Banana Perfume Is The Unexpected Scent Trend Taking Over BeautyTok

This fruit isn’t just for smoothies anymore. Banana is officially fragrance’s latest It note — and it’s getting a very chic glow-up. Instead of cartoonish sweetness, perfumers are spotlighting banana’s more complex sides: leafy-green, creamy, floral, and even boozy.

On PerfumeTok, it’s everywhere — creator Samantha Kelly’s roundup of her favorite banana scents has gotten nearly 160,000 likes. “On social media, it has taken off,” says fragrance designer Gustavo Romero. “It's different, but still easy to enjoy.” He thinks the appeal comes down to its mix of sentimentality and newness. “Banana generally feels playful, a bit nostalgic, very summery,” he says. “The whole kitschy-but-cool vibe also plays into banana. It feels both throwback and fresh.” Basically, the girls who get it, get it.

“Banana is definitely having a moment,” says Nicole Mancini, principal perfumer at European fragrance maker dsm-firmenich. And thanks to new technology, perfumers can now re-create the fruit more realistically. Instead of just sticky-sweet pulp, they’re building in green, slightly unripe top notes with creamy, warm bases. “It’s being reimagined as something modern, fresh, and unexpectedly elegant,” Mancini says. For newbies, it’s also a surprisingly easy entry point into gourmands (scents containing edible notes), and it’s not just a summer fling. “Look for a fragrance that incorporates muguet, soft woods, or musks to help tame the fruitiness,” Mancini says. “That allows banana to feel more elevated and versatile for year-round wear.”

I gathered the most-searched banana perfumes, consulted perfume pros for their top picks, and then took them all for a test drive. Here are the buzziest banana fragrances worth sniffing, from a sultry date-night pick to a TikTok-viral body mist.

Best For Date Night

The Barcelona-based niche perfume house pairs green banana peel and ripe flesh with jasmine, orange blossom, honey, and a sensual musk base. As someone who usually avoids foodie scents, this unisex fragrance surprised me. It felt like walking through a jungle, surrounded by damp banana leaves, but grounded by florals, so it never veered too sweet. Note: A little goes a long way. The first time I tried it, two spritzes felt too strong. The second wear hooked me even more.

Rating: 4.5/5

Best For Work Or Internship

This spin on the brand’s popular Daisy Wild opens with banana blossom, then layers florals, amber, and sandalwood. This variant pumps up the banana from several angles. You’re hit with banana blossom at the jump, then the creamy fruit, then a warm, woodsy, and herbaceous base. It’s perfect for someone who typically goes for a floral fragrance and wants to branch out. Plus, it’s not too heavy or sultry to wear during the day or to the office.

Rating: 4/5

Best Food-Forward Scent

On the cozier end of the spectrum is Nanatopia, a fragrance by Korean brand BORNTOSTANDOUT. It leans into a ripe, caramelized vibe — imagine banana bread laced with cinnamon, rum, and tonka bean. Romero calls it “layered and grown-up.” At first whiff, it smells exactly like warm banana bread soaked in rum. But after a while, the scent dries down and develops into a spicy, woodsy vanilla. It’s sweet but not cloying, carnal, and sophisticated as hell.

Rating: 4/5

Best Everyday Scent

Good luck finding this TikTok sensation in stock. Think piña colada: milky, decadent, tropical, and boozy. It opens like a coconut banana pudding with a warm, powdery vanilla-sugar finish, but softens into something delicate and wearable. It’s packaged in an adorable, totally portable, sturdy glass spray bottle that you can throw into your tote for an anytime refresh. One spritz will make you feel like it’s summer and you’re shaking sand out of your bathing suit, no matter what your weather app says.

Rating: 3.5/5

Best Summery Scent

Mancini and Romero both give this one a shoutout, and it’s easy to smell why. This tropical escape in a bottle opens with the creamy sweetness of ripe banana and coconut cream, then unfurls into sun-drenched gardenia and jasmine. As it dries down, rum, sandalwood, and vanilla bourbon wrap everything in a warm, beachy haze. It’s bright, buttery, and joyfully flirty. It’s like the scent equivalent of a bronzed glow and a piña colada in hand.

Rating: 5/5

Best Twist

The fruit gets the fashion treatment in this playful yet polished eau de toilette. It opens with juicy banana and floral neroli, then melts into creamy almond and a fluffy meringue accord. It’s like a banana soufflé straight from a Parisian patisserie. This unexpectedly elegant scent is basically sunshine in a bottle, begging strangers to ask what you’re wearing. The dry-down leaves a soft vanilla-almond sweetness that lingers all day. It’s gourmand, retro, and totally addictive.

Rating: 3/5

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About Me:

I’m an award-winning writer and editor covering everything from wellness to luxury travel to lifestyle trends. I’ve held staff roles at Women’s Health, SELF, and CBS, where I edited fashion and beauty sections, tested countless products, and put together more gift guides than I can count. I graduated from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. When I’m not writing, I’m usually fine-tuning my skin care routine.