Vanilla Perfume Is Trending. Here Are 20 That Are Anything-But-Boring

Creamy, milky and floral, Ellis Brooklyn’s “Vanilla Milk” lives up to its name. The fragrance opens with a delightfully fresh milk and floral combo, the frangipani flower making an impression right away, before settling into a headier vanilla bourbon that lingers on your skin. Other Ellis Brooklyn fragrances with prominent vanilla notes include two of their body mists, Sun and Sand, both incredibly delicious and reminding us of sunnier days.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: warm, spicy, sweet, gourmand
• Olfactory Notes: two types of vanilla extracts (one is a bourbon vanilla bean extract), florals, upcycled cocoa shell, amyris, creamy milk accord, frangipani

“By the Fireplace” from Replica by Maison Margiela is inspired by time and place. 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. Senior commerce editor, Stephanie Maida shares that “By the Fireplace” is 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

Tom Ford’s fragrances are known for their opulence and thus, higher price point. This eau de parfum is unisex and works for all genders. Warm and spicy tobacco leaf is mixed with deep and creamy tonka bean and vanilla; a zing of ginger is added to keep you on your toes. Tom Ford himself describes the fragrance as, “opulent, warm, and iconic.” He adds that it’s “reminiscent of an English gentleman‘s club and blended with rich spices, vanilla, and tobacco flower [to leave] a powerful impression." Basically, if you want to stand out in a big way, this is the fragrance for you.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: woody, spicy, warm
• Olfactory Notes: tobacco leaf, tonka bean, vanilla, ginger, cocoa, dry fruit accords, sweet wood sap

Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf is just that, a floral explosion for the senses. Floral notes like jasmine, rose, cattleya and orange blossom greet you at the beginning of your fragrance journey. The mixture is then softened by vanilla notes and given a spicy twist via patchouli. One Sephora reviewer says, “I am blown away by this scent. It is so unique and vibrant without being too overpowering. The florals are so light and airy, almost as if walking in a garden with the faint smell of flowers. What really makes this perfume so special though [are] the base notes of vanilla and patchouli, which really complement the florals to give it a comforting smell that lasts throughout the day. I can't stop smelling my wrists…I'd say that this is your scent if you like a mix of florals and warm notes like musk and vanilla, because the two together are just breathtaking.”

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: warm, floral
• Olfactory Notes: vanilla, jasmine, orange blossom, cattleya, rose, patchouli, vanilla grounds

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,” PureWow’s assistant commerce editor Natalie LaBarbera says. 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

Made in collaboration with perfume Francis Kurkdijan, this rich and smoky floral fragrance is not only one of the brand’s first perfumes, but one of the bestsellers from the brand. The eau de parfum is modern and elevated with the use of Bulgarian rose, lavender and most importantly vanilla, but has a spunky edge thanks to deep patchouli notes that leave the nose wanting more. She is Lady Vengeance, after all.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: floral, rich, sweet, smoky
• Olfactory Notes: Bulgarian rose, patchouli, lavender, vanilla

With nearly 4,000 5-star reviews on their site alone (and nearly an additional 1,000 on Sephora), Sol de Janerio’s “Brazilian Crush Cheriosa ‘71” is a crowd favorite. Full of caramelly and nutty notes, this fragrance is a true gourmand and sweet to the core. What we love about Cheirosa ’71 is that you can use it on both your body and your hair for an all-around scent-ual experience. Plus, this fragrance has some serious women-power behind its creation. It was inspired by the “Brazilian muse Leila Diniz, who celebrated her bikini body at eight months pregnant on the beaches of Rio in 1971.” 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

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. Associate editor Chelsea 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

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. 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

Though “Vacation” by Vacation doesn’t technically have a vanilla note in its olfactory makeup, we’d be remiss to not include it in our round up because of its sweet milky qualities that remind us of eating a scoop of vanilla ice cream by the poolside (after you’ve slathered yourself in sunscreen, of course). Sweet and summery, “Vacation” is a fragrance you’ll want to consider adding to your seasonal rotation.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de toilette
• Fragrance Family: sweet, beachy, fresh
• Olfactory Notes: petitgrain essence, coconut water, coconut milk, bergamot, solar musk, banana, pineapple, pool water, swimsuit lycra, sea salt

World-renowned fragrance brand, Diptyque Paris, known for its indulgent perfumes and candles, has an elegant vanilla concoction called “Eau Duelle.” With its sensual Madagascar bourbon vanilla notes and berry-like qualities from the pink peppercorn, “Eau Duelle” manages to be both light and deeply alluring. The woody cypriol and heady calamus add an earthiness to the fragrance. All the olfactory notes combine to create a sophisticated scent that feels timeless and versatile enough for daily wear.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de toilette
• Fragrance Family: sweet, gourmand
• Olfactory Notes: Madagascar bourbon vanilla, pink peppercorn, cypriol, calamus

Though this is one of the “truest” vanilla scents on the list, the heavy dose of amber notes in the formulation create 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. One of the chicest things about the fragrance is its art nouveau-style packaging with intricate Alphonse Mucha-esque florals and vintage-looking typeface. [1] [Ed note: 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.]

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de toilette
• Fragrance Family: spicy, gourmand, amber
• Olfactory Notes: powdery spiced vanilla blend

Arquiste is another brand that focuses on setting its fragrances to a particular time, place and moment in history. On their site, the brand describes this scent as, “A group of architects gather[ing] for cocktails at Mayfair’s smartest Art Deco smoking room. As they settle in the warm interior of dark woods, leather and velvet, London’s bright young things burst in, frosted martinis in hand, surrounded by a cloud of laughter, white smoke and fine vanilla.” The eau de parfum was developed by architect and fragrance designer Carlos Huber with perfumer Yann Vasnier. Smoky, woody, sweet and heady, “The Architect’s Club” is a crisp vanilla perfume like no other.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: smoky, crisp, fruity, gourmand, amber
• Olfactory Notes: juniper berry oil, angelica root, bitter orange, lemon sfumatrice, Italian bergamot, French clary, lavender, pink peppercorn, pepper wood, cardamom seed oil absolute, coriander seed oil, black currant buds absolute, iris absolute, wood from Paraguay, oak wood extract, cedar wood, cypriol oil, Haitian vetiver, vanilla absolute, ambermax, ambrettolide

We’re most definitely in our vanilla era—and so is Boy Smells. Their new perfume was launched in 2023 and turns the traditional vanilla fragrance on its head. PureWow’s vice president of editorial, Candace Davison has been hooked on the scent from the moment she first 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

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 we 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. Plus, the bottle is convincingly designed to look like a perforated bar of chocolate. Talk about delicious.

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

Heavy on the black pepper and bergamot notes, Bur Bur’s “Memories of the Future” perfume oil is softened by a touch of vanilla that lingers. Deeply earthy and ultimately spicy, this roll-on is meditative and sultry in a more masculine way. It’s perfect for those looking for a vanilla perfume that doesn’t rely on vanilla at the forefront and encourages the wearer to search for the sweetness.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: perfume oil
• Fragrance Family: spicy, earthy
• Olfactory Notes: vanilla, black pepper, bergamot

If you cracked open a whole coconut on a tropical island, you’d probably be smelling Sunday Forever’s “Coconuts” perfume. Floral, fruity and slightly heady with notes of toasted coconut, fig, citrus zest, ylang ylang and yellow orchid, this concoction is one of near perfection. Like sun-kissed skin on a hot summer’s day, “Coconuts” will have you yearning for the warmer months. When you spritz it on, you’ll instantly get transported to paradise.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: sweet, beachy
• Olfactory Notes: toasted coconut, fig, yellow orchid, vanilla flower, sandalwood, orris root, ylang ylang, tiare flowers, soft musk, citrus zest

From Black-owned fragrance brand Maya Njie, comes “Vanij,” a sweet and boozy gourmand scent with notes of vanilla, cardamom, patchouli, musk and more, creating an eclectic mixture of olfactory families that begs to be inhaled. It’s sweet, spicy, earthy, powdery and woody. What more could you want? According to the company, the fragrances “are blended as recollections of memory [and are] scents that seek to capture the essence and preserve the spirit of the intimate and personal.” The tones are of a time and the accords are nostalgic, yet the end products feel profoundly contemporary.

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: sweet, spicy, earthy, powdery, gourmand
• Olfactory Notes: vanilla, cardamom, patchouli, musk, cedarwood, amber

You know a fragrance brand isn’t playing when their vanilla scent was created in partnership with an actual ice cream brand. Imaginary Authors collaborated with Salt & Straw, a Portland, Oregon-based creamery, to formulate their mysterious vanilla fragrance. Known for their interesting and innovative scent profiles and otherworldly names, Imaginary Authors was bound to make an anything-but-boring vanilla perfume. One reviewer on Reddit who rated the entire Imaginary Authors collection on vibes alone says, [It’s] so so yummy. Smells like a perfectly creamy, caramelly waffle cone that just came out of the oven.”

Fast Facts

• Fragrance Concentration: eau de parfum
• Fragrance Family: sweet, gourmand, spicy
• Olfactory Notes: vanilla, salted caramel, saigon cinnamon, heavy cream, sandalwood, orgeat, scoop shop

The perpetually sold out, “Vanilla Skin” perfume from Phlur most definitely needed to make our list. It’s a vanilla-forward fragrance combo that surprises you with grounded woody notes. PureWow’s 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, agarwood