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Tahitian Vanilla

TAHITIAN VANILLA Sweet gourmand fragrances have been hugely popular in North America for the past decade. Just look at the sales of Thierry Mugler Angel, Viktor & Rolf BonBon, and Prada Candy. I like to describer these fragrances as a dessert in a bottle with their notes of caramel, benzoin, praline, chocolate, and vanilla. Jessica Simpson first kick-started her empire with a line of ultra-sweet scents over a decade ago called “Jessica Simpsons’s Desserts”.

 

What started out as syrupy-sweet concoctions has evolved into a more refined palette of gourmand notes for 2015. And there is no better example than the vanilla note. Thanks in part to the popularity of Vanilla Bean frappucinos and vanilla lattes at Starbucks, this note appears in the bulk of scents launching today. Here’s what you need to know about vanilla.

 

francis Kurkdjian perfumerVanilla: A substance obtained from vanilla beans, derived from orchids or produced artificially and used to flavor sweet foods or to impart a fragrant scent to cosmetic preparations. Unless you are a baker, chef or perfumer you probably do not know that vanilla comes in a variety of flavours, the most popular being Tahitian, Mexican or Bourbon. The extraction process is very expensive and complex. Green vanilla pods remain on branches for nine months before being picked. They then dry for another six months until they produce white crystals which are used for fragrance and cooking. Since this process is so expensive, a synthetic version called vanillin is commonly used fragrances and creates a sweet, cozy feeling.

 

History: The Totonac people, of the east coast of Mexico were the first to cultivate vanilla. Mexico was the chief producer of vanilla until Edmond Albius, a slave on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion discovered a way to hand-pollinate the plant and cultivate it world wide. The Europeans used in the 17th century as a medicine. Over time, it was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.

 

“In natural conditions, vanilla flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds and insects.”

 

Tahitian Vanillia: Tahitian vanilla features a floral, fruity, cherry-like flavor. Tahitian vanilla comes from Tahiti or Papua New Guinea. It is the most rare and expensive variety.

 

 

Perfumes with Vanilla

 

annick goutal vanillaAnnick Goutal Vanille Exquise

guerlain shalimarGuerlain Shalimar

dolce and gabbana the oneDolce & Gabbana The One

thierry mugler angelThierry Mugler Angel

see by chloeChloe See by Chloe

49 Comments

  • Reply
    Wendy Lam-Vechi
    April 20, 2023 at 8:13 am

    Vanilla is definitely one of my favourite scents but gourmand scents are definitely my favourite category of scents

  • Reply
    Rozeena Karim
    October 16, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Love Angel

  • Reply
    Karen D
    October 14, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    See by Chloe would be nice. @karen_dietrich

  • Reply
    Karen D
    October 13, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    Would love to try See by Chloe. @karen_dietrich

  • Reply
    Andromachi
    October 13, 2015 at 7:55 am

    I adore products who have vanilla!!!! It is one of my favourite smells. Always I have a body lotion, a body butter and perfume with that amazing smell!!!

  • Reply
    Karen D
    October 12, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    I’d like to have any of these perfumes, but really want to try Chloe See. @karen_dietrich

  • Reply
    Janice Skiba
    October 11, 2015 at 5:42 pm

    Vanilla Exquise is something special xx

  • Reply
    Karen D
    October 11, 2015 at 1:03 pm

    Wpuld love to have Thierry Mugler Angel. @karen_dietrich

  • Reply
    Karen D
    October 10, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    Would love to have Thierry Mugler Angel. @karen_dietrich

  • Reply
    julia poole
    October 10, 2015 at 2:54 pm

    Annick Goutal!! @jhpbeach

  • Reply
    Chantal Hercules
    October 10, 2015 at 1:07 am

    I would love to try Chloe See by Chloe ☺

  • Reply
    Cheri Stevens
    October 9, 2015 at 8:52 pm

    Dolce all the way. Love all their fragrances! !!!!

  • Reply
    Vernae
    October 9, 2015 at 4:31 pm

    I’ve worn all of these, except Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise. Angel was too strong for me and I like See by Chloe. However, I’d love to try Annick Goutal Vanille Exquise. I’ll look for a tester to sniff. Thanks for the tip.

  • Reply
    Karen D
    October 9, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    I would love to smell Angel by Thierry Mugler. @karen_dietrich

  • Reply
    Roberta Platten
    October 9, 2015 at 12:52 am

    I would love to try Vanille’ Exquise. The ingredience in the formula sounds heavenly.@plattenroberta

  • Reply
    Terah Abel
    October 8, 2015 at 10:25 pm

    Angel is amazing but I have currently fallen for Gucci Bamboo

  • Reply
    Barbara Hickey
    October 8, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Would really like to try the Thierry Mugler Angel. I also love the design of the bottle.

  • Reply
    bon
    October 8, 2015 at 2:47 pm

    would love to try any or all but my favorite for over 40 years has been SHALIMAR by Guerlain

  • Reply
    Diane K.
    October 8, 2015 at 2:19 am

    Would love to try the Thierry Mugler Angel, partly because I love the bottle so much. But in reality, I’d love to try ALL the perfumes.

    Diane K.
    @DianeLori

  • Reply
    Gloria Tretiak
    October 8, 2015 at 1:06 am

    love to try Vanille Exquise

  • Reply
    Beth Lutz
    October 8, 2015 at 12:22 am

    Yes Yes Yes. I gotta smell this perfume.

  • Reply
    Lesa Labbauf
    October 7, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    Of course my Angel is the ground-breaker for Gourmand fragrances. I love the recent fruity/florals with a sweet spice like coumarin or cinnamon, vanilla, of course, and musk or a blonde wood. The Tahitian Monoi and Tiare are lovely as well.

  • Reply
    Cindi
    October 7, 2015 at 9:01 pm

    Would love the Thierry Mugler Angel perfume!

  • Reply
    Gloria Walshver
    October 7, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    Love to have Guerlain Shalimar as my oerfume.

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