Men's fragrances that reek of bergamot, vetiver, and pepper are a dime a dozen. Sure, those three notes might be the first notes you think of when shopping for scents, but we'd like to make a case for vanilla fragrances. Known as sweet and cozy, vanilla is a note that's commonly used in women's scents. There are, however, darker and earthier scents that also use it.
Now that vanilla is becoming more recognized for its complexity, we've put together eight of our vanilla-based favorites. Whether you like it mixed with smoky accords or plain sweet and musky, this selection will definitely be enjoyed.
From classic fragrances to newer releases, here are the best vanilla fragrances for men:
1. Paco Rabanne Pure XS
PACO RABANNE Pure XS, price unavailable, pacorabanne.com
Vanilla notes are often used in oriental-type scents, and this one from Paco Rabanne uses it in a vibrant way. It does so with a masterful mix of different notes, including ginger, thyme, cinnamon, myrrh, and more. Infused with leather, liquor, and musk, the vanilla acts as a partner to the woody essence.
2. Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER Le Male, price unavailable, jeanpaulgaultier.com
Le Male is one of Jean Paul Gaultier's most well-known fragrances. So, it might come as a surprise that it has vanilla in it. The warm and masculine scent uses notes of mint, lavender, bergamot, cinnamon, cumin, and orange blossom. Here, the vanilla is a lot more subdued to give warmth and tenderness to the overall scent.
3. Versace Eros
VERSACE Eros, P5000, rustans-thebeautysource.com
Along with Le Male, another famous favorite that has vanilla is Versace's Eros. Created by Aurelien Guichard, the fresh, woody, and oriental scent uses mint, green apple, lemon, tonka beans, ambroxan, and of course, vanilla. Don't be fooled by the citrus opening, the scent develops into a woodsy vanilla fragrance that's sweet and masculine.
4. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille
TOM FORD Tobacco Vanille, P12,600, rustans-thebeautysource.com
Just by its name, you can expect a whole lot of vanilla from Tom Ford's Private Blend line's Tobacco Vanille. The unisex fragrance, created by Olivier Gillotin, combines tobacco, pepper, tonka bean, and cacao to balance out the strong vanilla scent. What comes out of the bottle is a thick and strong fragrance that manages to be cozy at the same time.
5. Ermenegildo Zegna Bourbon Vanilla
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA Bourbon Vanilla, price unavailable, rustans-thebeautysource.com
Though named Bourbon Vanilla, Ermenegildo Zegna uses the sweet scent in a much more subdued way. Bourbon Vanilla is a lot more different than other vanilla-based scents thanks to the overall earthiness of the bottle. It's deep and intense, sweet and rich, hypnotic and long-lasting.
6. Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace
MAISON MARGIELA Replica By The Fireplace, price unavailable, sephora.com
By The Fireplace uses a lot of woody notes to translate that real fireplace scent. But, the not-so-secret accord that pulls it all together is vanilla. Other notes included are pink pepper, orange blossom, cloves, chestnut, guaiac wood, juniper, peru balsam, and cashmeran.
7. Valentino Valentino Uomo Intense
VALENTINO Valentino Uomo Intense, price unavailable, valentino.com
Compared to the original edition of Valentino Uomo, this Intense version is much deeper, charismatic, and masculine—and it's all because of the leather and vanilla mix inspired by dark leather. If you're not as convinced about vanilla fragrances, then this bottle is a great starting point as it uses it moderately.
8. Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche
CHANEL Allure Homme Edition Blanche, price unavailable, rustans-thebeautysource.com
So far, we've seen scents use vanilla as a way to boost smoky, leather, and woody accords. Chanel's take on the note, however, is a lot more citrusy with the use of lemon. The result is a well-blended, timeless scent that's fresh and creamy. Other notes included are black pepper, pink pepper, lemon, bergamot, sandalwood, tonka beans, white musk, vetiver, and cedarwood.
*This story originally appeared on Esquiremag.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Preview.ph editors.
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