This Underrated Scent Makes You Smell Like You've Been on a Chic Autumnal Getaway
Fig perfumes are perfect for this time of year, and we've rounded up the best on the market.
I'll hold my hands up and say it: I'm not usually a fan of fruity perfumes. Although they make for a great summer scent or holiday perfume, I think I overdid them in my teenage years (DKNY Red Delicious, anyone?) and now I can't stand them. One exception I can make, however, is for fig perfumes. Fig fragrances toe the line between being fruity without giving me a sugar-induced headache. Fig perfumes also have a creamy or woody scent, which makes them a great fragrance for daytime or evening wear and perfect as we transition into autumn.
Some of my favourite fig perfumes, such as Diptyque's much-loved Philosykos, take all the elements of the fig into the scent, such as the creamy, sweet freshness of the fruit coupled with the green freshness of fig leaf and the tree bark too. Others have a subtle figgy-ness that is more of a supporting role than a leading lady, pairing well with other woody or floral notes to give a subtle creamy sweetness. Others hone in on the ripe Mediterranean fruit with honeyed or gourmand notes that are truly good enough to eat.
Whatever your preference, there's a fig scent for you. Scroll ahead for my edit of the best fig perfumes around.
The Best Fig Perfumes
- Best Overall Fig Perfume: Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Parfum, £170
- Best Fig Perfume for Daytime Wear: DS & Durga Debaser Eau de Parfum, £155
- Best Fig Perfume for Evening Wear: Chloé Atelier Des Fleurs Plage Du Figuier Eau De Parfum, £115
- Best Smoky Fig Perfume: Molton Brown Sunlit Clementine & Vetiver,£99
- Best Floral Fig Perfume: Jo Malone London Fig & Lotus Flower, £125
1. Diptyque Philosykos
Key notes: Fig leaves, fig tree sap, fig tree wood, black pepper
This is the very first Diptyque perfume I fell in love with. And I still adore it. Its name quite literally translates as 'friend of the fig tree' and is a love letter to fig, capturing the milky notes of fig along with the tree's leaves and bark, making it sweet yet green and woody. I just can't get enough.
2. D.S. & Durga Debaser
Key notes: Bergamot, green leaf, pear stem, fig, coconut milk, iris, blond woods, tonka bean, moss
I recently wrote a review of D.S. & Durga fragrances, and this was by far my favourite, and it just so happens to be a great figgy perfume too. Imagine a warm, ripe fig coupled with a splash of cold coconut milk, and this is exactly what it smells like on the skin. It's kept really green and fresh with green leaf and bergamot, and has an addictive dry-down with smooth blond woods, sweet tonka bean and a touch of earthy moss. I'll be wearing this one all season.
3. Molton Brown Sunlit Clementine & Vetiver
Key notes: Clementine, lime, mandarin orange, hazelnut, fig, moss, bourbon vetiver
This scent is so delicious. It's primarily a citrus scent with clementine as the star, but after speaking with perfumer Julie Massé, I learned that fig leaf is what gives it a certain creaminess before drying down into a woody base of vetiver, nutty hazelnut and earthy moss. For me, this is the perfect mood-boosting citrus scent. It's also cleverly formulated to be long-lasting on the skin, unlike other citrus scents that tend to disappear after a few hours. Can we also take a moment for the chic bottle?
4. Prada Infusions De Figue
Key notes: Mandarin, fig accord, lentisk, galbanum
First I fell for the chic bottle, then the fresh scent. All of the Les Infusions De Prada scents revolve around the idea of being a 'second skin' that you wear, rather than the scent wearing you, and this fresh fig scent is ideal if you don't want anything overpowering. It's slightly citrusy, a little musky and very clean-smelling, but the sweet green fig note is certainly present all day long.
5. Acqua Di Parma Fico De Amalfi
Key notes: Italian lemon, Italian bergamot, grapefruit, fig nectar, pink pepper, jasmine petals, fig wood, cedarwood, benzoin
This is more of a summery fig scent, but great if you're craving a bit of escapism this autumn. It smells like the sort of person who spends their summers on the Amalfi Coast wearing Loro Piana, sipping Italian spritzes underneath the sun. Its bright, juicy and green notes will instantly transport you to glittering blue seas and sunnier climates.
6. Chloé Atelier des Fleurs Plage du Figuier
Key notes: Fig, orange blossom
This really does smell like the south of France; the fig is warm and inviting, but there is also this sunshine-like quality that makes you instantly slump your shoulders and think of your favourite beach getaways. It's so unbelievably addictive.
7. Jo Malone London Fig & Lotus Flower
Key notes: Fig leaf, lotus flower, vetiver
Deputy editor Maxine Eggenberger is a fan of this scent. "Without a word of a lie, every time I wear Jo Malone London's Fig & Lotus Flower perfume, I receive lots of compliments on it," she says. Imagine a grand garden pond with lotus flowers atop the water, surrounded by ripe, juicy figs drenched after a summer downpour, and you have this deliciously fresh and delicate scent.
8. Byredo Pulp
Key notes: Bergamot, blackcurrant, cardamom, fig, red apple, tiare, cedarwood, peach flower, praline
For fruity lovers, it doesn't get much chicer than Byredo's take, which is inspired by colourful smashed fruit, including juicy ripe fig pulp that you'd find in a figgy dessert. Reviewers say this sweet fragrance is very different from Byredo's classic scents, so it's worth smelling in person to see if it floats your boat.
9. Dior Dioriviera
Key notes: Fig, green notes, rose
Smelling this perfume takes you straight to the south of France. Think sun-dappled light through trees swaying in the wind, radiant roses and milky green fig. If you love a fruity floral scent with a twist of sunshine and fig front and centre, this scent is a must-try.
10. Tom Ford Figue Érotique
Key notes: Bergamot, ylang-ylang, muscovado, fig leaf, vetiver
This one encapsulates fig leaf before revealing an unexpected honeyed muscovado note, which gives it a boozy edge. Like all Tom Ford scents, it's full-bodied and undeniably sexy, making it perfect for date nights.
11. Phlur Father Figure
Key notes: Waterlily, fig, cassis buds, orris root, iris flower, jasmine dew, skin musks, Madagascar vanilla, patchouli leaf, sandalwood
Phlur's Father Figure is a lush twist of sweet fig with dew-dropped waterlilies that makes it feel really fresh—almost aquatic. The addition of powdery iris and skin-like musk in the dry-down makes it all the more addictive as it morphs on the skin throughout the day. I always travel with this one as it works so well for different occasions.
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