Vanilla fragrances

Vanilla comes from the pod of the Vanilla planifolia orchid and, after saffron, is the second most expensive spice in the world — the pod needs hand pollination and months of curing. That's why the vast majority of vanilla in fragrances is synthetic vanillin, which isn't a bad thing: it's chemically identical to the natural kind and more stable. What matters more is what stands next to it. Vanilla on its own is fairly one-dimensional and almost never appears bare in perfumery — with benzoin and tonka it becomes warm and balsamic, with incense it loses its sweetness and turns serious, with almond and caramel it tips into gourmand, and with salt or wood into something modern and dry. That's exactly why Fugazzi Vanilla Haze and Essential Parfums Divine Vanille are two completely different fragrances, even though both could be described as 'vanilla'. Vanilla is a base note and stays on the skin the longest of all.

Kilian Angel's Share: Vanilla with a bourbon twist — one of the iconic vanilla fragrances in the luxury category.
Fugazzi Vanilla Haze: A modern niche vanilla — vanilla pod with tonka over caramel and cashmere wood. A sophisticated approach to the vanilla accord.
Montale Intense Café: Vanilla combined with coffee — a classic feminine gourmand fragrance. Not in the catalogue — try the alternative
NEH The Element: Vanilla with caramel and amber — a dense, sweet finish for anyone for whom pure vanilla isn't enough.
BDK Parfums Vanille Leather: Vanilla and leather in the same bottle. A powdery, slightly animalic version of the accord.
French Avenue Liquid Brun: Vanilla with cinnamon and spices — a warm winter direction, without cloying heaviness.
Xerjoff Levar del Sole: Vanilla isn't in front here. It sits under citrus and spices, which makes it lighter than most on this list.
Xerjoff Naxos: Vanilla as part of a honey-tobacco composition — a warm, rich base.
Lattafa Asad: Vanilla in a budget oriental — a sweet base for an intense fragrance.

Is the vanilla in fragrances natural or synthetic?

Most vanilla in fragrances is synthetic (vanillin) or semi-synthetic — natural vanilla is expensive. Synthetic vanillin is chemically identical to the natural kind and is in most fragrances.

Which fragrances have the strongest vanilla?

Fugazzi Vanilla Haze and Kilian Angel's Share are the fragrances with the most pronounced vanilla in our range.

Is vanilla suitable for men?

Yes — vanilla is a unisex note. Many men wear vanilla fragrances. Combined with wood, tobacco or spices it reads as more masculine.

Is synthetic vanilla worse than natural?

Not to the nose. Vanillin is the same molecule whether it comes from a pod or a lab, and it's even more stable — natural extracts darken and change over time. Natural vanilla brings a few extra secondary molecules and with them more depth, but the difference is smaller than the price would suggest.

Is vanilla a feminine note?

No. Vanilla is a base note with no gender of its own — it all depends on what sits above it. With almond and caramel it'll read as feminine, with tobacco, incense or wood as masculine. Xerjoff Naxos and Fugazzi Vanilla Haze both have vanilla in the base, and nobody would confuse them.