Gourmand fragrances – and vanilla scents in particular – are still a huge trend in autumn 2025. Here’s our beauty editor’s pick, from brands such as Tom Ford and Sol de Janeiro
Sweet, creamy, gourmand fragrances – in particular ones containing notes such as vanilla, caramel and, more recently, pistachio – look set to carry on being one of the biggest perfume trend for 2025, with millions of TikTok searches for them, and a growing rise in Google searches too.
“Gourmand fragrances have been all the rage for the past couple of years, but the focus is now shifting away from sugary ‘dessert’ scents towards aromas that remind us of our favourite comfort foods — like tea, coffee, marmalade on toast, and warm nutty pastries,” explains Floral Street brand founder Michelle Feeney.
But far from being saccharine, sickly concoctions more likely to attract wasps than compliments, the latest vanilla perfumes smell grown-up, luxe and sexy – if they’re formulated well. “Natural vanilla over synthetic vanilla makes a big difference to the aroma,” says Michelle. “It also really depends on what other ingredients the perfumer has woven together to create the overall perfume.”
Here’s our pick of vanilla perfumes worth sniffing out…
READ MORE: ‘I’m a fragrance expert and these are the best autumn candles for creating a cosy home’
READ MORE: ‘I opened Molton Brown’s advent calendar and was wowed by the contents – and the saving’
11 best vanilla perfumes to buy in 2025
Phlur Vanilla Smoke Hair & Body Fragrance Mist
From £25 from Space NK
As someone who loves both vanilla and smoky scents, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this, and I wasn’t disappointed; it’s utterly addictive. I think the smoke notes come through stronger than the vanilla ones, with distinctive hints of marshmallows toasting on a cosy campfire. I’ve had a number of compliments on it already, and it’s already become a staple on my desk, where I’ll reach for it to spritz on regularly through the day.
It’s worth noting, however, that, as it’s a body mist, it doesn’t last as long as an eau de toilette or an eau de parfum – but, at £25, that’s reflected in the price.
Rare Beauty Rare Eau de Parfum
£71 for 50ml from Sephora
Selena Gomez’s beauty brand Rare Beauty has just launched its first ever perfume, Rare Eau De Parfum. Not expecting to particularly love it, it has become a new firm favourite for a number of reasons.
Firstly, the bottle, which has been so thoughtfully designed. Rare Beauty worked with certified hand therapists to create an inclusive bottle that’s easy for those with motor disabilities to use.
It’s also a very elegant gourmand scent. Rather than sickly sweet and super-young, this is instead more warm, comforting and cosseting with a hint of powdery-ness, a real cosy cashmere jumper of a fragrance. You can read the rest of my review of it here.
Ariana Grande Cloud EDP Spray
Currently £36 for 50ml on Amazon (usual price £43)
Another from a pop star, Ariana Grande’s perfumes have been a hit even amongst fragrance snobs, and the brand calls this one “a joyful, contemporary creation inspired by optimism and hope”, with notes of lavender, pear, coconut and vanilla orchid. It currently has thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon alone, with shoppers calling it light and airy, and remarking on how well it lasts.
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Vanille Nude L’Eau de Parfum Sensuelle
From £69 for 30ml from Sephora
Lancome’s bestselling Le Vie Est Belle gets a sweet and creamy update for autumn 2025 with a new version inspired by French patisserie (delicious!). Its white floral notes are paired with ‘glazed Bourbon vanilla’, musks and sandalwood into a light and joyful concoction.
I definitely still get the floral notes coming through, so it’s not as completely puddingy as some on this list.
Aerin Amber Musk Vanille Eau de Parfum Spray
£110 for 50ml from Estée Lauder
This limited-edition Aerin scent is similar to Lancôme’s but I think smells more grown up, richer and cosier, thanks to the addition of the amber note.
The bottle and packaging even look perfectly autumnal, with its lid in this season’s trendiest colour, brown, and a leaf-print box. Wearing this reminds me of my favourite mushroom-coloured alpaca-wool jumper from Arket – warm, cosy and comforting.
Ellis Brooklyn Vanilla Salt Eau de Parfum
From £35 for 10ml from Ellie Brooklyn
When discussing new season scents, this came up as a new favourite for our head of shopping Zoe Cripps, who loved the balance between sweet and salty notes. There’s a minerally top note of sea salt before going into a creamy white floral heart, drying down into lingering vanilla, musk and blonde woods.
Try it in a travel-size 10ml bottle first if you like, before treating yourself to the full-size bottle.
Liberty Lbty Fragrance Vine Thief Eau de Parfum
Currently £202.50 for 100ml from Liberty (usual price £225)
When this arrived, I couldn’t open it quick enough; everything about it is stunning, from the gorgeous packaging to the juice inside. Along with cosy notes of vanilla, musk and condensed milk there’s strawberry liquor and leather, making for a really unique scent that’s powdery yet with a hint of fresh greenness. It lasts for ages on the skin, too.
Floral Street Wild Vanilla Orchid Eau De Parfum
From £29 for 10ml from Floral Street
“This is a blend of vanilla beans, jasmine, cassis, citrus, bamboo and sandalwood, offering a warm and comforting vanilla scent with a modern, unexpected edge,” says Michelle. “Its natural vanilla gives a deeper, creamier feel to the fragrance, blended with woody notes, and is a comforting and confident scent.”
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ’71 Perfume Mist
Currently £30.40 for 240ml from Cult Beauty (usual price £38)
Sol de Janeiro’s Cheirosa fragrance are all fairly sweet and caramel-ly, but ’71 is the one with the strongest notes of vanilla, I find, combines here with white chocolate, sea salt, coconut blossom and toasted macadamia. It smells of summer, like eating ice cream on the beach. A perfume mist is also a great (and cheaper) way to try a vanilla scent if you’re unsure.
Tom Ford Vanille Fatale Eau de Parfum
£290 from Sephora
A vanilla with a rich, woody edge thanks to notes of amber, mahogany wood and roasted barley. Like a lot of Tom Ford scents, it’s super sexy, and a little goes a long way.
New Notes Caramelo Vanilla Extrait de Parfum
Currently £119.20 for 50ml from Liberty (usual price £149)
This fragrance is, as its name suggests, about as lip-smacking as it gets, but it’s really well done, made with raw ingredients. As well as the vanilla in its title, there’s also notes of cotton candy, frangipane, musk and tonka bean. It smells like the most delicious, Michelin-starred dessert.