Vanilla Sex

The very name Vanilla Sex suggests that this will not be a shy, delicate vanilla that smells like freshly baked cookies.

And indeed it is not.

Vanilla Sex is built around an incredibly rich combination of Indian vanilla tincture and vanilla absolute, but TOM FORD deliberately places this sweetness in a much creamier, more sensual, and somewhat unusual context. Sandalwood gives it warmth and smoothness, jasmine introduces floral depth, and iris and the Animalis accord give the entire composition that somewhat powdery, almost bodily character that causes Vanilla Sex to evoke so many different reactions.

Upon first contact, many may not even perceive it as classic vanilla. It can evoke marzipan, almond milk, powder, vanilla sugar, or warm dough, although almond is not officially among the main notes. Only after a few minutes does the vanilla become more apparent: thick, creamy, and warm, but without the typical caramelized gourmand sweetness.

And that is precisely the point of this perfume.

If you expect Vanilla Sex to smell like a pastry shop, you might be completely confused. If you like vanilla that feels more like warm skin, sandalwood, and powder enveloped in vanilla, things become much more interesting.

The perfume was created with Nathalie Gracia-Cetto and the Givaudan house, and TOM FORD particularly highlights the exclusive Indian vanilla tincture as one of the key elements of the composition. Vanilla Sex also won the Fragrance Foundation award for Fragrance of the Year – Universal Luxury 2024.

This is also one of those perfumes that we really would not recommend buying based solely on the list of notes. On one skin, it can be beautifully creamy, milky, and almost marzipan-like; on another, the Animalis and powdery aspects can become much stranger.

In other words: Vanilla Sex is vanilla, but not the one you already know.