"When I think of cozy fall scents, vanilla is always one of the first things to come to mind. From marshmallows roasting over a bonfire to cookies baking in the oven on an October night, something about vanilla is both nostalgic and comforting. Needless to say, while you’re nailing down your signature fall scent this year, a vanilla perfume should be in the running.
This Baggy Dad style from Levi’s is a tried-and-true favorite our team swears by, made famous by an effortlessly cool fit and PJ-like comfort.
Throughout 2024, vanilla scents have started to trend on TikTok, largely thanks to creators claiming that vanilla perfumes are their most-complimented scents. Whether you’re already a lover of vanilla scents or are looking to hop on the bandwagon for fall, I read an embarrassing amount of reviews (and asked our editors for their tried-and-true favorites) to find you the best vanilla scents money can buy.
The Best Vanilla Perfumes
Notes: Vanilla, white flowers, black coffee
Known as one of the most iconic vanilla perfumes, YSL’s Black Opium is notable for its longevity and memorable vanilla scent. With notes of black coffee and white flowers, it’s warm, spicy, and quintessentially fall.
Notes: Natural vanilla, sea salt, sandalwood
Rather than your typical rich, vanilla scent, perfumer Romani Ricci set out to create a vanilla-based perfume that smelled light, fresh, and airy. By combining vanilla with sea salt, this scent is robust, unique, and will earn you all the complements.
Notes: Vanilla, tobacco leaf, ginger
Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille is a warm, spicy fragrance that combines tobacco leaf, vanilla, and ginger for an iconic, unisex scent. Bonus: This woody fragrance’s stunning bottle will look incredible sitting on your vanity.
Notes: Vanilla, cocoa butter, plum
With notes of musk, plum, and vanilla, this scent by Ariana Grande puts any hesitation about celebrity perfumes to rest. It’s an addicting, sexy scent that gets major kudos for also being affordable.
Notes: Vanilla, pink peppercorn, cypriol
With notes of peppercorn, vanilla, and cypriot, Diptyque created the perfect, feminine scent in their Eau Duelle Eau de Parfum. It captures the warm, comforting essence of vanilla without crossing into “too sweet” territory.
Notes: Madagascar vanilla, madeleine accord, sandalwood
If you prefer a gourmand scent, Afternoon Delight by Maison Margiela is for you. Thanks to notes of Madeleine accord, sandalwood, and Madagascar vanilla, it perfectly captures the sweetness of a Parisian cafe.
Notes: Vanilla bean, vanilla orchid, coconut
If you’re sensitive to fragrances, a perfume oil will give you a light, natural scent without being too overpowering. Nest’s Madagascar Vanilla perfume oil combines vanilla bean with a hint of coconut for a subtle take on vanilla.
Notes: Sugar Crystals, Vanilla, Cashmere Wood
According to our beauty editor, “This is my favorite scent of 2024. I don’t love a sweet scent on myself, but this one manages to capture the warmth of vanilla—minus being too sweet (which usually makes me stay away from vanilla perfumes). This is my new go-to scent for fall and winter.”
Notes: Amber, Pink Carnation, Vanilla
If you like a second-skin kind of scent, this one by The 7 Virtues is for you. It has a clean, natural fragrance with light notes of vanilla for a your-skin-but-better effect that’s totally unique to you. This scent is long-lasting, vegan, and Leaping Bunny-certified, too.
Jenna Piotrowicz, Editorial Assistant
Jenna began working as an Editorial Assistant for The Everygirl in 2024. With her eye for detail, she assists the team with content creation, sourcing products and images, and works behind the scenes to support The Everygirl in uploading and updating content.