Banana perfumes are shaking up the fragrance scene in the best way possible. Once dismissed as too sticky-sweet or synthetic for serious perfumery, banana is now cropping up in niche and luxury scents alike – reimagined as creamy, playful and surprisingly sophisticated.
From the ripe, tropical sweetness of banana pudding to the caramelised depth of banana bread, this fruity note is proving it’s anything but one-dimensional. And people are curious: TikTok is filling up with banana perfume recs, while niche brands are bottling it up like it’s the next big gourmand.
“Banana brings this fun, nostalgic twist to fragrance – but done right, it can also feel elegant and unexpected,” says Romy Kowalewski, founder of fine fragrance house 27 87, which is launching a new banana fragrance, Hakuna Matata, at the end of the month.
For perfumers, banana is a complex note that’s not always easy to work with. “It’s a bit of a dare – banana can go wrong so fast,” seconds Romy. “It’s too much until suddenly, it’s just right. It took us several months to find the right balance for Hakuna Matata.”
Part of finding the right balance is finding the right pairing. “Banana’s creamy sweetness can work well with soft florals, creamy musks, vanilla and warm woods,” notes Romy. Ahead, we reveal our top banana perfumes that provide the perfect, playful escape.
Why the sudden interest in banana perfumes?
Perfumers are increasingly incorporating banana into their creations which, according to Romy, reflects a broader movement toward playful and nostalgic scents. “People are craving scents that ground them in something real – joy, memory, a sense of presence. Banana taps into all of that. It’s nostalgic without being overly sentimental.”
“Personally, I love that banana adds a touch of humour. It’s playful, unexpected, and brings a refreshing emotional depth – something we’re missing in the sea of safe, commercial fragrances,” she continues.
How would you describe the scent profile of a banana in perfumery?
Everyone can conjure up the smell of a banana – but in the world of perfumery, it’s far more complex than you’d think. “There’s a high, volatile top note that quickly gives way to a creamy heart, full of floral nuances: jasmine, clove, and a hint of something animalic. And then it softens, like velvet, like the last spoonful of a dessert that’s both familiar and impossible to describe,” says Romy.
Generally speaking, bananas are used to create fruity, gourmand accords. There are, however, different types of banana notes. “There’s the green peel, which is sharp, vegetal and alive, then there’s the ripe banana, which is lush, golden and almost sun-drenched,” says Romy.
Our top banana perfume picks…
