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 to them, which make them a great fragrance year round and for daytime or evening wear.
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 fresh 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 supporting role than 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 is a fig scent for you. Scroll ahead for my edit of the best fig perfumes around.
The Best Fig Perfumes to Try
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 quite literally 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. It transports me straight to a sun-baked fig tree grove in Greece with a coastal breeze gently swaying the trees.
2. DS & Durga Debaser
Key Notes: Bergamot, green leaf, pear stem, fig, coconut milk iris, blond woods, tonka bean, moss
I recently wrote a review of DS & 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, 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 summer long.
3. Molton Brown Sunlit Clementine & Vetiver
Key Notes: Clementine, lime, mandarin orange, hazelnut, fig, moss, bourbon vetiver
This new launch 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 to take you from spring and summer. 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 revolves 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
If you want to smell like you spend your summers of the Amalfi coast wearing Loro Piana sipping Italian spritzes underneath the sun, this luxurious Acqua Di Parma scent will tick the box. Its bright, juicy and green notes will instantly transport you to glittering blue seas and sunnier climates.
6. Beauty Pie Brazilian Lime, Fig Leaves & Tea
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Key Notes: Lime, Brazilian orange, black tea, fig leaves, cedarwood, amber
I always rely on Beauty Pie for designer-coded scents on a budget, and this one is no exception. It's so popular, as you'll see from the reviews, that it's currently out of stock (but don't worry, more are on the way soon). This one focuses on zesty limes, black tea and a twist of cosy fig that gives it a creamy twist. Honestly? It smells four times its price tag.
7. Jo Malone London Fig & Lotus Flower
Key Notes: Fig leaf, lotus flower, vetiver
Deputy editor Maxine Eggenberger tells me she is a fan of this scent. "Without 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 must-try.
10. Zara Balade De Figuier
Key Notes: Grapefruit, fig leaf, tangerine, petitgrain, fig milk, iris, tobacco leaf, benzoin, muscenone dextro, Haitian vetiver
Zara describe this scent as a "sunny escape in a field of luminous fig trees in Provence," and I couldn't agree more. This scent was created by Jo Malone CBE, so of course it's going to smell sensational. This one encapsulates fig flowers, fig leaf and fig milk and takes an unexepected turn with tobacco leaf before dyring down to a smooth musky and woody base.
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 waterlillies that makes it feel really fresh—almost aquatic. The addition of powdery iris and skin-like musk on the dry down make it all the more addictive as it morphs on the skin throughout the day.
