9 honey scents that will leave you smelling chic and expensive - rather than sickly sweet
Offering a luxe sweetness to the skin, honey perfumes are proving to be the *buzziest* scent pick this season...
Offering sweetness, warmth and a silky-smooth intensity, honey perfumes are proving to be this season's must-have scent genre - and these nine picks are most definitely buzz-worthy...
Though there's no shortage of sweet and velvety signatures amongst the lineup of best long-lasting perfumes, if you're searching for a slight elevation on classic gourmand and vanilla blends, there's one indulgent note you may be yet to consider. Whilst being the perfect condiment to drizzle on your granola or sweetener in your tea, honey is also proving to be this season's must-have aroma. Boasting both richness and warmth, perfumes that smell like honey - or actually featuring the note in their midst - are as luxe as they sound and can be found in the collections of many iconic brands, including Kilian and Marc Jacobs.
So, if you're looking to expand on your almost edible scent collection, or want a niche signature to trial, these nectar-infused perfumes might just satisfy your sweet tooth (or should we say nose?)...
9 honey perfumes that smell deliciously decadent
If you gravitate towards sweetness and warmth when selecting from the best perfumes for women but have grown tired of samey vanilla and more youthful berry blends, a honey-centric scent may offer the perfect progression for you. And, despite its sugary quality, the note is surprisingly versatile, with it featuring alongside everything from chic florals to more intense and smoky hints - like tobacco, cedarwood and liquor accords.
So, regardless of your scent preference, we've rounded up a variety of honey-infused and inspired fragrances to tempt you - at every budget...
Sweet & Smoky
RRP: £225 for 50ml | Notes: Cedarwood, incense and honey
Combining sweetness with smokiness, Back To Black is the perfect scent for those who love gourmand but with an edge. It features blue camomile, cedarwood, sandalwood and tobacco, laced with honey for an addictive and oh-so-warm signature.
Who should buy it: Those who love warm and rich blends or are looking for the perfect evening fragrance.
Hair perfume
RRP: £34 for 50ml | Ingredients: Mirsalehi Honey and argan oil
This hair perfume not only smells incredible - thanks to its delicate blend of honey, spring florals and citrus hints of apricot and mandarin - but also nourishes your hair with every spritz, with ingredients like Mirsalehi Honey and argan oil working to hydrate and boost the shine of your strands. A hair mist is also ideal for layer with your other sweet and floral signatures, for boosted intensity.
Who should buy it: those who love to layer their perfumes and are looking for an extra touch of sweetness
Sweet fresh fruits
RRP: from £55 for 30ml | Notes: Cassis, acacia honey and peach
If you're a lover of citrus scents, this Jo Malone number is the perfect honeyed fragrance to try. It's described as being uplifting and vibrant, thanks to its fresh and crisp blend of cassis, peach, delicate blossoms and smooth acacia honey. It's luxe, indulgent and the perfect signature for spring and summer wear.
Who should buy it: those who favour fruity perfumes but are looking for something fresh and sweet, as opposed to sharp and tangy.
Intense & floral
RRP: £280 for 50ml | Notes: Plum, gardenia, carnation, Indian Tuberose, rosewood and honey accord
Byredo's Casablanca Lily is touted as the perfect evening scent, thanks to its rich lineup of fragrant florals - gardenia, carnation and tuberose - layered with warming rosewood and of course, honey.
Who should buy it: those who favour unisex signatures and are looking for the perfect night-time perfume.
Woody & Floral
RRP: £127 for 125ml | Notes: Bergamot, basil, petitgrain, fig accord, neroli, honey, rose, orange blossoms, vetiver and white musks
For fans of woody florals, this Guerlain number is the perfect way to incorporate a hint of honey into your scent collection. It's described as being soft but also bright, with delicate florals pairing beautifully with warm and wood hints of vetiver.
Who should buy it: those seeking a perfume where honey adds warmth as sweetness, rather than taking centre stage.
Juicy
RRP: £97 for 100ml | Notes: pear, fruity punch, mandarin, orange blossom, peach nectar, honeysuckle, honey, golden vanilla and woods
Aptly named, this sweet and juicy number from Marc Jacobs seeks to bottle the warm, deliciously sweet decadence of honey. It's fresh and bright, thanks to its fruity hints but still, it remains warm and smooth - ideal for summer spritzing.
Who should buy it: those seeking an easy and playful signature - especially for summer.
Rich, woody & floral
RRP: £80 for 30ml | Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, ginger, saffron accord, orange blossom, lavandin, vanilla bourbon, honey accord and vetiver.
While YSL Libre is touted as one of the best vanilla perfumes on the market, Libre Le Parfum offers even more depth, with its rich base notes boasting the likes of honey accord, woody vetiver and vanilla bourbon. It's warm, sweet and perfectly smooth - ideal for a confident signature and alluring evening scent.
Who should buy it: fans of the original Libre are bound to love this sweet and woody expansion - and those who gravitate towards warm vanilla-y blends.
Elegant & smooth
RRP: £215 for 75ml | Notes: Frangipani, honey, freesia and hawthorn
This honeyed signature from Chanel blends sweet frangipani and honey with green, floral bursts of freesia and hawthorn for a scent that is so smooth and sophisticated.
Who should buy it: anyone seeking an elegant fragrance that is soft, sweet and blends well with your skin's natural scent.
Sweet floral
RRP: £64 for 30ml | Notes: Strawberry, pear, honey, rosebud, vanilla and green Moss
A classic from Marc Jacob's lineup, Daisy Oh So Intense is the perfect sweet floral, with hints of youthful and sparkling strawberry, pear, honey and vanilla pairing seamlessly with delicate rosebud, whilst its hint of green moss adds a layer of crispness.
Who should buy it: anyone seeking a popular and proven crowd-pleaser in the honey perfume genre.
What does a honey perfume smell like?
Honey fragrances incorporate the syrupy ingredient into their note blend to deliver a delicate warmth and powdery sweetness. As for how they smell exactly, this can differ. You can find scents - like that of the Gisou Honey Infused Hair perfume - that actually smell exactly like a dollop of runny honey, while other perfumes blend its smooth, golden quality with the likes of florals - for a delicate gourmand signature - or with equally warm and slightly spicy hints like bourbon and cedarwood, for something a little more intense and smoky. The common theme though is sweetness.
Who should buy honey perfumes?
If you're already a lover of vanilla scents and edible gourmand hints, like that of pistachio perfumes, a honey fragrance is likely to be a hit with your nose.
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As mentioned though, you can find perfumes that feature honey as a heart of base note and paired with richer, animalistic and skin-like aromas - so they may also appeal to those who favour warm, cosy signatures as well as more unisex blends.
Naomi is a Digital Beauty Writer from woman&home, where she covers everything from skincare to fragrance but specialises, particularly, in makeup and nail trends. Through her work, Naomi gets to share her trend expertise and share her own shopping recommendations and product reviews. Previously, she worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products.
Before that, Naomi split her time between both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ, for which she earned a Distinction. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but leapt into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing. Now, when she isn’t reporting on the best perfumes and latest beauty releases, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping...
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