I Wore a Different Fragrance Every Day for a Month—These 12 Vanilla Perfumes Proved Elite

Growing up, the bottles of body sprays, lotions, butters, and eau de toilettes that lined my bathroom vanity were far sweeter than a dessert-filled episode of The Great British Bake Off. My rotation typically included the latest launch from Bath & Body Works; Britney Spears’s Fantasy (or Curious); a pure-sugar scent that, not surprisingly, was called Pink Sugar; and anything else glossy magazines like Seventeen, CosmoGirl, and Teen Vogue advertised. If it smelled like a frosted bakehouse cookie with sprinkles or the Cinnabon stand at the mall, I was, without a doubt, wearing it.

I’ll always love unapologetically sweet scents, but now, my tastes have graduated to fragrance blends that are warm and woodsy or grounded with spices, leathers, or classic florals. That said, signature sweet notes like vanilla are often at the heart of my all-time favorite perfumes. They’re just far less overpowering.

Being a beauty editor, I always have an overflowing stock of perfumes, so I decided to start a little experiment earlier this year. Instead of sticking to my signature fragrances, I went on a perfume-wearing spree, if you will, in which I wore a different scent every day for about a month, taking note of which formulas I liked best and which blends won me the most questions, comments, and compliments. In review, I noticed something intriguing: The top 12 scents all had a common, not-so-secret ingredient, vanilla (a result that very much proved my hypothesis that vanilla is still relevant post–seventh grade and outside the kitchen).

Below, I’m sharing the top 12 best fragrances I’m currently obsessed with and which never fail to earn me compliments from strangers and loved ones alike. Keep scrolling! The best vanilla perfumes lie just ahead.

The Best Vanilla Perfumes at a Glance

• Best Overall Vanilla: Byredo 1996 Eau de Parfum
• Best Sweet Vanilla: Kilian Love, Don’t Be Shy Eau de Parfum
• Best Woodsy Vanilla: Henry Rose Queens & Monsters Eau de Parfum
• Best Fruity Vanilla: Lancôme Idôle Eau de Parfum
• Best Salty Vanilla: Juliette Has a Gun Vanilla Vibes

The Best Vanilla Perfumes of 2025

Best Overall Vanilla: Byredo 1996 Eau de Parfum

Best Earthy Vanilla: Krigler Lovely Patchouli 55 Classic Eau de Parfum

Best Light Vanilla: Maison Margiela Replica Coffee Break Eau de Toilette

Best Sweet Vanilla: Kilian Love, Don’t Be Shy Eau de Parfum

Most Iconic Vanilla: Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau de Parfum

Best Woodsy Vanilla: Henry Rose Queens & Monsters Eau de Parfum

Best Fruity Vanilla: Lancôme Idôle Eau de Parfum

Best Vanilla Perfume Oil: Nest Madagascar Vanilla Perfume Oil

Best Spicy Vanilla: Jo Malone Vetiver & Golden Vanilla Cologne Intense

Best Warm Vanilla: Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille Eau de Parfum

Best Fresh Vanilla: The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods Eau de Parfum

Best Salty Vanilla: Juliette Has a Gun Vanilla Vibes

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.