To say gourmand fragrances are having a moment is like saying Marie Antoinette was ‘into pastries’. They’re everywhere. Vanilla continues to dominate as Gen Z keeps sweet, edible scents firmly front and centre, while brands have enthusiastically infused the note into everything from hair mists to lip balms. Juicy peach, ripe strawberry, creamy pistachio and whipped cream have all had their turn in the spotlight . But this summer another edible note has edged its way into the olfactive ether emerging as fragrance’s most surprising new obsession; banana which has seen a massive 999% YoY increase in popularity driven by TikTok virality and a new generation of consumers actively seeking playful, edible scent profiles.
The lunchbox staple whisks many of us back to childhood; one of the first foods we were ever weaned on. Even its shape carries a sense of playfulness, evoking slapstick banana-skin gags and juvenile innuendo. Yet it’s also one of the most divisive fruits. Only today, someone in the office was politely asked to dispose of their banana peel because the lingering aroma was proving too much for a colleague. Which raises the question; if banana can divide opinion as a fruit in adulthood, and even be considered an olfactory nuisance, why would anyone want to wear it as a perfume?
The answer is that perfumery’s interpretation of banana is far more nuanced than the fruit itself. Rather than filling a lift in the way powerhouse florals once did, today’s banana fragrances use the note to create warmth, optimism and unexpected sophistication.
According to 2787 founder Romy Kowalewski, banana offers something increasingly rare in modern perfumery: personality.
Why banana?
“People are craving scents that connect them to something real; joy, memory, presence,” says Romy. “Banana taps into all of that. It’s nostalgic without being sentimental and I personally love that it comes with humour. It’s fun and so different. At a time where we all smell the same with trending and cult fragrances becoming ever popular, this will definitely make you stand out whilst being a conversation starter scent.” And we, for one, are fully on board the banana boat.
N’Eau thanks
Think you don’t like banana? You may simply dislike one version of it.
While we often assume our sense of smell is hardwired, psychologists have long shown that context plays a remarkable role in determining what we find pleasant or unpleasant. Our brains evolved to reject smells associated with danger, such as spoiled food, but many scents are surprisingly subjective. Eau de cow pat, for example, may repel most of us, but for someone raised on a farm, it can evoke comfort and nostalgia. Banana belongs in that same fascinating category: a scent whose meaning depends as much on memory as chemistry.
Scents of self
“The role of perfume is changing,” says Frank Voelkl, Principal Perfumer at Firmenich, the world’s largest privately owned fragrance and taste company, and brainchild of the archetypal inward scent; Glossier’s ‘You.’
“It’s no longer purely about projection or attracting other people. Fragrance has become much more inward-looking. People are choosing scents because they make them feel comforted, confident and safe, rather than because they want to impress someone else.”
In that context, banana makes perfect sense. It feels familiar, reassuring and gently joyful.
Haute eau de banana?
“Banana lives on the fringes of fine perfumery,” says Romy. “It’s considered too joyful, too strange or too unfiltered which makes it challenging to define and work with in a commercial sense but is also what makes it so interesting. It doesn’t try to be elegant, but somehow is; it’s far more complex than you’d think.”
Of course it’s also a note that can go spectacularly wrong; “Banana can tip into cartoonish if it isn’t anchored properly,” warns Romy. “We worked with perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux to bring the scent of Hakuna Matata alive. Rodrigo has a sculptor’s hand. He knows when to add weight and when to let light in. We balanced it with honey, labdanum, musks and radiant woods to create tension and sophistication. The banana stays wild, but never loud.” Rodrigo agrees: “Banana is already a kind of perfume; we just had to unpeel it and allow it to shine.” He explains that there are different types of banana notes available in perfumery so before dismissing it as overly sweet, consider its many facets.
- “There’s the green peel; sharp, vegetal, alive, which we crafted as a faceted accord with broom flower and a molecule called Tanaisone that adds astringent depth”
- “Then there’s ripe banana: lush, golden, almost sun-drenched. The contrast creates movement in the scent, a kind of olfactive rhythm.”
- Then there’s also banana flower whose earthy, leafy freshness is world’s away from the more cloying sweetness of the flesh itself.
In other words, banana perfume doesn’t smell like banana milkshake. Done well, it’s green, luminous, textured and unexpectedly elegant—perhaps the most joyful fragrance trend of the summer.
Our picks of the bunch
THE EDGY ONE: Abel Miami Split, £165
Opening with a piquant, pick-and-mix brightness, this quickly reveals a white oud base that lends the vivid green banana accord a subtly subversive twist. Crafted from 100% natural, biotech-powered ingredients it’s modern perfumery at its most compelling.
THE POWDER PLAYER: Zara Sun Kissed Banana Weekend Eau De Toilette, £15.99
The high street heavyweight may be known for its viral dupes, but this airy, floral blend stands confidently on its own. Banana flower is softened with almond and meringue for a delicately powdery easy-to-wear scent.
THE SWEET SOPHISTICATE: Juliette Has A Gun Banana Rush, £140
Candied and cocconing, this sensual, syrupy gourmand layers ripe banana and maple syrup over creamy coconut and dollops them over a frangipani heart laced with vanilla and sandalwood. Sweet but sophisticated.
THE TROPICAL TWIST: Hakuna Matata 27 87, £185
Tropical and unconventional, this fruity floral-amber composition centres around ripe banana and honey sharpened with a touch of green peel and was created by master perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux of Tom Ford Neroli Portofino fame.
THE FRUITY FLORAL: Granado Rio De Janeiro Yes Nos Temos Banana! £135
Why play it safe when you can make an (elegant) olfactive statement? Using all facets of the fruit from the crisp freshness of the leaves to the honeyed sweetness of the ripening fruit, this luminous fruity floral is refined with iris and sandalwood.
THE COMFORT BLANKET: La Monde Gourmand Banane Delice, £28
Vanilla-philes will love the soft, creamy comfort of the banana milk note (hailed as smelling like ‘actual banana’) muddled with coconut and a sweet musk base that still has a freshness to it. Nostalgic and modern all at once.
THE DESSERT IN A BOTTLE: Kayali Maui In A Bottle Sweet Banana, £80
One to make the Gen Z’s mouths water, this fruity floral is a tropical delight with top notes of banana and pear drizzled over a coconut heart and a creamy vanilla, sandalwood base. Lighter than you’d expect – like whipped banana brûlée.
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