Soft, Sweet, and Golden—These Honey Perfumes Embody a Sunday Morning at the Farmer's Market
These collect compliments like bees gather pollen.
Lately, I've been in a little love affair with honey perfumes. My favorite ones are soft, sweet, and golden, like the organic fare you'd find at a local farmer's market. That said, honey is a nuanced fragrance note. It can lean warm and cozy, earthy and rustic, sweet and syrupy, or floral and fruity, depending on how it's formulated. Some honey-centric scents evoke ultra-specific elements, like beeswax, honeycomb, dried fruit, flower petals, or time-weathered wood. Regardless, they tend to accomplish the same end goal—creating an alluring aura and gathering endless compliments, like bees collect pollen. Ahead, see the nine best honey perfumes that evoke slow, sunlit mornings and sweet do-nothing days.
The Best Honey Hair Perfumes, Listed
- Best Overall: Phlur Honey Moon Eau de Parfum
- Best Floral: Killian Paris Forbidden Games Eau De Parfum
- Best Fruity: Jo Malone London Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne
- Best Gourmand: Ellis Brooklyn Bee Eau de Parfum
- Best Hair Perfume: Gisou Wildflower Honey Infused Hair Perfume
Best Honey Perfumes
Best Overall: Phlur Honey Moon Eau de Parfum
Fragrance notes: Mandarin, manuka honey, vanilla bean
This, my friends, is the ideal honey perfume, at least in my opinion. It's soft, dreamy, and sunlit, with notes of sparkling mandarin, golden manuka honey, and warm vanilla bean. A sneaky hint of lavender centers me with zen-like peace, while sandalwood offers an opportunity for earthy grounding. This fresh, luminous, and "dipped in honey" scent evokes "quiet moments" and "slow transformation." I'm drawn to it over and over again as the temperature rises and the days ripen.
Best Floral: Killian Paris Forbidden Games Eau De Parfum
Fragrance notes: Peach, rose, honey
At first, this perfume appears to be a simple and innocent concoction. Let it linger, though, and something sophisticated, sultry, and alluring takes center stage. The fruit notes, like peach and black currant, hit first, but blooming rose and intoxicating jasmine are close behind (and receive top billing, as far as I'm concerned). Lastly, warm honey and vanilla add depth. I speak from experience when I say this floral fragrance is almost irresistible.
Best Fruity: Jo Malone London Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne
Fragrance notes: Cassis, acacia honey, peach
Jo Malone is the purveyor of some of the best soft, fresh scents on the market, and this one is no exception. It starts with the scent of a "ripe peach plucked from a market stall in the early morning sun." Then, the cassis, honey, and delicate spring flowers shine through. It's playful, yet elegant, and fresh, yet expensive-smelling. If you're looking for a perfume that's seasonally relevant and highly sophisticated, this is it.
Best Gourmand: Ellis Brooklyn Bee Eau de Parfum
Fragrance notes: Dark rum, davana, honey, bran absolute, cinnamon, sandalwood, vanilla bean, cocoa absolute, musk
This perfume is what happens when you set out to create the perfect sultry-gourmand scent, and you ultimately succeed. With notes of dark rum, cinnamon, and cocoa absolute, it's rich, sweet, and seductive, like a honey-soaked dessert.
Best Hair Perfume: Gisou Wildflower Honey Infused Hair Perfume
Fragrance notes: Wildflower honey
Hair perfumes are the perfect opportunity to A) layer scents for optimum projection and longevity, and B) refresh your hair in-between washes. This is my honey-infused pick. When I say "honey-infused," I really mean it. The formula contains Mirsalehi honey to maintain moisture. There's also argan oil for extra hydration and shine. Meanwhile, it will perfume your hair with a soft, light, and breezy scent. I think one reviewer put it best when they said it smells like "a princess in a flower field."
Fragrance notes: Honey, opoponax, cinnamon, iris accord
Leave it to Diptyque to create a honey perfume that's sweet, sensual, and lingers long into the evening hours. The genderless elixir was inspired by a specific memory of Yves Couelsant (one of the brand's founders). It evokes an "ocean liner bound for Saigon," on which "Women in evening gowns linger on the bridge, cigarette holders in their hands." As such, it's warm, powdery, and smoky-sweet. It might not be for everyone, but when you love it, you love it.
Byredo Casablanca Lily
Fragrance notes: Plum, gardenia, carnation, Indian tuberose, rosewood, honey accord
I was introduced to Byredo's Casablanca Lily by my friend, Erin Jahns, who is Who What Wear's Beauty Director. She counts it among her most treasured perfumes, and I can see why. Part of the brand's highly concentrated Night Veils collection, it evokes mystery, sensuality, and nocturnal beauty. Its notes of plum, gardenia, carnation, Indian tuberose, rosewood, and honey "gradually unveil themselves like petals unfolding in the stillness of night." It's a sweet and sultry elixir that will have heads turning as you walk by.
Oui the People Souk Honey Eau de Parfum
Fragrance notes: Orange blossom, neroli nectar, jasmine, marigold, cardamom, date syrup, amber, sandalwood, manuka honey
I love perfumes that transport me to a time or place, whether real or imagined. Oui the People's Souk Honey Eau de Parfum is exactly that. Inspired by an unfolding journey through the souks of Morocco, it's sweet and luminous, with uncommon notes ranging from bittersweet to syrupy. It's basically the scent of golden hour, bottled.
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Intense Eau de Parfum
Fragrance notes: Pear, strawberry, bergamot, jasmine, rose buds, honey
The original Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau de Parfum is iconic, but this one might just take its spot in my spring-summer fragrance wardrobe. Why? It's slightly deeper, richer, and warmer, which is my scent sweet spot. Fruity notes of pear and strawberry effortlessly meld into flowery jasmine and rose buds. Lastly, earthy notes of honey, moss, and musk lend it a natural freshness. As the brand puts it, it evokes "the feeling of biting into a juicy strawberry on a warm spring day."
How We Chose
Beauty editor Kaitlyn McLintock has a decade of experience testing and reviewing beauty products. She curated this list of the best honey perfumes by putting multiple to the test, polling her fellow Who What Wear editors, and reading real-world reviews. At the end of it all, she had a robust, deeply researched list.
Why Trust Us
At Who What Wear, we know that beauty isn't one-size-fits-all. Over the years, our editors have tested thousands of products—including skincare, makeup, haircare, and nails—while also working closely with trusted experts, like renowned dermatologists, celebrity makeup artists, and other leading industry insiders. Together, this ensures every guide is well-researched, inclusive, and relevant to you.
We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they're affordable favorites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how, and what we'd truly recommend to our closest friends and family members.
