Vanilla in Perfume: What It Smells Like and the 10 Best Vanilla Clones
Vanilla shows up in more than 500 of the designer fragrances in our database. That's partly because it's popular and partly because it works as glue: it softens sharp notes and makes spices and woods feel warmer.
This guide covers what vanilla is, the different ways perfumers use it, and the ten best-scoring clones of fragrances that list it.
Rayhaan
Terra
Copies Amouage Outlands
542 votes link it to Amouage Outlands.
Fans like: Well-blended resins and spices
Common complaint: Definitely not blind buy safe
Longevity: 69% of voters say long lasting.
Follows the original note list closely.
La Rive
Queen of Life
Copies Lancome La Vie Est Belle
Longevity: 46% of voters say moderate.
Adds almond on top of the original's note list. Voters say it fades sooner on skin. It sits closer to the skin than the original.
Fragrance World
Creme of Clouds
Copies Theodoros Kalotinis Creme Brûlée
128 votes link it to Theodoros Kalotinis Creme Brûlée.
Fans like: Cozy comforting and lactonic dessert scent
Common complaint: Sharp synthetic and punchy initial opening
Longevity: 49% of voters say moderate.
Follows the original note list closely.
Maison Alhambra
Desirable Addiction
Copies Dolce & Gabbana Devotion
70 votes link it to Dolce & Gabbana Devotion.
Longevity: 61% of voters say moderate.
Follows the original note list closely.
Armaf
Monarque
Copies Parfums de Marly Althair
130 votes link it to Parfums de Marly Althair.
Fans like: Superior to other Althaïr clones
Common complaint: Chrome finish attracts fingerprints easily
Longevity: 67% of voters say long lasting.
Follows the original note list closely.
Maison Alhambra
Eternal Touch
Copies Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille
106 votes link it to Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille.
Fans like: Excellent for cold weather and winter
Common complaint: Too heavy for warm seasons
Longevity: 53% of voters say moderate.
Brings cocoa to the mix and skips cacao from the original. Voters say it fades sooner on skin. It sits closer to the skin than the original.
Rayhaan
Pharaoh
Copies Omanluxury Caden
98 votes link it to Omanluxury Caden.
Longevity: 67% of voters say long lasting.
Follows the original note list closely.
Rayhaan
Lion
Copies Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male
435 votes link it to Jean Paul Gaultier Ultra Male.
Fans like: Exceptional value for the price
Common complaint: Requires careful spray moderation
Longevity: 63% of voters say long lasting.
Brings cumin to the mix and skips lemon and caraway from the original.
Swiss Arabian
Shaghaf Oud Azraq
Copies Montale Honey Aoud
217 votes link it to Montale Honey Aoud.
Fans like: Excellent value for niche-quality scent
Common complaint: Too cloying for warm temperatures
Longevity: 64% of voters say long lasting.
Leaves out flowers from the original.
Lattafa
Zikra
Copies Kilian Angels Share
61 votes link it to Kilian Angels Share.
Fans like: Closest Kilian Angel’s Share dupe
Common complaint: Too dense for extreme heat
Longevity: 59% of voters say long lasting.
Brings oakmoss to the mix and skips oak, candied almond and hedione from the original.
What vanilla is
Natural vanilla comes from the cured pods of a climbing orchid. Most vanilla in perfume is either a vanilla extract or absolute, or vanillin, the main scent molecule, which can be made synthetically. The result ranges from creamy and sweet to smoky, boozy or powdery depending on what it's paired with.
Because vanillin is cheap and stable, vanilla is one of the easier notes for clones to reproduce.
The styles you'll meet
Boozy vanilla, as in Kilian Angels' Share, pairs it with cognac and cinnamon. Tobacco vanilla, as in Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, adds dried leaf and spice. Fruity vanilla, as in Tom Ford Lost Cherry, sits under cherry and almond. Soft, comforting vanilla, as in Armani Stronger With You, leads with sweetness.
In our data, the originals that list vanilla and have the most clones are Angels' Share (44), Xerjoff Erba Pura (30), Parfums de Marly Delina (26), Tobacco Vanille (25) and Lost Cherry (24).
What wearers complain about
The same two complaints come up again and again. Vanilla scents can turn cloying and heavy in warm weather, and some wearers find a very linear sweet scent boring after a few hours.
If you wear vanilla in summer, choose a lighter, drier one. For winter, the richer boozy and tobacco styles are better.
How we picked
The list above ranks clones by match score. We kept clones with a current Amazon listing and a match score of at least the number noted below, and allowed one clone per designer original so one fragrance can't fill the list. The minimum match score is 80%. A fragrance counts as vanilla if vanilla appears anywhere in the original's notes.
Scores measure scent similarity, not bottle quality or wear time. Read the notes on each card too.
Explore More
Best Kilian Angels' Share Dupes →
Boozy vanilla, ranked.
Best Armani Stronger With You Dupes →
Comforting vanilla, ranked.
Fragrance Families Explained →
How the main families fit together.
Most-Cloned Designer Fragrances →
The 25 scents that get copied the most.
Browse Fragrances by Note →
Every note in our database, with the fragrances built on it.
Explore All Clone Fragrances
Search our database of 4,006 clones with match scores, longevity notes and current pricing.