FYI, It’s Time to Add a Sophisticated, Sweet Perfume to Your Rotation (2024)

Listen, scents and perfumes are subjective, which means labeling one of them as the 'best overall' can be a bold claim to make, but I'm willing to risk it for 'Love Don't Be Shy' from Kilian. Other than the fact that Rihanna is famously known for wearing this "heavenly" scent (the exact word that several celebs have claimed Rih smells like), it is truly as grown-up-gourmand as a scent gets. The notes are both flirty and playful with a little added spice.

• Top notes: Neroli, pink pepper, coriander
• Heart notes: Iris, jasmine, rose, honeysuckle, orange blossom
• Base notes: Musk, vanilla, civet, caramel, sugar

Glowing Customer Review: "Very nice scent. The description says it's floral, but I get more of a warm vanilla scent—like a grown-up cupcake. I put one small spray on my wrist and it lasted the whole workday."

Cosmo beauty editor Beth Gillette is in love with the best-selling Vanilla 28 from Kayali. "At first, I thought this was just the corporate version of Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath and Body Works, thanks to its warm brown sugar and amber notes," she says, noting that it's way more well-rounded and has a more significant range. I personally love that this perfume maintains that classic sweet vanilla profile but incorporates a floral spiciness that gives it a unique edge.

• Top notes: Jasmine, vanilla orchid
• Heart notes: Brown sugar, amber woods
• Base notes: Patchouli, musk, amber, vanilla

Glowing Customer Review: "Now this is a luxurious fragrance line that’s worth every penny. I’ve received so many compliments since I started using Kayali fragrances. A must for a unique signature scent."

The viral perfume, Cloud, from Ariana Grande—which some have deemed the less expensive version of Baccarat Rouge 540—balances its v sweet and sugary notes with bursts of fresh fruit and musk. It opens with scents of pear and lavender and evolves into a sweet, creamy mix of whipped cream, coconut, praline, and vanilla. But before it tips into an overly sweet territory, it settles with notes of musk and woodiness, which adds a touch of warmth and pairs perfectly with the sweeter notes.

• Top notes: Lavender, pear, bergamot
• Heart notes: Whipped cream, praline, coconut, vanilla orchid
• Base notes: Musk, woody

Glowing Customer Review: "I smell like a sweet fantasy wearing this!!! This perfume has a beautiful, clean vanilla scent to it. Sincerely, a gorgeous but not overpowering scent - I prefer it over more expensive brands. Constant compliments. 10/10."

If you want an inviting and warm gourmand vanilla scent for under 30 bucks (30!), check out Le Monde Gourmand's Crème Vanille. It's a sugary, warm perfume that opens with its signature vanilla cream notes. When it settles, it has subtle hints of brown sugar and caramel, which are then balanced with the sweet and musky smell of jasmine petals. With that combo, you'd think it would cost a lot more.

• Top notes: Creamy apricot
• Heart notes: Jasmine petals
• Base notes: Brown sugar, amber

Glowing Customer Review: "I tend to go for gourmand-y, soft, comforting food scents, with vanilla being my favorite. After reading the reviews that Crème Vanilla smells absolutely wonderful, I purchased it. I do not regret it—it literally smells like a sweet vanilla cloud and has staying power!"

Cheirosa '62 reminds me of a warm summer night on a beach vacation—and the beauty community agrees, considering it's a cult favorite. The topical scent opens with the nutty sweetness of pistachio and almonds and finishes it off with creamy vanilla and salted caramel. But my favorite part is the heart notes of tropical floral undertones, which bring the Brazilian perfume alive. Pro tip: Pair it with the signature Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Cream for the ultimate sweet combo.

• Top notes: Pistachio, almond
• Heart notes: Heliotrope, jasmine petals
• Base notes: Vanilla, salted caramel, sandalwood

Glowing Customer Review: "This is my go-to everyday fragrance. I love it so much it smells so sweet and amazing and it lasts for hours. It is definitely worth the price and hype. If you’re thinking about easing this fragrance, purchase it right now, and you definitely will not be disappointed with it."

Cosmo's deputy editor Madeleine Reeves has been obsessing over Phlur's Vanilla Skin lately. It could be because of the v inexpensive price tag, or the fact that you can spray it on your skin and hair, or because it's truly a modern take on a vanilla fragrance that stands out from the lot of 'em. It's a warm and spicy scent that opens with sugar and pink pepper, then develops into a warm mix of cashmere and vanilla, and settles down to a woodsy, creamy scent thanks to the sandalwood.

• Top notes: Sugar, pink pepper, red apple
• Heart notes: Cashmere wood, jasmine, lily
• Base notes: Vanilla, benzoin, sandalwood, agarwood

Glowing Customer Review: "I am absolutely in love with this fragrance. Smells like sweet vanilla. The scent reminds me of the old-school fragrance, Pink Sugar. I would recommend layering this with another fragrance to make it last longer."

"'On a Date' smells like grapes," says Veronica Lopez, Cosmo's sex and relationships editor. And what's sweeter than ripe grapes?! This fragrance is an intoxicating, sultry scent that takes the sugary sweetness of grapes and combos it with the rich, floral scents of roses. If you're looking for a unique scent that is both juicy and sensual, this bb is it. For your next Hinge date, maybe? Hey, if it doesn't end well, at least you'll smell yummy.

• Top notes: Black currant liquor accord, bergamot oil, pink pepper oil
• Heart notes: Isparta rose petal essence, geranium oil, davana oil
• Base notes: Patchouli essence, vetiver oil, moss accord, musks

Glowing Customer Review: "It's slightly fruity, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, a little flirty-come-hither, and a little sexy, a little "I'm a good girl, but want to be bad." All the "slightly" and "littles" add up to an addictive combination of literally, "I'm going on a date." I feel confident and beautiful wearing this. I can't stop sniffing it. It's definitely not a teen fragrance."

Typically a floral perfume person, but wanna try the sweet side of scents for a lil change-up? Add Lancôme's La Vie est Belle to your lineup, which is a very feminine floral scent. It's such a classic, elegant perfume that uses flowers like iris and jasmine, fresh notes of pear and orange blossom, and then settles to a warmer tone thanks to the patchouli and vanilla.

• Top notes: Black currant, pear
• Heart notes: Iris, jasmine, orange blossom
• Base notes: Praline, vanilla, patchouli, tonka bean

Glowing Customer Review: "This is the only perfume that I always repurchase every time I’m running low. Beautiful sweet, warm, and flowery scent! My body chemistry loves it and I get compliments when I wear it. A must-have for me."

When you think of the classic J'adore Dior, you probably imagine a big bouquet of flowers. But to Cosmo's beauty editor Beth Gillette, the iconic scent takes on more of a citrus tone. "J'adore Dior is very good! It's like a whiff of fruits and smells really sweet to me," she describes. Testers agree, with one saying it's like a group of women sitting in a fragrant garden, drinking bottomless bellinis. 'Nuff said.

• Top notes: Pear, melon, magnolia, peach, mandarin, orange, bergamot
• Heart notes: Jasmine, Lily-of-the-valley, tuberose, freesia, rose, orchid, plum, violet
• Base notes: Musk, vanilla, blackberry, cedar

Glowing Customer Review: "Such a sweet scent! The look of the bottle is also so nice, the packaging was so elegant I’m so in love! The scent is citrusy but in all the good ways, and the floral notes have me in loveeee. I have so many people stop and ask me what I’m wearing. This long-lasting scent is like a step into adulthood, such an upgrade from Miss Dior!!"

Ahem, no perfume list would be complete without Baccarat Rouge 540, which takes on a unique sultry and sweet tone that is completely iconic. "I love gourmand scents, and Baccarat Rouge 540 is my go-to," says Cosmo assistant shopping editor Hannah Oh. "It's sweet, it's sexy, it's immediately recognizable, and best of all, it comes in a range of dupes if spending $300+ on a bottle of perfume feels a liiiiitle cray in this economy." But she recommends that you get the OG if you can, as it'll last longer than you think, and there's no need to overspray for longevity.

• Top notes: Jasmin, saffron
• Heart notes: Amberwood, ambergris
• Base notes: Fir resin, cedar

Glowing Customer Review: "This is the greatest scent I've ever smelled in my life. It's subtle yet breathtaking. It's sweet yet deep. It's pure elegance and sophistication. It's so good I want to keep it a secret!!!" one tester writes. "Smells like sweet cotton candy and blackberry heaven," adds another.

An eau de parfum—i.e., the strongest type of perfume thanks to the higher concentrations of perfume oil—for this astonishingly low price? Tell me more. Cosmopolitan assistant editor Sam Olson absolutely loves this yummy salted caramel scent. "It is personally my bedtime fragrance because it's soft and sweet and makes me feel like a marshmallow." Need we convince you more?

• Top notes: Sugar, almond milk, orange, lemon, freesia
• Heart notes: Dark chocolate, vanilla, orchid, orange blossom
• Base notes: Caramel, amber, patchouli, musk, sandalwood

Glowing Customer Review: "This perfume smells so good. It smells like Chocolate and Caramel blended together perfectly. Every time I wear this, I get a bunch of compliments from guys, and the women want to know what it is. I definitely recommend this."

Cherry-red nails, cherry-red clothes, and, of course, cherry perfumes have been everywhere this year. It's hard to get a cherry perfume right (it's easy to step too much into the scent that it smells nauseating and medicinal), but this one from Tom Ford manages to do so perfectly. "While it's definitely on the sweet side, it's not too sweet thanks to notes of bitter almond, sandalwood, and cedarwood," says Cosmo commerce writer Sarah Maberry, adding, "Lost Cherry smells so freaking good that it's earned a permanent spot on my perfume shelf."

• Top notes: Bitter almond, black cherry, cherry liqueur
• Heart notes: Sour cherry, plum, Turkish rose, jasmine sambac
• Base notes: Vanilla, tonka bean, cinnamon, Peru balsam, benzoin, sandalwood, cloves, cedar, patchouli, vetiver.

Glowing Customer Review: "Adult Cherry scent—truly unisex. I tried multiple cherry-scented perfumes and loved this one at first sniff. The first spray is sweet and delicious and settles sweet with a smoky charcoal lingering scent. Perfect scent balance!"

A sweet perfume list wouldn't be complete without Prada's OG Candy. Known as one of the first perfumes that gets the "sophisticated sweet" scent right, this bb shies away from the juvenile, overpowering sweetness, thanks to being balanced with warmer and creamier notes of benzoin and vanilla.

• Top notes: White musk
• Heart notes: Benzoin
• Base notes: Caramel accord

Glowing Customer Review: "'Candy' by Prada is a deliciously sweet fragrance, reminiscent of the scent of cotton candy. It's subtle enough to be enjoyed and lingers on clothing, apparent long after the first spritz! An excellent choice for anyone who enjoys sweet over floral. We do!!"

Yes, it is absolutely possible to find a perfume that is both woody and sweet. In fact, the differing scent profiles are what make Mugler's Angel so iconic. Sweet and citrus notes of cotton candy and an array of fruits add that vibrant playful touch, and then the perfume develops into a rich and complex blend, thanks to the musky, woody base notes of patchouli. An interesting combo that just works, trust.

• Top notes: Cotton candy, coconut, cassis, melon, jasmine, bergamot, pineapple, mandarin
• Heart notes: Honey, red berries, blackberry, plum, apricot, jasmine, peach, nutmeg, orchid, caraway, rose, Lily-of-the-valley
• Base notes: Patchouli, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, musk, sandalwood

Glowing Customer Review: "Been wearing Angel for a few years now and keep coming back to it. It's very hard to describe but it's a unique scent. Very feminine, subtly sweet, and sexy. Compared to Alien and Goddess this one leans more towards vanilla and has a sweeter vibe. If you're a fan of gourmand and vanilla especially this is a slightly sexier more grown-up version."

I am always down for a good deal, but there are some brands that I'm willing to dish out the money on, and all the scents by Bond No. 9 New York make that list. Cosmo editor Olivia Truffaut-Wong agrees: "This one isn't overly sweet, but the notes of caramel really come out to make you smell like you just got out of a bakery," she says. "You don't smell like straight-up sugar syrup, instead, you smell like a yummy, warm dessert."

• Top notes: Gardenia, carnation, jasmine
• Heart notes: Patchouli, flowers, sandalwood, sea notes
• Base notes: Caramel, coffee

Glowing Customer Review: "One of my favorite scents from Bond No. 9! It's a unique sweet fragrance that can be worn on any occasion, but also makes a statement. A must-have in the collection!"

When I spray Mango Skin from Vilhelm Parfumerie, I am immediately transported to a tropical, warm climate with a piña colada in one hand and a plate of exotic fruit in the other. Inspired by South Africa, Mango Skin opens with a burst of blackberries and mango, evolves into wild floral notes, and settles down into a rich, sweet combo of patchouli, vanilla, and pink sugar—a perfect balance that doesn't smell at all artificial.

• Top notes: Blackberries, mango, black pepper
• Heart notes: Wild orris, black lotus, jasmin
• Base notes: Patchouli, vanilla, pink sugar

Glowing Customer Review: "I wore this on a beach holiday this year and couldn't stop wearing it. It's ultra sweet juicy mango, with a softness that doesn't skip on the performance. My partner loves it on me as he is really into fruity fragrances. So summery and delicious."