The 15 Best Vanilla Perfumes to Wear 2023, Tested & Reviewed

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Sweet surrender! Why vanilla fragrances strike a universally appealing chord.

Science fact: vanilla is humanity’s favorite scent. Studies have shown that people from all cultural backgrounds respond favorably to the instantly recognizable, sweet smell—which explains why vanilla appears as a prominent note in so many popular perfumes. Detected on a nape or wrist, it’s cozy, calming, and enticing. For some, it is very nostalgic, for others, irresistibly seductive. And despite its reputation, vanilla need not always skew super-young, nor super-saccharine. In fact, when woven into a complex composition, the spice can add depth to florals and give a grounding aspect to fresh citrus notes without being overbearing. Here, a few of the best ways to wear vanilla.

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Ready for a grown-up vanilla? Think matcha tea, spiced with turmeric and a touch of creamy vanilla—with a hint of floral magnolia and powdery orris thrown in for good measure. Lovely, lingering, and something you'll want to smell again and again.

Key Notes: Vanilla, Matcha, Tea Salt Accord

The complex, deep scent of vanilla bean is woven with cassis, jasmine, bamboo and sandalwood to create a warm, intriguing fragrance that defies easy categorization. Another win? Floral Street is outstanding in its commitment to the environment, with sustainable sourcing and recyclable packaging.

Key Notes: Vanilla Bean, Cassis, Jasmine, Bamboo, Sandalwood

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Vanilla for people who don't think they like vanilla? It exists! Here, the spice's sweetness is couched in zesty citrus, radiant orange flower absolute, pretty-as-anything Egyptian jasmine, and aquatic waterlily. As if the scent weren't vibe-enhancing enough, every Vyrao bottle also contains a charged Herkimer diamond.

Key Notes: Citrus, Jasmine, Vanilla

Inspired by the North African desert, where vanilla incense is burned as a calming evening ritual, Sana Jardin's Vanilla Nomad cocoons skin in a warm haze of vanilla, soft sandalwood, jasmine, and vetiver.

Key Notes: Vanilla, Jasmine, Vetiver, Patchouli

What would the young poet wear? Perhaps this, a transparent veil of lavender, orris, neroli and vanilla. Lavender is the headliner, but the vanilla helps hold it near the skin, giving it a distinctly sensual allure.

Key Notes: Lavender, Orris, Neroli, Vanilla

This is it, the vanilla that went viral. And if you're sweet on sweet scents, you're going to love it. Madagascan vanilla, tonka bean, brown sugar, amber, and patchouli make this a truly rich, can't-miss-it gourmand.

Key Notes: Vanilla, Tonka, Musk, Amber, Patchouli

Another bullseye for those who love a heady vanilla, Byredo's intense amber draws you in with plum and musk top notes before hitting you with smoky labdanum and white woods. The vanilla note is creamy and not too sweet, and the sillage just goes on and on.

Key Notes: Plum, Labdanum, Amber, Vanilla

Of course no one can do a decadent, old-school vanilla like Tom Ford. This sumptuous scent conjures the smoking room in a private club, where whiskey is sipped out of crystal highball glasses in front of a roaring fire.

Key Notes: Tobacco Leaf, Vanilla, Ginger

This is what legends are made of. Famously the first "overdose" of vanilla in a fine fragrance when it was launched in 1925, Shalimar's classic eau contains a synthetic called ethylvanillin that was as revolutionary in Jazz Age Paris as the aldehydes in Chanel No. 5. Reportedly, demand skyrocketed after Madame Guerlain wore the sensational fragrance on a transatlantic ocean liner, and not a fashionable vanity was Shalimar-free throughout most of the 20th century. Smell it, and you'll understand why.

Key Notes: Bergamot, Iris, Vanilla, Patchouli

Here's an idea: Since vanilla blends well with so many other notes, not give any fragrance a hit of the stuff? Bulgari's Magnifying Vanilla can be worn alone or layered atop other scents to endow them with a come-hither sweetness.

Key Notes: Vanilla

A real vanilla-lover's vanilla, Dior Vanilla Diorama is based on one of Christian Dior's favorite deserts, the Diorama Gourmand, especially created for him by the pastry chef at Parisian restaurant Maxim's. It's smooth, indulgent, faintly citrus-y, and in a word: delicious.

More: Vanilla, Rum, Patchouli

Nose, don't be afraid. While the double whammy of marshmallow and vanilla may sound like a recipe for olfactory tooth rot, this is instead a plush, enveloping, and truly unmistakable scent. It should be no surprise that it was once Rihanna's signature eau.

Key Notes: Orange Blossom, Rose, Marshmallow, Vanilla, Amber

A musky amber gourmand that sits close to the skin, inviting others to lean in. The eye-catching flacon is alone worth the price, and the scent is a lavender-vanilla nuzzle that smells top shelf.

MORE: Sugared Petals, Mandarin, Vanilla, Cocoa, Musk

This modern vanilla matches the note with a floral bouquet of rose, citrus, and jasmine. Spritzed onto the hair, it leaves an airy, inviting trail.

MORE: Rose, Jasmine, Citrus, Vanilla

The groundbreaking caramel-gourmand vanilla perfume of the 90s still makes a statement today. Stash this travel-friendly flacon in your go-bag and you'll be sure to leave a lasting impression wherever you may roam.

MORE: Cotton Candy, Bergamot, Caramel, Vanilla, Patchouli

April Long writes about beauty, wellness, and luxury skincare for Town & Country.

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