more fruity, fresh notes, we also wear less layers, allowing direct skin-to-fragrance contact. Meanwhile, colder months call for more clothing layers, which may make you opt for a warmer, bolder scent that won’t easily fade.
Which Scents Pair Well With Vanilla?
The versatility of vanilla is what kindles its popularity. Nwasike explains that the scents that pair well with vanilla are expansive—but she helps us break them down. For a fresh take, look to combinations featuring bergamot and mandarin orange. For gourmand blends, consider notes such as caramel, honey, chocolate, coffee, almond, hazelnut, and coconut. If you prefer more spice-forward scents, saffron, cinnamon, and pink pepper are favored in vanilla perfumes. For the classic fragrance lover, you can’t go wrong with floral notes such as rose, jasmine, or orange blossom; for the mysterious woody perfume lovers, inclusions of oud, sandalwood, and patchouli will be for you. Alternatively, for fruity notes, cherry, strawberry, and peach pair perfectly with vanilla.
Meet The Expert
- Eudora Nwasike is a Certified Fragrance Specialist by The Fragrance Foundation UK featured in Forbes, The Business of Fashion, Mr. Porter and more.
