How to Choose the Best Vanilla Perfume and Don’t Pay a Fortune

Vanilla has become a generic term that refers to a wide range of things. Most commonly, it is centered around the word boring. Vanilla is a lack of pizzazz, uniqueness and spice. Vanilla’s reputation as a complex and sexy flavour, in addition to its scent profile, extends back into history and into mythology.

The Australian Orchid Society says that “Old Totonac lore suggests that Xanat was the young daughter Mexican fertility goddess and loved a Totonac youth.” She was unable to marry him because of her divine nature so she turned herself into a plant that could bring pleasure and happiness. This was the vanilla vine.

Vanilla is a very appealing scent. It has a sweet, slightly liquorish, warm and comforting quality that makes it an ideal ingredient for perfume.

Vanilla’s familiarity and versatility allow it to play a significant role in many fragrances. This includes those that are more youthful or ultra-feminine. A vanilla perfume for women that is more intense, sultier, and sexier can be the best. It all comes down to what you like.

Where does vanilla come from?

Nielsen-Massey is a top source of high quality vanillas and flavours. She notes that the vanilla orchid (vanilla plantifolia andrews), originated in Mexico. Mexico was a major vanilla growing region for hundreds of years, thanks to its climate and an native bee called the melipona which evolved to pollinate vanilla orchids.

Vanilla beans are green-colored and grow on the vines. They are harvested when their tips turn yellow. During curing, the vanilla bean takes on its distinctive brown color and its distinct aroma.

Mexican beans are roasted in ovens for about 1 to 2 days. After that, they spend their days in direct sunlight absorbing heat, and their nights in wooden boxes sweating it all out. They are then considered to be properly cured.

Each region has its own vanilla scent and flavour. Vanilla from Mexico is bolder and more spicy, while vanilla from Madagascar and Tahitian are sweeter and more fruity. The climate, conditions and curing method used to harvest the beans will all play a major role in the final result.

What is the difference between synthetic and natural vanilla?

There are some differences between synthetic and natural vanilla. Natural vanilla is a result of its organic raw ingredients and generally has a more complex smell profile that ties together floral, sweet, woody, and musky scents. It has aromatherapeutic properties that are not available in synthetic vanilla.

Natural vanilla can calm, uplift, improve mood, and enhance sleep quality. Natural vanilla extract can also be dark brown.

Synthetic vanilla is, however, much cheaper than natural vanilla. This is typical for most natural/synthetic comparators. Because of the advances in technology used to replicate and imitate natural flavours and scents, it is difficult to distinguish synthetic vanilla from natural vanilla.

Experts say that natural vanilla notes modulate in intensity. This makes the experience full-bodied, long-lasting, and enjoyable. Synthetic vanilla notes, however, tend to fade as the scent wears down.

Why is vanilla so costly?

Natural vanilla is too expensive, which is why many vanilla lovers around the world have switched to synthetic vanilla. Madagascar, one of the most important vanilla-growing regions in the world, has been experiencing large-scale crop failures and poor management due to turbulent weather patterns.

This has caused vanilla prices to soar, with updated 2020/2021 prices of Bourbon Gold vanilla from Madagascar at almost $500/kilo. This crisis has had two unfortunate outcomes: mass unemployment and widespread use of synthetic vanilla.

How to Choose the Best Vanilla Perfume

There are three things you should keep in mind when choosing the right vanilla-scented perfume. These factors are influenced by your preferences and needs. However, it is important to remember that they do not have to be mutually exclusive. Sub-factors such as brand, bottle size and quality of ingredients can also affect the price.

• Price

The price of a perfume will depend on several factors, including brand, size and quality. Because of their reputations and the materials they use, certain brands will sell vanilla perfumes at lower prices than others.

The size of the product is an intuitive decision. Larger bottles will likely have a higher price tag, but this all depends on the quality of the perfume and the material used to make them.

The price of an ingredient is also affected by its quality and quantity. Rarer or more valuable ingredients are more expensive than those that are more common.

• Ingredients

It is important to be aware of the ingredients in your perfume. This is especially important for safety reasons and ethical considerations. It is possible for some people to be allergic or sensitive. Therefore, it is important that they are avoided.

Some people might prefer to avoid ingredients that violate ethical commitments. This could include the desire for a cruelty-free or vegan lifestyle or to promote safe work conditions or ethical labor.

• Concentration

It is also important to decide the concentration of your fragrance. These percentages are courtesy of The Perfume Society and indicate the strength or concentration oil in a perfume product.

• Extract/extrait/solid perfume – 20-30%
• Parfum – 15-25%
• Eau de Parfum (EDP) – 8-15%
• Eau de Toilette (EDT) – 4-8%
• Cologne (EDC) – 24%

Higher percentages mean more pure oils in the product. This usually results in a more intense experience. High concentrations activate more receptors in the body.

11 Editor-Approved Selections: The Best Vanilla Perfumes for Women

1. Tom Ford Vanille Fatale, $250/$615
2. Maison Franic Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold Eau de Parfum, $290/$550
3. Lavanila The Healthy Fragrance – Vanilla Grapefruit Eau de Parfum, $48
4. Henry Rose Torn, $120/$50
5. Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille Eau de Parfum, $339
6. Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee Pure Perfume, $30/$110/$195
7. Chloe Atelier des Fleurs Vanilla Planifolia Eau de Parfum, $175
8. Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Eau de Parfum, $38/$165
9. Armani Beauty Si Passione Eau de Parfum, $90/$124/$166
10. Mugler Angel Eau de Parfum, $39/$160
11. Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille, $142/$213

Final thoughts

You might be thinking, “Wait! You have provided us with a list of top fragrances but you haven’t told us which one is best!

We can tell which one is the most cost-effective, luxurious, and beneficial. Lavanila Healthy Fragrance Vanilla Grapefruit Eau de parfum is the most affordable. For $48 per bottle, you get serious quality.

Other brands may offer smaller versions of their products at a lower price, such as YSL’s Black Opium 10ml ($38), Mugler’s Angel 10ml ($39), and Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee Purified Perfume 10ml ($30).

The Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille Eau de Parfum and Maison Franic Kurkdjian Gentle Fluxity Gold Eau de Parfum are the most expensive items on the list.

The Lavanila Vanilla grapefruit Eau de Parfum is also the best. It contains many organic ingredients, including Madagascan vanilla. It’s also extremely good for your skin. You can’t ask for more from your favorite scent.