I Wore a Different Fragrance Every Day for a Month—These 17 Vanilla Perfumes Proved Elite

Each earned me compliments.

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Erica Choi's overflowing fragrance collection

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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 Wholesale Replica Bag 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. "Vanilla can be the primary note, acting as the center of attention," says Darryl Do, senior perfumer at Delbia Do Fragrance and Flavor Development. "Alternatively, it can be used to soften the fragrance like a soft powdery gourmand note that brings a subtle familiarity to it."

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 17 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 17 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

The Best Vanilla Perfumes of 2026

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 Fresh Vanilla: The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods Eau de Parfum

Best Salty Vanilla: Juliette Has a Gun Vanilla Vibes

Best Sensual Vanilla: Phlur Vanilla Skin

Best Budget Vanilla: Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 59 Delicia Hair Body Perfume Mist

Best Long-Lasting Vanilla: Tom Ford Vanilla Sex Eau de Parfum

Best Liquor-Inspired Vanilla: Kilian Apple Brandy on the Rocks Refillable Perfume

Best Tonka-Infused Vanilla: Victoria Beckham 21:50 Reverie Eau De Parfum

Best Classic Vanilla: Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum Spray

Does vanilla go well with other notes?

In short, you can rarely go wrong by layering vanilla with other perfumes or notes. "Vanilla is one of the best notes for layering because it brings warmth, addiction, roundness, and sensuality without being overpowering," says Amandine Pallez, global creative director at Bulgari Fragrances. "It acts like a soft-focus filter, wrapping a composition into a comforting feeling."

Does vanilla last longer compared to other scents?

Many people might assume that vanilla lasts long because of how noticeable and strong the scent can be, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. "Vanilla tends to have excellent long-lastingness, but it depends also on the quality of the vanilla used and its proportion in the formula," says Pallez. He explains that its molecular structure makes it a base note, meaning it anchors a fragrance and lingers on the skin for hours.

How do you figure out what perfume is best for you?

When it comes to finding a vanilla perfume that's best for you, there are a few things to consider. For starters, think about what kind of feeling you want to create. "Do you want it to feel cozy, addictive, and edible, or more distinctive, woody, unexpected?" says Pallez. "Start by testing vanilla paired with different accords—floral, woody, citrusy, spicy—and see what feels most like you."

How We Chose

As with all of our buying guides atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , we compile our edits based on original testing and expert recommendations. To find the best vanilla perfumes, we leaned heavily on first-hand testing our knowledge as beauty experts. We also considered several factors, including key notes and size. We're aware of how important these factors are for a wide range of needs and preferences, so we made sure to list out all the helpful details. Of course, customer reviews were also kept in mind when creating this list.

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

Erin Jahns
Erin Jahns
Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing for over five years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie andBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor.