This Unexpected Perfume Is the Key to Smelling Expensive This Summer
From cult classics to modern interpretations, we've tested and reviewed the very best coconut perfumes for the season ahead.
Grace Day
When talking about the best perfumes, it's no secret that coconut perfumes can be divisive. Some associate the smell of coconut with their overly sweet teenage perfume that they doused themselves in after P.E. lessons. However, those in the know will agree that the best coconut perfumes smell luxurious without being sickly, and with just a sniff, manage to transport you away to sunnier climes dotted with palm trees. And who doesn't want a holiday in a bottle?
In my opinion, coconut fragrances are amongst the best summer perfumes. Whilst classic coconut smells delicious—think sweet, creamy, nutty—coconut perfumes can be done in so many ways, and it's actually a surprisingly versatile perfume note. Some perfumers call upon the creamy coconut milk note, whereas others might dabble with a splash of coconut water as an ingredient, making the result all the lighter and more refreshing.
So, our favourite coconut fragrances showcase many interpretations. Some smell like sun-kissed skin and salty, wind-swept beach days (thank you, Maison Margiela Replica Beach Walk), whilst others, like Byredo's Velvet Haze, take coconut and make it mysterious and opulent. And paired with fruity notes, it can make you feel like you're sipping a piña colada poolside, unbothered in the knowledge that your out-of-office is on for the next two weeks. Bliss.
With so many takes on coconut perfume, where should you start if you're looking for the one you're most likely to love? From creamy, sweet and fruity to everything in between, I've rounded up the best coconut fragrances below.
16 Best Coconut Perfumes, Tried and Tested
- Best Overall: Maison Margiela Beach Walk, £62
- Best Cult Classic: Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess, £75
- Best Modern Interpretation: Loewe X Paula's Ibiza Eclectic, £79
- Best Sweet Scent: Summer Fridays Sunlit Vanilla, £76
- Best Skin Scent: Glossier You Soie, £70
1. Maison Margiela Beach Walk
Key notes: Bergamot, pink pepper, lemon, ylang-ylang, coconut milk, heliotrope, transluzone, musks, cedarwood, benzoin
Beach Walk may be one of my favourite summer perfumes—ever. Maison Margiela has captured the feeling of a beach day and bottled it. It's creamy yet fresh, making you feel like you've sunk your toes into warm sand and can feel a cool breeze on your skin. The citrus notes keep things fresh, while the coconut milk and musk create that sun-drenched feeling.
2. Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess
Key notes: Italian bergamot, ginger extract, mandarin, Indian jasmine sambac absolute, coconut, frangipani, vanilla absolute, cashmere wood, musk, amber
I couldn't possibly talk about coconut perfumes without mentioning one of the most iconic summer scents of all time: Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess. To me, this is what a far-flung deserted island would smell like: creamy coconut, hypnotic white florals of jasmine and frangipani, golden amber and sweet vanilla.
3. Loewe X Paula's Ibiza Eclectic
Key notes: Incense essential oil, olibanum, coconut, vanilla, Madagascan ylang-ylang, Australian sandalwood, musk
Our copy editor, Georgia Seago, recently spritzed this in the office, and I was instantly hooked. It's a really cool, fresh and modern take on a summer scent, with classic notes of coconut, vanilla and sandalwood, alongside some interesting ones that add a bit of depth and complexity: picy black pepper, olibanum and orange flower.
4. Summer Fridays Sunlit Vanilla
Key notes: Bergamot, caramel, coconut, vanilla, tonka bean, musk, amber
"This scent is basically summer in a bottle," says beauty contributor Grace Day. "Creamy coconut is paired with warming amber and sweet vanilla in this delicious skin-warming concoction, which feels like a chic and sophisticated take on the sweet gourmand trend that's so popular right now. It feels highly appropriate for summer or beach holidays."
5. Glossier You Soie
Key notes: Bergamot, jasmine, rise, tiara milk, ambrox super
"I'm not a huge fan of classic coconut scents as I think the note can sometimes overpower," says Day, "But Glossier You Soie immediately came to mind—it doesn't actually officially feature coconut, but I do think it evokes the same warm, sweet, slightly fresh impression—and without leaning too sickly. It smells light, not overly sweet, lingers on skin (thanks to the signature You ambrox super base) and has a salt note that transports you to the ocean's edge."
6. Byredo Velvet Haze
Key notes: Ambrette, coconut water, patchouli leaves, cocoa absolute, musk
When I first smelt this one, my jaw dropped. I have a soft spot for all Byredo fragrances, and I particularly love how this one uses coconut for an evening twist. Warm ambrette and refreshing coconut water mingle with the smooth cocoa and musk base, which is given a woody, earthy twist with patchouli. This is one of the fragrances that will leave a scented trail wherever you walk.
7. Tom Ford Soleil Blanc
Key notes: Coco de mer, tuberose, jasmine, orange flower, ylang-ylang, bergamot flower
I've adored Tom Ford Soleil Blanc for years, and I return to it every single summer. It reminds me of expensive-smelling suncream on sun-drenched skin, salted from a dip in the sea. It smells rich and gives private-island energy with coco de mer, floral jasmine, creamy tuberose and salty pistachio.
8. Nest New York Madagascar Vanilla Perfume Oil Rollerball
Key notes: Madagascan vanilla, coconut, vanilla orchid
Like sweet vanilla perfumes? This one is for you. It features Madagascan vanilla blended with creamy coconut and vanilla orchid. You don't need much of this perfumed oil, and it will linger for hours on the skin. You could even layer it under your body moisturiser thanks to the rollerball applicator.
9. Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance Perfume Mist
Key notes: Leite de coco (coconut milk), sand, tuberose, ylang-ylang, vanilla, amber
Sol De Janeiro's fragrance mists have been going viral on TikTok, and this one is guaranteed to transport you to the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. It's drenched in coconut, tuberose and vanilla, making it a hypnotic summer scent, and the reasonable price tag means you can spray it as liberally as you please.
10. Phlur Afterglow
Key notes: Apricot, coconut, citrus, ambrette, milk, vanilla orchid, lavender, cashmere wood, amber, sandalwood
Moody and mysterious, this scent opens with coconut, juicy apricot and fresh citrus before the warm and creamy heart notes pull through with milk and vanilla orchid; drying down into a soft woody and amber base. You'll be sniffing this one again and again.
11. Caudalie Soleil des Vignes Fresh Fragrance
Key notes: White jasmine, watermelon, orange blossom, coconut milk
If light and sunny is your vibe, then you'll enjoy Caudalie's French take on coconut, which smells summery without walloping you over the head with overpowering notes. It's also formulated with a low alcohol percentage, making it safer to wear in the sunshine, too. Simply spritz and you're transported to a yacht in Saint-Tropez.
12. Creed Virgin Island Water
Key notes: Bergamot, lime, coconut milk, coconut water, jasmine, tonka bean, white musk
This might be the fanciest take on coconut on this list, and it smells exactly like gazing out to sea from a remote island. The inspiration behind the scent was the blue seas and breeze among the Caribbean islands, so it's a summer scent through and through. It's fresh, breezy and easy to wear—a quiet luxury coconut perfume, if you will.
13. The Body Shop Coconut Body Mist
Key note: Coconut
If you want to smell like pure coconut from head to toe, then you can't go wrong with The Body Shop's body mist, which is made from 96% ingredients of natural origin and is also vegan. It's both nutty and sweet, leaving a tropical veil of scent on the skin.
14. Aerin Beauty Hibiscus Palm
Key notes: Palm leaf, lotus, hibiscus, tiare, frangipani, coconut milk, vanilla, musk
Imagine sunbathing under palm trees gently swaying in the wind, and you have Hibiscus Palm. This botanical take on coconut also features white florals such as tiare, lotus and frangipani, which lend it a creamy quality on the dry-down. It's a stunning perfume.
15. The 7 Virtues Coconut Sun
Key notes: Coconut water, frangipani, fresh citrus, crisp sea salt, vanilla
The name alone drew me to this fragrance, but the scent is captivating. Drenched in coconut water, it has a salted note that takes you straight to the beach before unfolding into creamy vanilla. This is the one to wear if you want to ensure you don't smell like everyone else.
16. Kilian Moonlight in Heaven
Key notes: Coconut, rice, mango, tonka bean, vetiver
This might be what paradise smells like. Coconut and rice give it a creamy opener, with a twist of juicy mango, smooth tonka bean and vetiver. It's warm and vibrant; exactly the kind of Kilian scent you'll want to pack in your suitcase for your next long-haul holiday.
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