The 14 Best Vanilla Perfumes of 2023

Best Overall

Kayali Vanilla 28

Influencer Mona Kattan kicked off this line of perfumes in 2018 as a way to expand on her love of fragrance — and this eau de parfum quickly became one of its bestsellers. An elegant, grown-up take on vanilla, the perfume balances the built-in sweetness of vanilla with deeper, richer base notes of amber and musk, making for a well-rounded fragrance that’s as easy to love as it is to wear.

“The number 28 indicates the rounds of formulations Kattan took to bring her idea of vanilla orchids, tonka absolute, and amber woods together to create the perfect warm and spicy fragrance,” says Sephora beauty director Melinda Solares. That combo offers a surprisingly sultry yet approachable vibe, making it a great option for a date or an overall signature scent.

Price at time of publish: $125

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Vanilla orchid, brown sugar, amber

Best Budget

Ellis Brooklyn Mini Bee

Ellis Brooklyn’s line of clean fragrances — created by veteran beauty journalist Bee Shapiro when she was pregnant with her first daughter — is known for its sustainably sourced, incredibly complex scents. And this one is no exception: It opens with a sweet, fresh blend of honey and dark rum, which eventually makes way for the warmth of vanilla, cocoa, and sandalwood. Together, they impart a sweet, joyful scent that’s impossible to overdo.

Since the scent subtly changes as you wear it, you’ll get the perks of a like-new fragrance as the day goes by. Even better: The brand recently dropped its lineup of four best-selling fragrances in this mini format, which allows you to not only try the fragrance with minimal risk, but also give a pretty, colorful flair to your vanity.

Price at time of publish: $25

Size: 0.25 fl oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Dark rum, honey, vanilla bean

Best Splurge

Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille

The price point may be steep by any measure, but what you get is a classic Tom Ford fragrance — in other words, one that’s unique, bold, and is sure to leave a powerful impression on anyone who smells it. At the heart of this scent is the pairing of tobacco leaf and vanilla ginger, which make for a sweet, smoky, and subtly gourmand fragrance.

We’ve found that the tobacco note takes a backseat to the sweetness of vanilla, tonka bean, and cocoa — no cigar smell here — for a warm, balanced dry down that works especially well for late evenings out and cozy winter days. It’s basically a confidence boost in a bottle.

Price at time of publish: $295

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Tonka bean, vanilla, wood sap

Best Classic

Skylar Vanilla Sky Eau de Parfum

If you’re prone to allergies, you’re in the right place with this hypoallergenic fragrance from Skylar. In fact, the brand’s entire lineup is hypoallergenic, cruelty-free, vegan, and safe for sensitive skin types. This one leads hard into the inherent gourmand nature of vanilla, amplifying it with notes of cappuccino and cinnamon to impart the cozy feel of a cashmere blanket.

That said, it’s not one of those scents that only works best in winter (after all, iced frappes are a godsend on hot summer days.) Ultimately, it’s an unapologetically feminine scent, and manages to smell sweet and delicious without leaning into dessert territory — which is pretty impressive when you consider the notes within.

Price at time of publish: $90

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Cappuccino, vanilla, caramelized cedar

Best Warm

Kilian Paris Angels’ Share

The eponymous founder’s last name is Hennessy, so it’s not exactly a huge surprise that his fragrance line has an entire collection devoted to liquors — including, in this case, cognac. (For context: The name “angels’ share” describes the portion of liquor that naturally evaporates into the air while it ages, like a little offering.)

As expected, it’s grounded in the essence of cognac, which is derived from the actual liquor and gives the fragrance its amber hue. While it does smell boozy at first spritz because of that, it transforms into a more spicy and gourmand scent as it dries down — think apple pie filling — thanks to a creamy blend of oak, cinnamon, praline, and vanilla. Together, the notes offer a memorable and appropriately intoxicating scent that is, pun intended, heavenly.

Price at time of publish: $230

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Cognac, tonka bean, praline

Best Amber

The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods Eau de Parfum

7 Virtues isn’t just committed to clean, non-toxic fragrances infused with organic alcohol. Just as important is the ingredients inside, which are sourced from countries recovering from conflict, such as Haiti, Rwanda, and Afghanistan. Take its vanilla, for instance. “The organic vanilla is sourced from a sustainable cooperative in Madagascar that provides families with fair wages that help to provide education and health care,” says Solares, who counts this among her favorite fragrances.

While the blend of vanilla, amber, and caramel base notes makes it most definitely a gourmand, you’ll also get more surprising notes of sweet, juicy pear and rose. Plus, you can feel good about smelling good, making it a win-win in your fragrance rotation.

Price at time of publish: $88

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Pear, rose, vanilla

Best Musk

Byredo Vanille Anitque Eau de Parfum

This isn’t your average, capital-P perfume. Rather, it’s one of Byredo’s Night Veils scents, which uses luxurious raw materials at high concentrations to create perfume extraits; these, in turn, tend to last longer on the skin, lending both depth and wear — hence the relatively high price point. (You can also get this as part of a boxed set of five, if that’s your thing.)

Together, this makes for a statement fragrance. Vanille Antique is a night owl’s celebration of vanilla, turning it moody with the addition of musk and cashmere wood. While it still has the warmth and sweetness you’d expect of a vanilla fragrance, it’s not as pronounced as you might expect for something with “vanilla” in the name.

Price at time of publish: $335

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Vanilla orchid, brown sugar, amber

Best Coconut

Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Garden Eau de Parfum

One part floral, one part gourmand, this riff on Dolce & Gabbana’s original Dolce fragrance is inspired by the Sicilian coast when in bloom. Think Mediterranean beach, fresh flowers, and warm sunlight on your skin — are you feeling relaxed yet?

At the heart of Dolce Garden is a combination of vanilla absolute and coconut, which lend a sunny, uplifting feel, while top notes of magnolia, neroli, and mandarins inspire a fresh, juicy vibe. It’s still heavier and bolder than your average fruity-floral fragrance and if you don’t love coconut, you may want to pass, as the note is definitely noticeable.

Price at time of publish: $126

Size: 2.5 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Mandarin, coconut, vanilla

Best Sweet

Dior Vanilla Diorama

Instead of shying away from vanilla’s rep as a sugary sweet dessert staple, this fragrance leans all the way into it. In fact, it was both inspired by and named for the Diorama Gourmand — a pastry (which purportedly pairs orange-glazed vanilla with bitter chocolate) created especially for Christian Dior himself by the famed Paris restaurant, Maxim’s.

The spotlight is entirely on the vanilla here. Similar to its namesake sweet, the fragrance is enhanced with notes of fresh citrus and warm cocoa. You’ll also get rum and patchouli for a bit of spice, just to mix it up. While these note pairings may be a study in contrasts, somehow, it all works in a very delicious way. The only catch: It’s pretty intense, so you have to really, really love vanilla to make it worthwhile.

Price at time of publish: $125

Size: 1.35 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Bourbon vanilla, cocoa, rum

Best Woods

Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace

While some fragrances’ names aren’t so literal (see: Dior’s Poison), that’s not the case for this one, which really does evoke the scent of sitting by the fireplace. If anything, it might actually be a little too realistic, with smoky notes cutting through the sweetness. Although we love to wear it and imagine ourselves at a lakehouse in fall, the unwavering scent can inadvertently contribute to headaches, which is worth keeping in mind).

Yet, if you’re game for something to warm you up in the colder months, or a smoky sweetness is your jam, this complex perfume could easily become a unique, go-to signature scent. The smokiness comes courtesy of cloves in the top notes before you get the woodsy lineup of chestnut, juniper, and balsam. Vanilla pulls its weight here as the sole gourmand note, but it’s not front and center, which can be either good or bad, depending on your preference. We’ve found that it smells just as cozy and comforting as the name suggests.

Price at time of publish: $85

Size: 1.0 oz | Type: Eau de toilette | Key Notes: Clove, chestnut, vanilla

Best Spicy

Diptyque Eau Duelle Eau de Toilette

While you might know Diptyque best for its luxurious candles, its fragrance offerings deserve a little commotion, too. Take this genderless fragrance, which is directly inspired by the spice route that for centuries wound its way from Asia to Europe. Naturally, this international little number brings together the best spicy notes while still feeling fresh and easy to wear.

Rich without being overpowering, it suspends vanilla between a lineup of other rich exports, like spicy cardamom, woody frankincense and warm calamus, while smoky vetiver and cypriol culminate into a playful, mysterious sensibility. It does smell a little boozy when you first spritz it on, but eventually dries down to a soft, super-wearable spice.

Price at time of publish: $125

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de toilette | Key Notes: Pink peppercorn, calamus, bourbon vanilla

Best Perfume Oil

Nest New York Madagascar Vanilla Perfume Oil

If you’re worried you’re going to smell like a baking mishap, rest easy: This perfume oil won’t make you smell like you dropped a bottle of vanilla extract all over yourself. While it does contain heady Madagascar vanilla, it’s paired with the softer vanilla orchid — the actual plant on which vanilla bean grows — and touch of coconut for a low-key tropical vibe.

The fragrance’s foundation is composed of hydrating baobab oil, which not only feels luxurious and nourishing on the skin, but it also encourages the formula to sink into skin and impart the warm, rich scent all day long. We especially love the dropper, which allows you to apply as much as you want. And since it’s a silky, serum-like oil, you can scrunch it into hair, too, to go all in on the scent — just in case you, like us, can’t get enough of it.

Price at time of publish: $98

Size: 1.0 oz | Type: Perfume oil | Key Notes: Vanilla bean, vanilla orchid, coconut

Best Floral

Heretic Dirty Vanilla Eau de Parfum

Forget the vanilla you think you know. Instead of drawing inspiration from the dessert table, this takes a different approach by highlighting Vanilla Planifolia, the orchid species at the source of vanilla bean. As a result, instead of offering the usual gourmand flavor, it gives a more earthy interpretation on the note, resulting in a perfume that’s much more sexy than sweet. However, it’s still billed as a unisex fragrance.

Vanilla, which appears as both the heart and base notes, is surrounded by collection of powerful wood scents, including cedar, sandalwood, and patchouli. This cocktail of notes delivers an incense-like sensibility, which feels modern and definitely smells unique. It’s certainly outside the traditional vanilla box, so if you’re not a huge fan of classic vanilla, but you rather want something striking, this might be a good one to try.

Price at time of publish: $165

Size: 1.7 oz | Type: Eau de parfum | Key Notes: Vanilla, sandalwood, coriander