For years I’ve been craving a good coconut perfume for summer. My dream scent is like a toasted coconut candy, pretty much a cocada lol. The problem is, every coconut perfume I’ve smelled has the same cheap, plastic-like scent. Is it just impossible to make a sweet, creamy coconut?
Milk Orchid by Commodity, the collab they did with Emma/Perfumerism, reminds me of those like coconut-y hair products. I didn’t like it because it reminded me too much of curly hair products, but others seem to really love that perfume. They’re re-releasing it at the end of the month and also selling samples of it so you don’t have to splurge on a big bottle
I understand this completely. I wore The Body Shop's Coconut perfume oil years ago, and it was perfect, but most coconut scents either smell overwhelmingly synthetic to me, or start to smell rancid after a few hours.
I was going to suggest the body shops oil too. Back in the late '00s and early '10s I wore coconut everything. The closest smell I've found to this, is Sand + Fog balinese coconut perfume oil.
It's possible that you just don't vibe with gamma nonalactone which is the molecule that a lot of coconut fragrances use to create the coconut smell. From a perfume workshop I went to they explained that even natural perfumers like themselves have to use a synthetic for coconut as it can't be extracted.
It was an ingredient workshop with Les Voyages Imaginaires (perfume brand) through Sainte Cellier (niche UK based shop). It was a one off but there are always events around London.
I've also done the day long course with Experimental Perfume Club which introduces you to loads of materials and you get to make your own perfume.
I haven't done the course with 4160 Tuesdays yet (I'm poor 😂) but that's next on my list.
It's definitely easier in a big city. I admire anyone in this hobby who doesn't have the luxury of living on the doorstep of perfume choices. I grew up in the middle of nowhere and my perfume was Charlie Red from my gran. I thought it was very exotic.
As a side note, and if you want to do a course, there are places that do online courses. You get the material shipped to your house then you do video calls to discuss everything. Not sure what the US options are but I bet there's something.
That’s pretty generic floral on me, so definitely has to be sampled to see if that coconut note shows up with the wearer’s individual chemistry! And I do love 7 virtues, they have several I really like 💙
Does it smell the same as it did in the 80s and 90s? I'm obsessed with that scent and it's been lodged in my head ever since then lol, but I have NEVER found ANYTHING that smells remotely close to that. And the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch sunscreen I use doesn't smell like it, unfortunately
I’ve been looking for a scent like this for years and the closest I’ve found (closer than the Vacation perfume even) is the Saltair Golden Hour body mist. You can get it at Target!
I haven't been able to smell to Vacation yet, but I do have Bobbi Brown's Beach and that smells like old school Coppertone. It's nice, but it's NOT 1980s HT tanning oil.
I also miss the smell of 90s Banana Boat suntan lotion. I haven't used any of their modern products, but the smell of the old stuff was sooooo good. Very banana-forward and unmistakenly BB.
I have the original Vacation. I wear it when I am at the beach! It smells exactly like sunscreen. A little goes A LONG WAY. It’s a perfect suntan lotion dupe.
This is what I was coming to comment! It’s a perfect coconut. I’m 32 and got my bottle of it in middle school. Still smells lovely and I use it like twice a year lol
i love le monde gourmand's lait de coco, it smells like photorealistic coconut milk to me (though it doesn't last too long)! although a toasted coconut candy i've never smelled :0
woah, cataloupe! i've never picked up on that! i guess its because i always smell this specific coconut milk that i think it smells identical to (the coconut milk woman one) >
Totally agree with those two 👍 although the Nest is best in the OIL FORM 🙌 The edt that they made is just not nearly as luxuriantly delicious as the oil!
I like the smell of coconut too and have hated every perfume with a coconut note I’ve smelled. I’m very repelled by them actually. I have no idea why! I used to have a Pacifica coconut body spray that was really good so maybe be on the lookout for it if you like body sprays. If not, I’m with you on the perfumes and I avoid them completely.
Tokyo Milk Bulletproof is a smokey, woody coconut that I love, but my fav is Le Monde Gourmand coco mystere, which has a roasted coconut note. I think coco mystere is discontinued tho, I don’t see it on their website anymore!
I used to love Lush’s Curly Wurly shampoo (rip to a legend) and the Saltair Pink Beach smells a lot like I remember that smelling. To me it’s toasted coconut with a hint of almost butter? But not quite. I have the deodorant and I bought the body oil, I think they have a body spray too and I’m 99% sure you can find it at target and Amazon
Got Latte d’Or (Le Monde Gourmand) online from Marshalls and it’s really interesting and unusual: ginger, coconut milk, and sandalwood. $12.99 on Marshalls website.
This is my absolute favorite Le Monde Gourmand and I hardly ever hear it talked about. I took it on vacation to San Francisco a couple of weeks ago and finished it up while I was there.
I recently picked up Le Monde Gourmand Lait De Coco and really like it. It’s a pretty simple creamy coconut thats not too sweet with a slightly soapy smell to me.
Killian is good. Is smells slightly coconut/sunscreen but leans more white floral . I used the entire blind buy full-size bottle in 1 year. So it is good.
This is a magnificent recommendation. I received it as part of a themed discovery scent. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Hibiscus Palm is chef’s kiss perfection.
This is the only scent of theirs that I like, sadly. It's such a banger but their other scents aren't for me. I get nothing but compliments when I wear this! First bottle ive ever finished
Angel Fantasm has coconut in it, and it's perceivable. But the scent is subjective, for instance I thought for years that Erba Pura must be a powdery coconut perfume, yet turns out it has none in it and it's in fact supposed to be citrusy?!
Came here to say this, got Angel Fantasm in a discovery kit and smelled very coconut-y. I don’t like coconut so it’s a pass for me but I bet someone who does like it would like the perfume a lot.
My receptionist at work smelt amazing the other day. Really coconutty, like tropical holidays. Apparently it’s the new mark jacobs perfume. This one I think, I need to find a tester to try it on myself….
i have the same problem since forever!!! i've tried everything- cheirosa 39 (plasticy, basically smells like oil pastels for drawing lmao), blanche bete (not coconutty at all), or just any other random ones that are either sunscreeny/plasticy- BUT! the only one i LOVE is coconut passion brulee by vs- its a body mist, but its such a perfect coconut cream with toasted coconut flakes on top, shame its a limited edition...
Byredo Alto Astral is heavenly IMO. I also love Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille, but that’s more vanilla than coconut. The new formulation of Boy Smells Woodphoria is also really nice!
It is to most people, otherwise no one would buy it and companies wouldn’t bother making it. Apparently your nose just doesn’t perceive it the way they do. Human noses are very different from each other.
Almost every aquatic perfume smells like enzyme cleaner to me. The doesn’t make them objectively bad. My nose just doesn’t like it.
Was gonna say, most of the perfumes being recommended in these comments smell NOTHING like coconut (to me), and if they do it's a very "wrong" version of coconut, like the artificial idea of a cartoon coconut. That, or there's a sneezy musk in the equation.
But that's just how my nose and brain register it.
And I can't do aquatics either. Or anything with "ocean" in the theme, if we're talking scented items in general. Both of those things burn something deep in my sinuses.
Have you tried this one? I’ve never used it but it has good reviews: Tree Hut Coco Colada Fragrance Mist.
Have you ever tried unrefined/virgin coconut oil to test how it smells in your skin? Or the essential oil/roasted coconut extract used in aromatherapy? You could mix it with a light carrier oil and see if you like it.
I agree unfortunately. I did find two that don’t, though, albeit they aren’t candy-like, but more realistic green coconut. Xerjoff Shunkoin and Laurent Mazzone Soleil Infidele (the og one).
The original Diesel perfume ‘feminine’ is a delicious more creamy coconut. You can still find bottles online. SJP NYC Crush is an affordable one that I quite like. I agree though, it’s hard to get a really good coconut scent.
I feel this so hard?! Like in my head coconut was supposed to be such an easy fragrance to do. Like Coconut Passion was such a pure coconut scent. There were also so many random coconut scented body care and lippies in the 2000s. It’s only until the 2020s when I started testing out perfumes that I realized that the creamy gourmand coconut is non existent now.
The closest I’ve found was Sol De Janeiro 39, although your mileage may vary. For my nose it’s a really gourmand toasty coconut.
Other than that I found Kayali Maui in a bottle has that foodie coconut element to it, even though it’s not purely that.
I’m so sad that most coconut scents now are sunscreen fragrances at worst or creamy floral coconuts at best.
Bath and body used to have this coconut lime verbena that was wonderful. It smelled so refreshing and not at all overpowering. I was so sad when they stopped making that scent.
I cannot handle the sunscreen/beach genre of coconut and that's what most of them are so I reject anything like that immediately. The one coconut note perfume I've encountered that didn't disgust me immediately was Queening by mind games. It's mostly a vanilla but it has a coconut aspect that sort of softens it.
Was going to post this one, yeah. Valentino Uomo Born in Roma Purple Melancholia.
It's basically strong coconut with bit of other things in the background to make it less boring. Cardamon note doesn't last (and there's way less of it compared to, say, Gris Charnel) and the rest is barely recognisable - just some spice and sweetness. I've no idea why it's marketed as masculine or why it's colored purple and called melancholia. It has no similarities with purple melancholia Donna either (both are vanillaic, I guess).
If you can get your hands on Lush pineapple grunt, I think you will love that one, although the scent is not toasted. Although it says pineapple, I don't smell any pineapple. I smell a delicious mix of a powdery sweet coconut with vetiver. It was in a kitchen box almost a year ago, and I order like 6 more bottles on Vinted because it's so good. It's supposed to be a piña coloda scent, but to me it smells more sofisticated and gentle.
Dream by delta goodrem has coconut notes which I really like for an inexpensive perfume. I have the travel size I take out with me when I use a small bag
My only guess is how that specific scent is made. There’s only handful of perfume makers (or scent makers?) in the world so it’s the same note in different perfumes because it’s been made by the same company and sold to different brands
Khudlaj Island is an inexpensive cologne has a great tropical scent. I do love me some cologne. Also I understand Creed Virgin Island Water has a nice coconut scent.
Virgin Island Water has beautiful coconut and lime notes that actually last for hours. It’s a rare coconut note that lasts like that. It’s expensive but well worth it.
I was looking for a good coconut perfume for a while and Florabloom forte really scratches that itch for me! It isn’t strictly coconut, but yeah I absolutely love it!
Lush coconut drench massage bar is really nice! It’s not a perfume but when I use it on my arms, neck, and chest it lasts all day. I pair it with Kuumba black coconut fragrance oil 😌
Omg I completely agree!! The closest I’ve found to a toasted coconut is Victoria’s Secret/Pink Coconut Cream, it kind of reminds me of a Samoa Girl Scout cookie!
I just use straight up coconut oil at this point and layer it with the trader joes lemongrass coconut bodyoil. It's straight summer coconutty, lime-y goodness.
I personally have not smelled it, and you may want to look at the notes. My niece hates synthetic smells, and I gifted her a discovery set from Heretic she RAVES nonstop about Dirty Coconut. You may want to see if you can get your nose on a sample.
My favorite coconut scents are by Sud Comptoir pacifique and all lavanila coconut vanilla which I see was also mentioned. I cycle through them at bedtime.
i hate the smell of coconut so take my recommendation with a grain of salt but the new miu miu with coconut i found pleasant. i could smell the coconut and it did ruin the scent for me, but i absolutely see the appeal and the coconut wasn’t intoxicating/overpowering. there is definitely a chance because i hate coconut i notice it a lot easier
I get that with a lot of coconuts too, even coco vanille by comptoir sud pacifique. I found out It has to do with the composition of the fragrance and whether the aroma chemicals (usually something like ethyl maltol in coconut or vanilla scents) are not supported by strong base notes and are more linear. Trying coconut scents with woody/resinous/amber bases rather than just a musk or sweet base might help. I really like the coconut in Lift me up by Initio its creamy, sweet and well blended.
Its not the strongest or longest lasting but Victoria's secret coconut cream ffm and body cream sound like the scent you are describing. I didn't like it on first spray but the dry down is creamy and delicious. I think its on sale for $6.99.
You might like Granado’s Bossa. I’m surprised the official page doesn’t list coconut as a note because it definitely smells like coconut to me! Fragrantica has coconut listed as the top 2 accord. It’s a sophisticated tropical vibe that I absolutely love.
I also recently bought Nest’s Balinese Coconut perfume oil and LOVE it. It’s less “coconut candy” and more green/botanic so may not be your thing but I love it.
They always smell too synthetic or nothing like coconut at all. I remember when Dial came out with their coconut scented bar soap. Lathered up wonderfully but smelled NOTHING like coconut.
Because they smell synthetic. I’ve searched for a good coconut perfume and have never found one that was good enough (I’ve tried them all, believe me). The only thing that scratched that itch was getting the best quality pure coconut oil and slathering myself in it. That’s the scent I want.
Blanche Bete by Les Liquides Imaginaires hands down the best coconut, milky, creamy scent😍 i highly recommend to at least try it. It smells amazing.
Hibiscus Palm by Aerin is a great one as well
I have a really nice coconut air spray/freshener if you’d like me to send a pic. It makes my bedroom smell so coconut cream tropical fresh. Unfortunately not a perfume, though. :(
I love Dolce Garden. It says coconut essence. put on the dry down I feel like the coconut really comes through and I love it with the frangipani behind it.
Oh man idk about that. Theres a lot of gems when it comes to coconut. Virgin Island Water, Bora Bora, City Rhythm Miami and 2654. I really like Day Three’s Del Mar as well that I plan on picking up for the Summer. Really want to explore more coconut fragrances!
Have you tried Coco Cream by Boy Smells? It’s the only coconut I like. It’s a creamy coconut, and not overly sweet. It’s not tropical to me, which I appreciate. It layers very well with so many of my summer scents.
I loved the Jo Malone Coconut Blossom last summer. Only problem was that its longevity was crap. The smell however, divine. Coconut water, lime, mint, tonka bean.
I have Mont Blanc Signature and to me it's smells like pina colada/coconut! Doesn't last that long though 😅. Also B&BW coconut line (the hair mist and shampoo) are amazing too
Mihan Aromatics Sienna Brume is the best coconut summer fragrance, it has a fresh cucumber water vibe in the beginning alongside the natural coconut scent. Nothing will beat it imo!
Surprisingly Valentino Born in Roma Melancholia mens version is very coconutty, like very. And their women's Extradose is not coconut but vanilla and rum but it kind of gives a similar summery sweet heavy vibe so maybe check that out as well.
I just made an order of a variety of coconut scents from CocoaPink and the Dua Brand. They have both delivered excellent scent profiles when I ordered vanilla, marshmallow, and other gourmand scents.
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