Some people equate "vanilla” with being boring, but you can’t argue that it’s a classic. Whether you love the scent with all your heart or think it smells like every other woman you know, vanilla perfume is here to stay. As of writing, #vanillaperfume has more than 138,000 posts on TikTok, with a number of videos garnering upwards of a million likes and views. Gone are the days of simply saccharine gourmands. There are more complex and unexpected vanilla fragrances to choose from. Now, overpowering vanilla notes are taking a backseat and making way for new olfactory combinations that feature other interesting ingredients that help enhance and balance out the sweetness. Think exotic florals, deep ambers, musks and tropical fruits that make them anything-but-boring. So, if you’re looking to upgrade your fragrance collection, here are the 14 best vanilla perfumes in the market, vetted by PureWow editors.
The 14 Best Vanilla Perfumes That Are Anything But Boring, Vetted by Our Editors
Including Sol de Janiero, Diptyque and more
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The Best Vanilla Perfumes at a Glance
Best Overall Vanilla Perfume
Replica by Maison Margiela By the Fireplace
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Most Unique Vanilla Perfume
Noteworthy n,290 Crescendo
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Best Caramelized Vanilla Perfume
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ’71
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Best Celebrity Vanilla Perfume
Billie Eilish Eilish
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Most Layerable Vanilla Perfume
By Rosie Jane Dulce
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How I Chose the Best Vanilla Perfumes
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. The perfumes 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.
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Best Overall Vanilla Perfume
1. Replica by Maison Margiela By the Fireplace
Replica by Maison Margiela
If you’re looking for the best overall vanilla perfume, look no further than “By the Fireplace” from Replica by Maison Margiela. 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. For Senior Commerce Editor Stephanie Maida, it has become her signature scent. "I first received this perfume around the holidays a few years ago and instantly fell in love with how warm, nutty and sweet it was. While my mind now always connects it to Christmastime, it's versatile enough to spritz on year-round, and I do think the touch of vanilla makes it a great choice for the warmer seasons,” she explains. Notes of clove, chestnut and vanilla in this gourmand eau de cologne will have you wanting to nuzzle up under a blanket in the chalet lounge (or your living room couch).
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de cologne
- Fragrance Family: warm, spicy, woody
- Olfactory Notes: chestnuts, smoky clove oil, sweet vanilla
- Sizes: 0.34 to 3.4 oz
Known for their variety of unique scents and AI-driven Fragrance Finder Quiz, Noteworthy is full of innovative fragrances. “290” is a light, bright and floral fragrance that’s softened by vanilla. “I love Noteworthy’s ‘290’ perfume so much I've been wearing it daily since I got it. I think the brand's description of it being influenced by smooth jazz is absolutely perfect and it has way more depth to it than your average vanilla perfume,” shares Associate Commerce Editor Natalie LaBarbera. Though it combines fruity, floral, amber and vanilla olfactory notes, this fragrance stays balanced and is perfect for daily wear.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: sweet, floral
- Olfactory Notes: mandarin, Italian bergamot oil, orpur, peony, pear blossom, jasmine sambac abs India orpur, vanilla, Australian sandalwood oil, sensual musks
- Sizes: 0.27 to 3.30 oz
With nearly 4,000 5-star reviews on their site alone (and nearly an additional 2,000 on Sephora), Sol de Janeiro's Cheirosa ‘71 is a crowd favorite. Full of caramel and nutty notes, this fragrance is a true gourmand and sweet to the core. One thing Beauty & Cultures Editor Chelsea Candelario loves about Cheirosa ’71? You can use it on both your body and your hair for an all-around scent-ual experience. “It’s like a vacation in a bottle. The caramelized vanilla note really comes through, along with the toasted macadamia nut and tonka beans. I like to layer this with my shimmer SPF and feel like I am transported right to a hot tropical beach,” she tells me. Simply put, warm and cozy, this indulgent fragrance will keep you coming back.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: hair and body fragrance mist
- Fragrance Family: gourmand, amber
- Olfactory Notes: caramelized vanilla, sea salt, toasted macadamia nut, white chocolate, tonka bean, coconut blossom
- Sizes: 3.4 to 8.1 oz
Singer, songwriter, Oscar and Grammy winner and now perfumer? What can’t Billie Eilish do?! Her eau de parfum is chalk full of vanilla, musk and fruit notes and it comes in a bronze-colored bottle in the shape of a near-headless asymmetrical bust. As Candelario says, "OK, [I know] celebrity perfumes often get a bad rap, but Billie Eilish Eau de Parfum puts those to shame. The notes of creamy vanilla, warm musks and sugared petals are an amazing combination. It smells divine and it has been my go-to fragrance for months now. Can we also talk about the design of the bottle? It definitely stands out among my perfumes and is my favorite one for sure!"
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: amber, gourmand
- Olfactory Notes: sugared petals, mandarin, warm berries, creamy vanilla, soft spices, cocoa, sleek woods, warm musks, tonka beans
- Sizes: 1.0 to 3.4 oz
With two variations of vanilla and a chocolate note that make up most of the fragrance, it’s safe to say that Dulce’s name (translated to ‘sweet’ in English) suits it perfectly. Former Commerce Editor Olivia Dubyak swears by the By Rosie perfume line and says, “In the colder months, I love a warmer scent, and the Dulce fragrance makes me feel like I just finished working in a bakery straight out of a Hallmark movie. It's warm and cozy with a hint of spiciness and is somehow light yet rich all at the same time. I love that it's layerable, too.”
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: sweet, gourmand, warm, spicy
- Olfactory Notes: two variations of vanilla, chocolate, hinoki wood
- Sizes: 0.33 to 1.7 oz
Although Diptyque has a few vanilla faves, SEO Editor Marissa Wu is drawn to Orphéon, a fragrance featuring juniper berry, cedar, tonka bean, jasmine and vanilla. Given its tobacco notes, Wu says she “was prepared to dislike Orphéon, and so was shocked that I ended up actually liking it. Diptyque describes it as having ‘striking blue hues offset with glittering silver to conjure up a thrilling, tumultuous night.’ It’s meant to evoke the legendary, but now defunct Orphéon jazz bar in Paris’s Latin Quarter…The tobacco notes are tempered by delicate jasmine and juniper berry—sweet but at the same time sharp, as if you’ve just pulled a bunch from the earth. As it dries down, Orphéon gets woodier, evoking the bar, but retains a sweetness I chalk up to the tonka bean. It finishes as a delicate, smoky, floral vanilla that makes me think of strands of pearls, tweed Chanel jackets and Sunday lunch during springtime.”
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de toilette
- Fragrance Family: sweet, gourmand
- Olfactory Notes: Madagascar bourbon vanilla, pink peppercorn, cypriol, calamus
- Sizes: 2.5 oz
Though this is one of the “truest” vanilla scents on the list, the heavy dose of amber notes in the formulation creates a deeper, more full-bodied vanilla scent that keeps it from being basic. Spicy, warm, woody and sweet, it’s layered and luscious and oh so heavenly—like digging into a bowl of ice cream made with fancy vanilla straight from the pod. It’s one of my favorite perfumes. I never like to smell predictable and I’m always changing up my fragrances. This eau de toilette is strong and rakes in the compliments whenever I wear it. It’s sweet and heady with a tinge of musk, leaving people wondering what I have on and they’re usually shocked to find out it’s vanilla-based. Plus, one of the chicest things about the fragrance is its art nouveau-style packaging with intricate Alphonse Mucha-esque florals and vintage-looking typeface.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de toilette
- Fragrance Family: spicy, gourmand, amber
- Olfactory Notes: powdery spiced vanilla blend
- Sizes: 0.5 to 1.6 oz
We’re most definitely in our vanilla era—and so is Boy Smells. Launched in 2023, this perfume turns the traditional vanilla fragrance on its head. PureWow’s VP of Editorial Candace Davison has been hooked on the scent from the moment she tried it. “If Blanche Devereaux had a signature scent, this would be it. It's a sultry take on vanilla, where the sweetness is tempered by black amber, cashmere wood and white tulip. It lightens things up, but there's a little spice to it, thanks to the black pepper. I may be decades away from retiring to South Beach with my besties and eating cheesecake all day, but this gives me a sense of escape from the day-to-day,” she says.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: earthy, floral
- Olfactory Notes: white tulip, black pepper, madagascar frankincence, vanilla absolute, coffee absolute, papyrus India, saffron, cashmere wood, iso e super, beetroot, black amber
- Sizes: 0.33 to 1.6 oz
A list of vanilla perfumes wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from its deeper, more mature cousin caramel. Sweet Tooth Caramel Dream is a celebrity perfume I can get behind. Sweet notes of vanilla, sugared lemon and dark chocolate bean meld together with citrus notes, milky moments and florals for a fragrance that’s so good, you’ll wish you could eat it. “It smells sweet without being overwhelming and a great layerable scent for the warmer months—plus, the bottle as a bar of chocolate is *so* Sabrina and I love displaying it,” adds Candelario.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: sweet, spicy
- Olfactory Notes: sugared lemon, orange zest, almond milk, freesia, orange blossom, tiger orchid, dark chocolate bean, vanilla, sandalwood, caramelized amber, patchouli, fluffy musk
- Sizes: 1 oz
This Phlur perfume is constantly sold out, which is why it’s worth adding to your cart as soon as it's available. It’s the vanilla-forward fragrance combo that surprises you with grounded woody notes. Executive Managing Editor Catrina Yohay isn’t typically drawn to vanilla scents, but something about this seductive mixture captured her attention. “It's sweet and sassy right out of the bottle but settles into this dreamy concoction that, as the name suggests, smells like skin wrapped up in some kind of expensive cashmere: warm and woodsy yet lived in and grounding. I love spritzing it on after an evening shower. Since it's a body mist, it's lighter and less intense than a perfume.”
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: body and hair mist
- Fragrance Family: sweet, gourmand, woody
- Olfactory Notes: pink pepper, pink apple, sugar crystals, lily, jasmine petals, cashmere wood, benzoin, vanilla, sandalwood
- Sizes: 3.0 to 8.0 oz
Among the buzzy and celeb brands, there are vanilla fragrances 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. “The dark rum and oak notes make it smell unique and luxe. It's not overwhelming, but definitely noticeable. I also love that the ingredients are EWG-verified, so they're safe to wear all day long,” she shares.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: warm
- Olfactory Notes: dark rum, vanilla, labdanum, rich oak
- Sizes: 3.0 to 8.0 oz
I chatted with Paul Fino, a fragrance expert and viral content creator, who predicts 509 by STTES is going to be the next vanilla perfume to look out for. He tells me, “This one’s a soft, sweet vanilla with a hint of violet. 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.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: woody
- Olfactory Notes: sweet velvet plums, sugar-coated violets, vanilla orchids, light amber, jasmine, sandalwood
- Sizes: 3.4 oz
This vanilla perfume is loved by reviewers and experts alike. It has warm and spicy notes that’s described as “a masterpiece of refined and cultivated nuance.” You’ll find hints of jasmine and vanilla orchids, which brings out the softness of the tonka absolute. Then, it will slowly fade into other wonderful scents of musk, amber, brown sugar and patchouli. As Fino shares, “A true icon. It’s warm, inviting and feels like a more grown-up take on vanilla. It has that signature ‘TikTok girlie’ energy and for good reason.”
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: warm, spicy
- Olfactory Notes: vanilla orchids, tonka absolute, amber woods
- Sizes: 0.33 to 3.4 oz
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. For Candelario, it completely changed her mind about floral fragrances. “The fragrance truly takes you on a journey. I’m not much of a floral person, but this one might be swaying my opinion. It has such a sweet fragrance, and it has everything to do with the marshmallow. There are hints of warmer vanilla notes, which I love, and the neroli peeks through as well, transporting me to a garden, picking spring flowers and sporting one of those Tuckernuck dresses PureWow readers love so darn much,” she writes in her review.
Fast Facts
- Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
- Fragrance Family: warm, floral
- Olfactory Notes: orange blossom, vanilla absolute, marshmallow
- Sizes: 0.24 to 3.4 oz
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Best-Smelling Vanilla Perfume?
This question is subjective, so it’s entirely up to you *and* your nose. However, this list gives insight into the most popular among PureWow editors, fragrance experts and reviewers. A few include Phlur, Diptyque and Maison Margiela, which all have racked up more than 2,000 reviews each on retailer websites.
Why Is Vanilla the Most Attractive Scent?
According to Fino, there was a shift in what people wanted in fragrances post-pandemic and vanilla has continued to be top of mind. He explains, “We were all craving comfort—something warm, cozy and calming. Vanilla answered that need. Fragrances like “Eilish” by Billie Eilish really helped reignite the vanilla moment during that time, and I think that impact is still influencing the way we consume and connect with vanilla scents today.”
What Other Scent Notes Work Well with Vanilla?
Fino says vanilla is pretty versatile, so don’t be afraid to experience it with other scent notes you enjoy. He personally recommends starting with tonka bean, marshmallow or milk. He adds, “Creamy gourmand quality is really trending right now—milk notes are everywhere, and content creator Emma Vernon has really helped popularize that. And we can’t forget pistachio. Pistachio and vanilla together? Always a hit.”
