Vanilla body oils range from creamy and almond-sweet to fruity, nutty and berry-bright. Pick by the note paired with the vanilla: almond reads soft and cozy, berry and dragonfruit read playful, pistachio reads nutty, and plum reads deep. All of them sit warm and close on skin.
What does a vanilla body oil smell like?
Warm, creamy and close. Vanilla usually sits in the base of a scent, so it is what stays on your skin after the brighter top notes fade. In a body oil, it opens with whatever it is paired with, fruit, nuts or florals, then settles into a soft, sweet warmth that trails softly through the day.
That warmth comes mostly from one compound. According to Britannica, vanillin is the main aromatic constituent of cured vanilla pods, it can be extracted from the pods or made synthetically, and it is widely used in perfumery. Because almost everyone knows the smell, vanilla reads as comforting rather than loud.
What changes from one vanilla oil to the next is the company it keeps. Pair vanilla with almond and marshmallow and it turns into dessert. Pair it with plum and pink pepper and it turns into evening.
Which vanilla scent is right for you?
Start with the note you already love next to vanilla. Choose almond and caramel if you want soft and cozy, berries or dragonfruit if you want playful, pistachio and honey if you like nutty sweetness, and plum with pink pepper if you want something deep. Every one is $42 for 3.4 fl oz.
| Scent | Vanilla style | Notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanilla Almond Soufflé | Creamy, almond-sweet | Lemon sugar, orange, almond and coconut; vanilla flower, jasmine, coconut cream and marshmallow; vanilla extract, vanilla mousse, salted caramel, whipped cream and amber | Soft, cozy, everyday vanilla |
| Black Raspberry Vanilla | Berry-rich, not sugary | Plum wine, bergamot and pear, smoothing into vanilla and orchid, drying down on cashmere and musk | Berry lovers who want depth, not candy |
| Dragonfruit Vanilla | Tropical and soft | D'Anjou pear, bergamot and peach nectar; dragonfruit, goji berry, pineapple, candied violet, orris and almond blossom; coconut milk, hibiscus, amber, white woods and vanilla musk | Bright, playful days |
| Strawberry Vanilla | The richest vanilla of the six | Strawberry, marshmallow, whipped cream, peach and bergamot; whipped vanilla, vanilla flower, sweet butter, jasmine and muguet; Madagascar vanilla, heavy cream, raw sugar cane, amber, sandalwood and soft musk | Gourmand fans; very sweet for the first ten minutes, warm after |
| Pistachio Vanilla | Nutty gourmand | Crushed pistachio and golden honey; heavy cream; vanilla butter fudge | Anyone who wants vanilla with a nutty edge |
| Plum Vanilla | Deep and spiced | Pink pepper; plum and French vanilla; amber and vetiver | Evenings and cooler weather |
If you can't decide between two, go by how sweet you want to smell. Strawberry Vanilla and Vanilla Almond Soufflé lean the sweetest. Black Raspberry Vanilla and Plum Vanilla lean the deepest. Dragonfruit Vanilla and Pistachio Vanilla sit in between. See every scent in our Dry Body Oils collection.
Is vanilla a good everyday scent?
Yes. Vanilla wears close, feels familiar and rarely overwhelms a room, so it works at the office, at dinner and everywhere in between. As a dry oil, it sinks in within a minute or two and stays near your skin, which means the people who notice it are the ones close enough to lean in.
That is often when the compliments come. As one customer said about Black Raspberry Vanilla: "Got 3 compliments 1st time I wore this." For more on why certain scents get noticed, read body scents that get compliments.
To get the most wear from any vanilla, apply it to damp skin right after your shower. These tips will help you make your body fragrance last all day.
How do you layer vanilla?
Two layers, one scent. Smooth the matching Body Silk onto damp skin straight out of the shower, then press the matching vanilla dry oil on top to seal it in. Oil always goes last. Wearing the same scent in both textures gives the vanilla more to hold on to, so it reads fuller.
The easy way to do it is a Hydration Duo ($70), which pairs an 8 fl oz Body Silk with a 3.4 fl oz dry oil in one scent. Three vanilla duos are available: Vanilla Almond Soufflé, Black Raspberry Vanilla and Dragonfruit Vanilla.
Already have a vanilla or amber perfume you love? Apply the oil first on damp skin, then spray the perfume on top. The oil gives the perfume something to hold on to, and the two warm notes stack instead of competing.
Which vanilla is best for gifting?
Vanilla Almond Soufflé is the safest pick. It is our best-selling vanilla, soft and cozy rather than sharp, and easy to wear every day. Black Raspberry Vanilla is the second choice, for someone who likes fruit more than dessert. If you don't know their taste, a $12 sample lets them try before you commit.
For a bigger gift, a vanilla Hydration Duo gives them the full two-step routine in one scent. Our dry body oils carry a nut warning, so skip them if you or the person you are gifting has a nut allergy.
Frequently asked questions
Which vanilla gets the most compliments?
Compliments are personal, and every vanilla wears a little differently on every skin. One customer said this about Black Raspberry Vanilla: "Got 3 compliments 1st time I wore this." A $12 sample is the easiest way to test it on yours.
Is there a vanilla sample?
Yes. All six vanilla oils come as a 0.2 fl oz sample for $12. A sample is a preview of the scent, so you can see how it opens and dries down on your skin before buying the full 3.4 fl oz bottle.
Do vanilla oils stain?
No. It absorbs in one to two minutes. Give it that long before you dress and there is no transfer.
Which vanilla has a refill?
Vanilla Almond Soufflé and Black Raspberry Vanilla both come in an 8 fl oz refill for $70. Refills are sold on our website only.
