
Vanilla has been a hero note in the fragrance world forever, but more recently it's undergone a transformation. It's long been reserved as a either base note or a component in super-sweet gourmands, but now perfumers are highlighting its versatility: it can add warmth, richness, a skin-like softness, even a darker vegetal edge, depending on the way the raw material is handled. But the bottom line is that vanilla's comforting, familiar and kind of addictive – it's no wonder vanilla perfumes are blowing up on TikTok.
Whether you want to smell like cake or prefer something with a masculine facet, there's a vanilla for every mood – all of which we've compiled below.
Matiere Premiere Vanilla Powder
This smells like a freshly scraped vanilla bean mixed with palo santo and musk. It's absolutely a vanilla perfume but a grown up, slightly corrupted version.
Maison Margiela Replica Afternoon Delight

Sweet and spongy, Afternoon Delight is constructed around the smell of a still-warm vanilla madeleine in a Parisian cafe. It's comforting, warm, indulgent but not cloying.
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

This fragrance was inspired by an underground London members club: cognac, tobacco smoke, spicy ginger and vanilla laced with cocoa. It's also apparently a favourite of Harry Styles, so...
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold

If you love the memorability of Baccarat Rouge but crave the warmth of vanilla, Gentle Fluidity Gold is the perfume for you. It's girly, creamy, a little floral and very delicious.
Dior Vanilla Diorama

Vanilla Diorama is a spicy vanilla with orange zest and bitter cocoa. The scent is actually an hommage to a particular Dior dessert served at Maxims in Paris – a deliciously fluffy vanilla mousseline, inspired by the airy chiffon Mr Dior loved to layer in his couture creations.
Chloé Vanilla Planifolia

Vanilla Planifolia is vanilla for the Chloé girl: luminous, a little bohemian, feminine but grounded. It's a creamy scent but anchored with notes of spices and orchid.
Jo Malone London Vetiver & Golden Vanilla

Jo Malone London have combined vanilla bourbon and vetiver with soapy lavender to create this masterpiece. Masculine but milky, it's an Earthy vanilla with an untamed edge.
DIPTYQUE Eau Duelle

Picked while still green, Duelle is an unexpected blend of vanilla bean with spicy cardamom, musk and pink pepper. It's heady but sweet, sort of like cream, warm skin and incense.
Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Milk

This is super soft and milky, like vanilla scented cashmere, not dissimilar the the sweet smell of a newborn. If you want the creaminess of vanilla but not the candy-like aftertaste, it's perfect.
D.S. & Durga Deep Dark Vanilla

Rich and smoky, this vanilla pays tribute to raw vanilla beans. It's vegetal and Earthy, not saccharine or food-like. Think of it as a vanilla for grown-ups.
BDK Velvet Tonka

Aside from its incredible longevity and projection, Velvet Tonka has a decadent note profile. A little bit chocolatey, a little bit spicy, kind of nutty, it's like dessert but minus the airy sweetness.
Images: D.S. & Durga, Chloé



