From pure vanilla to smoky and boozy · in stock in Sydney
Vanilla perfumes香草香水
Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille, Indult Tihota, Affinessence Vanille-Benjoin, YSL Babycat, Byredo Gypsy Water, Betmay Raspberry Vanilla: every vanilla we stock, from $59, held in Sydney.
16 fragrances in stock in Sydneyfrom $59.00$8 flat-rate shipping Australia-wide
See them allTry 2 ml samplesVanilla is the most searched note in perfumery and the most misunderstood: the bean smells boozy, smoky and slightly leathery, nothing like the cupcake accord in cheap body sprays. The bottles below cover the whole range, from vanilla on its own to vanilla with incense, almond, cherry or fruit, with the one to try first in each group. 香草调香水，悉尼现货，$8 全澳平邮。
Pure vanilla
Three bottles that are vanilla and nothing else. Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille is the benchmark: rum-soaked vanilla pods with a wisp of smoke, in the 200 ml bee bottle. Indult Tihota ($299) is the cult favourite, vanilla and musk only, worn skin-close and lasting all day. Affinessence Vanille-Benjoin ($249) pairs vanilla with benzoin resin for a warmer, more amber finish; Affinessence builds every scent from base notes, so it opens the way most perfumes end.
Smoky, boozy and resinous
YSL Le Vestiaire Babycat is the night-out vanilla: incense, leather and a little smoke, in the 125 ml size. Byredo Gypsy Water rests its pine and incense on a vanilla base, which is why it lasts; the Absolu concentration is the one we carry. Amouage Remain is sandalwood, incense and vanilla from the Omani house, and Guerlain Tonka Impériale (discontinued, last bottles) is tonka’s almond-tobacco side of the same family.
Vanilla with almond, cherry and flowers
Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Amande is marzipan over sandalwood and vanilla, the softest on this page; Moonlight Cherry is black cherry on the same base. Guerlain Shalimar Millésimé Jasmin ($199) is the classic Shalimar vanilla amber with a limited-edition jasmine top, and Armani Privé Vert Malachite is lily of the valley and tuberose on vanilla, a floral that reads as vanilla by evening.
Vanilla for $59
Betmay’s two vanillas are the cheapest serious ones in the shop: Raspberry Vanilla, tart fruit over vanilla cream, and Chocolate Vanilla, dark chocolate and vanilla pod, both 50 ml for $59 with a free 2 ml sample of another Betmay scent in every order. Soulvent Taro Whispers ($134) and Byredo Slow Dance are the musky vanillas; both also appear in our skin scent guide. For vanilla as dessert rather than as a note, see the gourmand guide.
Every vanilla perfume in stock
How to choose
- The one vanilla to own: Spiritueuse Double Vanille if you want it rich, Tihota if you want it quiet.
- For men, or for evening: Babycat, Gypsy Water, Remain, Tonka Impériale.
- Soft and sweet: Bois d’Amande, Moonlight Cherry, Raspberry Vanilla.
- A classic: Shalimar Millésimé Jasmin.
- Under $60: either Betmay, with a free sample of a second scent.
Questions
What does real vanilla smell like in perfume?
Boozy, smoky and slightly woody, closer to rum and tobacco than to icing sugar. Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille and Indult Tihota are the two references; the sweet, creamy “cupcake” vanilla comes from ethyl vanillin and is a different thing.
Which vanilla perfume lasts longest?
Tihota, Spiritueuse Double Vanille and Byredo Gypsy Water Absolu all last a full day on skin and longer on clothes. Vanilla is a base note, so every bottle on this page is long-lasting by perfume standards.
Is vanilla perfume only for women?
No. YSL Babycat, Byredo Gypsy Water, Amouage Remain and Guerlain Tonka Impériale are mostly bought by men, and Tihota is worn by everyone.
Why are some of these testers?
A tester is the same full-size bottle and the same juice in a plain box, supplied to retailers for counter display. We sell them sealed and authentic at a lower price than the boxed retail bottle; the product page says which it is.
Are these bottles authentic?
Yes. Every bottle is bought by us from the house or its authorised channels, checked and shipped from Sydney within two business days. We are an independent Australian retailer.