Some fragrance trends maintain their spot at the top for seasons—like vanilla notes—while others are more fleeting and niche, like watermelon. Spate recently predicted the top fragrance trends of 2026 using data insights showing year-over-year growth in interest across Google, TikTok and Instagram. We asked experts to share their takes on the trends and which products they recommend adding to your fragrance wardrobe.
Pistachio
“From the viral Dubai chocolate phenomenon that took off in 2024 to its growing presence in fine fragrance, pistachio has rapidly emerged as a standout trend. Its unique nutty-creamy profile resonates strongly with today’s craving for comforting gourmand scents,” says perfumer Andrew Everett.
Head of Product and Scent Development at Snif, Kara Kowalski, notes that “pistachio is currently trending up 852 percent year-over-year in popularity, and it’s no surprise why! The market has taken nutty nuances and turned them into gourmand moments."
“Nuts like pistachio, almond or hazelnut bring a softer, more elegant gourmand effect: less sugary, less candy-like and much more refined,” says David Benedek, founder and CEO of BDK Parfums, noting pistachio is beloved as a “more sophisticated alternative to traditional sweet gourmands with a sensual and addictive character. It is giving rise to a new kind of irresistible olfactory addiction.”
Products to try: D.S. & Durga Pistachio ($225), fine’ry Pistachio Please ($30), LORE Lovely and a little twisted ($92)
Caramel
“Caramel is a gourmand note that is very versatile and can offer many olfactory characteristics to perfumes,” says Dimitri Weber, founder and CEO of Goldfield & Banks. Kowalski adds that the rise in popularity of caramel fragrance “makes sense when you look at consumers’ obsession with rich, edible notes that feel comforting and addictive.”
Products to try: Goldfield & Banks Sunset Hour ($222), The 7 Virtues Buttercream Haze ($94), Ellis Brooklyn Queens Caramel ($115)
Honey
“Honey is trending because people are craving comfort with substance, warmth that feels embodied and real,” says Douglas Little, founder and perfumer of Heretic Parfum. Kowalski believes the popularity of honey signals a shift toward natural sweetness and textural obsession. “I always felt that honey in fragrance does more for the feel than the scent. It’s golden, skin-like and slightly sensual. Think less candied, more golden glow!”
Little agrees, noting that for him, honey “is not the syrupy, synthetic fantasy that dominates modern perfumery. I have no interest in saccharine ‘honey’ accords that smell like candy or processed sugar.” Instead, he prefers “material that smells like the hive itself: warm comb, crushed pollen, sun-heated wood and a faint leathery hum of something alive. It isn’t dessert; it’s waxy, textured, almost animal. You can feel the heat of the hive in it.”
Products to try: Snif Honey Suite ($68), Gisou Wild Rose Honey Infused Hair Perfume ($44), Ellis Brooklyn Bee ($115)
Vanilla
“Vanilla is a timeless and iconic ingredient in perfumery, celebrated for its warmth, comfort and sensuality. Over the past few years, perfumers have been exploring it in new ways, uncovering facets beyond the classic sweet gourmand style,” says Benedek. “Today, vanilla can be creamy, woody, leathery or even slightly animalic, offering a refined and versatile character that feels modern yet familiar.”
Weber notes that vanilla offers comfort in dark times, making it a particularly relevant note today. Perfumer Jean‑Marc Chaillan agrees, noting that its emotional warmth and sensual familiarity help it continue to resonate with consumers across the globe. “Vanilla remains one of the strongest, most stable fragrance trends,” notes Kowalski. “At some point, people will start to crave not just vanilla as a singular note, but ingredient pairings that complement each other. Consumers aren’t looking for a basic clean vanilla, they want skin, toasted, bakery, sensual interpretations.”
Products to try: PHLUR Vanilla Skin ($99), GUESS La Mia Bella Vita ($75), BDK Vanille Caviar ($260)
Strawberry
“Strawberry has evolved into a cultural icon with a strong digital and lifestyle presence. The viral ‘strawberry girl’ look on TikTok has helped transform the fruit into a full beauty aesthetic,” says perfumer Yves Cassar. “Olfactively, strawberries are trending as consumers embrace joyful, juicy gourmand fruits, reflecting the broader acceptance of fruity notes moving from mass consumer products into more premium offerings.”
Kowalski agrees, noting as fruity notes continue to trend, “consumers want juicy, dessert-inspired fruits that feel nostalgic and grown up all in one.”
Products to try: Oscar de la Renta New York ($120), Notewrks Room for Dessert ($74), The 7 Virtues Strawberry Jam ($94)
Watermelon
“Watermelon has been a favorite of mine forever, and it never quite gets its flowers,” says Kowalski. “Now, it’s up 158 percent year-over-year, reflecting a demand for bright, juicy fruit that feels fresh, dewy and delicious.”
Products to try: Snif Swede Tooth ($68), NEST New York Watermelon Peony Perfume Oil ($108), Boy Smells Water Melons ($38)
Oud
Little describes oud as “primal,” which is part of its appeal. "It resonates because it reminds us we are not just observers of nature, we are part of it,” he adds. “True oud forms when agarwood becomes infected by a specific fungus; in defense, the tree produces a dark, resin-saturated heartwood. That resin, once distilled, is oud, the scent of infection, resistance and transformation,” he explains.
Although oud is trending, its popularity isn’t about status, says Little; it's about instinct. “We live in a sterilized, filtered culture, and animalic oud breaks that illusion. It reconnects us to the mammal beneath the polish.”
The Middle Eastern note that has found its way to global fame over time is "extreme, evocative and transportive, making any perfume with oud a true journey with thousands of stories,” says Weber. Not to mention, oud is known for smelling expensive and luxurious, making it feel like a worthwhile investment, he adds.
“Naturally, oud is deeply woody, animalic and powerful, which can be overwhelming for some,” says Benedek. By combining it with fruit, the fragrance gains roundness, softness and approachability, making it more 'digestible' for regions discovering or rediscovering oud.”
Products to try: Heretic Dragon’s Blood ($165), Tom Ford Oud Wood ($300), Dior Oud Ispahan ($220)
Bergamot
“Citrus notes such as bergamot capture the consumer desire for clean, uplifting sensations and bergamot, with its citrusy yet subtly fruity facets, perfectly meets expectations for a modern freshness with a touch of brightness,” says Chaillan.
Kowalski notes that bergamot is in most fragrances but rarely gets to be the headliner. With the note up 90 percent year-over-year, it looks promising that consumers are interested in citrus notes that haven’t always been at the forefront, says Kowalski, who notes bergamot is also great because it's so versatile and easy to layer.
Products to try: Vyrao I Am Verdant ($190)Notewrks Sunny Is a Feeling ($74), Henry Rose Windows Down ($120)
Banana
“This ingredient crept through the ranks for years,” says Kowalski. “It’s not an easy ingredient to develop around. It can be polarizing at times, but consumers are embracing it! It’s an ingredient we’ve likely been smelling for a while without knowing what it is. Think of the sun lotions we reach for every summer. Banana or banana flower accords are often woven into those nostalgic beachy profiles.”
Products to try: Esas Paradis ($225), Snif Hazel Split ($34), Ellis Brooklyn Banana Milkshake Hair and Body Fragrance Mist ($39)
Matcha
Rounding out the top 10, matcha notes are up more than 173 percent year-over-year, signaling growing interest in fresh, earthy green tea scents. It seems matcha is becoming increasingly mainstream in both lattes and perfumes.
Products: PHLUR Matcha Milk Hair and Body Mist ($39), Le Labo Thé Matcha 26 ($240), Nette Thé Vanille ($140)
