Best Apple Perfumes

Happy (end of) September, friends! It’s the month where those of us who nerd out about autumn start getting really excited! There’s a slight chill in the morning air, the pumpkin-flavored goodies are starting to show up in the stores, and the kids have gone back to school. Back-to-school always brings to mind the tradition of bringing apples to the teacher, which made me think that this is the perfect time to share a blog post about the best apple perfumes!

I am fond of more than a few apple fragrances and many of these are on my wish list for a full bottle someday. In the meantime, there is nothing wrong with enjoying travel-sizes, minis, and decants. After all, budgets are a reality for most of us!

Here are my picks for the 12 best apple perfumes:

DKNY Be Delicious

• Top Notes: cucumber, grapefruit, magnolia
• Middle Notes: green apple, lily of the valley, tuberose, violet, rose
• Base Notes: woodsy notes, sandalwood, amber

I have to kick off this list with the quintessential apple fragrance, Be Delicious from Donna Karan’s DKNY line. I LOVE this uplifting, clean, and fresh ode to the ‘Big Apple’ itself, New York City. I would describe this scent as smelling like a crisp, ripe apple and fresh air. The cucumber note here is so refreshing! There’s also a slightly lotiony vibe to this fragrance. It’s perfect for daily wear and very office-safe. Though it’s fresh, clean vibes might bring springtime to mind, this easy-going fragrance can absolutely be worn anytime you want to feel uplifted and happy.

The performance is great here, too. It provides a noticeable and pleasant scent bubble for several hours. It’s also reasonably priced and easy to find. DKNY has released several fabulous flankers in the Be Delicious collection, including fun limited edition ones each summer. I can’t say enough good things about this fragrance line, it’s a classic and just SO good!

Find it here:

Be Delicious 15ml travel-spray (at Amazon)

Be Delicious 30ml (at Amazon)

Be Delicious 100ml (at Amazon)

Be Delicious and several flankers (at Amazon)

Be Delicious 100ml (at Macy’s)

Be Delicious 30ml, 50ml, 100ml (at FragranceNet)

Tocca Giulietta

• Key Notes: pink tulips, green apple, vanilla orchid
• Other Notes Perceived: ylang ylang, lilac, lily of the valley, iris, rose, musk, heliotrope, sandalwood, amber, Virginia cedar

Giulietta is a longtime love of mine, I first discovered the body wash at Anthropologie well over 10 years ago and the scent has been a fave ever since. As with Be Delicious mentioned above, it’s another refreshing scent that is chock full of tart green apple and clean florals. I definitely can believe lily of the valley being present here, it really has that ‘fresh out of the shower/laundry fresh’ vibe that you get with LOTV .

This is a quieter scent that sits close to the skin and lasts a few hours before you’ll probably want to reapply. I highly recommend layering the scent with their lovely and luxurious body wash & lotion to assist the fragrance experience in lasting longer. The epitome of fresh, feminine, and pretty, this is perfect for any daytime wear and also makes a great wedding fragrance.

Read more of my Tocca reviews here.

Find it here:

Giulietta 15ml mini (at Anthropologie)

Giulietta 50ml (at Anthropologie)

Giulietta 10oz glass candle (at Anthropologie)

Giulietta 5.9oz room diffuser (at Anthropologie)

Giulietta 50ml (at Nordstrom)

Giulietta 9oz body wash (at Nordstrom)

Giulietta 9oz body lotion (at Nordstrom)

Giulietta 100ml scented body oil (at Nordstrom)

Tocca Luxury Fragrance Collection sampler (at Nordstrom)

Kayali Eden Juicy Apple 01

• Top Notes: red apple, black currant, pink grapefruit, lychee
• Middle Notes: wild berries, raspberry blossom, jasmine, rose centifolia
• Base Notes: vanilla flower, amber crystals, sugared moss, sensual musk

This yummy-scented fragrance has a playful and youthful vibe. I get loads of sweet, fresh apple and mixed berries up close with a slightly more floral impression from arm’s length. As it dries down, I get a bright, citrusy impression from the grapefruit and the pretty rose note also comes into play. In the base, I notice a clean musk that has a slightly ambroxan-ish feel to it. This fragrance is a lighter projector but very long-lasting.

The sweet apple and rose combination here reminds me a lot of another fragrance I love, Escada’s Candy Love (see more below), which was a limited edition release and, sadly, is rather difficult to find now. If you’ve been wanting Candy Love but have had a hard time tracking it down, I highly recommend trying Eden Juicy Apple; it is an outstanding alternative. Eden Juicy Apple is just the tiniest touch sweeter, with the berry note, while Candy Love has a bit more emphasis on the rose. Both are excellent, though!

Find it here:

Eden Juicy Apple 01 10ml, 50ml, 100ml (at Cult Beauty – UK site that ships internationally)

Eden Juicy Apple 01 10ml, 50ml, 100ml (at Huda Beauty)

by Kilian Apple Brandy on the Rocks

• Notes: bergamot, apple brandy, cardamom, rum, moss, vanilla, cedarwood, ambroxan

Possibly the perfect fall fragrance, the star of this show is sweet, boozy, spicy apples. There’s a sparkling, ambery impression, delicious-smelling vanilla, and spicy cardamom adding to the coziness. It’s the perfect blend of sweetness and spice. As it dries down, I get some nice woodsy vibes from the cedar. Overall, this fragrance feels very festive/holiday-ish, it would be a perfect wear for any autumnal gathering.

The projection is lightly moderate so this is pretty safe to wear in close quarters with others. I found it to be quite long-lasting for me, 6+ hours. This fragrance is pretty unisex though it does develop a more masculine lean as it dries down further. About 4-5 hours in, I feel it leans a little ‘aftershavey’ for my personal tastes. Overall, I would describe it as spicy, woodsy, boozy and definitely a touch masculine. If you like the idea of wearing the scent of spicy apple cider mixed with buttery rum, this is absolutely worth your while to try. Oh, and the gorgeous glass bottle it comes in is to die for!

Find it here:

Apple Brandy on the Rocks 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, and 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Apple Brandy on the Rocks 50ml (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Apple Brandy on the Rocks 50ml refill – this is a refill for the glass bottle (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Apple Brandy on the Rocks 50ml, 100ml (at Bloomingdale’s)

Nobile 1942 La Danza delle Libellule

• Top Notes: apple, bergamot
• Middle Notes: cinnamon, cocoa
• Base Notes: cedarwood, vanilla, musk

This delicious concoction is inspired by Hungarian composer Franz Lehár’s operetta, “The Dance of Dragonflies,” and is meant to be a happy, cozy, indulgent/pampering experience. As a fan of gourmands and perfumes that smell like sweet treats, I immediately loved this one! The opening has a sweet cinnamon and apple bubble gum impression combined with a clean vanilla/cedar combo dry down that I adore. The apple here is super fresh, sweet, and realistic.

If you enjoy Kilian’s Apple Brandy on the Rocks (mentioned above) but find it leans too masculine for your liking, this will be a great alternative as it’s in a very similar family but decidedly more feminine-leaning. I have worn and compared the two and find LDDL is fresher and less boozy but has similar spicy apple vibes. LDDL also has more vanilla and a candied vibe, almost like a candied apple from the fair vs. the boozy apple in ABOTR. LDDL really does give fair treat vibes with hints of deep-fried caramel candy bars, funnel cakes and Rice Krispy treats! LDDL is slightly woodsy-ish but not nearly as much as ABOTR. The two fragrances become more similar to each other as they dry down, though each does retain its individual characteristics. If you like one, it’s certainly worth trying the other.

Projection is on the lighter side with this fragrance and I admit, I wish it lasted a bit longer. I only get about 3-4 hours wear before I’m wanting to reapply. Another beautiful bottle that features engraved dragonflies on the front and is topped with a gorgeous, golden cap.

Find it here:

La Danza delle Libellule 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants and 75ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Hermès Un Jardin Sur Le Toit

• Key Notes: apple tree, pear tree, magnolia
• Other Notes Perceived: grass, red apple, rose, pear, rosemary, citrus, pomelo

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit takes us in a very different direction from the other fragrances mentioned above. Part of Hermès’ ‘Jardin’ (garden) line, this particular garden fragrance celebrates a rooftop garden at Hermès’ own headquarters in Paris. The name of the fragrance literally translates to ‘A Garden on the Roof’ and features notes from the trees planted in its very own garden: apple, pear, and magnolia.

This scent is green and very fresh and reminds me of a late spring or early summer morning. The grass, apple, and rose notes stand out in the opening. I get impressions of biting into a crisp, slightly tart, green apple. There’s a noticeable citrusy feel going on here, possibly pomelo? As it dries down, it starts to sweeten a teeny little bit but this is not what I would call a sweet fragrance. It reminds me of being in the country, picking fresh apples with grassy and aromatic accords surrounding me.

There is no real projection here, making this an excellent choice for the office and/or folks who prefer quieter scents. This is a great fragrance for someone who finds most perfumes to be ‘too much.’ It’s also not a terribly long-laster, you’ll most likely be ready to reapply after about 3 hours or so. It’s overall a very pleasant and easy-going fragrance that I can see appealing to both men and women.

Find it here:

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants (at Scent Split)

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit 50ml (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit 100ml (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Un Jardin Sur Le Toit 6.5oz body lotion (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Etat Libre d’Orange I Am Trash – Les Fleurs du Déchet (‘The Flowers of Trash’)

• Key Notes: apple essence upcycling, rose absolute upcycling, cedarwood atlas upcycling, bitter orange, Gariguette strawberry
• Other Notes Perceived: sandalwood, akigalawood

This apple-focused fragrance from avant-garde house Etat Libre d’Orange has such a fun and interesting concept! I Am Trash is the first luxury perfume created with upcycled ingredients. It utilizes exhausted rose petals, already distilled sandalwood chips, and leftover apples from the food industry to create this fresh and fruity perfume. Its main players are the juicy apple and woodsy Iso E Super. I was initially concerned this might smell like rotten apples but it’s actually the opposite and SO fresh and clean smelling!

This unisex fragrance has moderate projection and longevity. It’s polite enough to wear in an office or close-quarters with others. If you enjoy fragrances like Commodity Paper, Phlur Missing Person, and JHAG Pear, Inc., this will be a great one for you to try. It’s actually sort of like a sister scent to JHAG’s Pear, Inc. but with Iso E Super in place of the ambroxan and apple in place of the pear. It’s a great fresh, fruity woodsy fragrance with a cool concept behind it and I’m a fan!!

Find it here:

I Am Trash 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml and 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

I Am Trash 1ml decant, 50ml, 100ml (at ZGO Perfumery)

Byredo Pulp

• Top Notes: bergamot, black currant, cardamom
• Middle Notes: fig, red apple, tiare flower
• Base Notes: cedarwood, peach flower, praline
• Other Note Perceived: ripe orange

This fragrance is well-named! I get a blast of juicy apple, freshly-squeezed pulpy orange juice, and jammy fig. It’s very fruity, slightly green, and a bit woodsy. In the dry down, woodsy orange and the other sweet fruits mingle with the praline. This fragrance is very rich and sweet, I could see it being a bit sickly for some but I find it really lovely and unique. It reminds me of a cornucopia of fresh, ripe fruit.

As with Byredo scents in general, projection is good, I have a noticeable scent bubble around me for several hours. This is one of the more feminine Byredo scents but if a guy loved fruity fragrances, he could absolutely pull this off. Byredo also carries a candle called Carrousel that smells very similar to this fragrance, which is a nice option if this sounds like a scent you’d rather have as a home fragrance instead of wearing.

Find it here:

Pulp 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml and 100ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Pulp 100ml (at Bergdorf Goodman)

Pulp 50ml (at Bloomingdale’s)

Carrousel 8.5oz candle (at Bloomingdale’s)

Imaginary Authors Slow Explosions

• Key Notes: saffron, rose absolute, leather, apple, benzoin, cashmeran, ‘Arpora Night Market’

I always enjoy sampling the artistic fragrances from Portland’s Imaginary Authors. Perfumer Josh Meyer comes up with the most creative and unique fragrances and his business partner and creative director, Ashod Simonian, creates the beautiful packaging and interesting back stories for each fragrance. The ‘imaginary story’ behind this fragrance is one of a woman searching for herself, who journeys to Goa, India and discovers the joyful, vibrant night market there.

This fragrance is an excellent choice for lovers of leather and saffron fragrances. I get a ton of both of those notes along with the fresh apple. The combo gives sort of a rubbery and gun powder vibe, especially in the opening. It dries down to a cozy, resinous leather fragrance that’s very appealing for autumn.

The projection for this unisex fragrance is very noticeable and I find it to last well all throughout the day. I would recommend this to someone who favors leather scents and is especially interested in the idea of a fruity leather fragrance.

Read more of my Imaginary Authors reviews here.

Find it here:

Slow Explosions 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml, and full bottle (at Scent Split)

Slow Explosions 50ml (at Imaginary Authors’ Amazon store)

Nina by Nina Ricci

• Top Notes: upcycled Italian lemon, Caipirinha lime
• Middle Notes: gardenia petals, toffee apple
• Base Notes: cedarwood, white musk
• Other Notes Perceived: peony, datura, apple tree, Granny Smith apple, pepper

This easy-going fragrance opens very fresh and citrusy with some green touches. Lovely white florals, pepper, and clean musk come to the forefront as it dries down. There’s a light sweetness from the apple that comes out as it dries down more. I get a lot of ‘laundry fresh vibes’ for the duration of wearing it.

Projection is gentle, I’d probably call it lightly moderate, I notice a light scent bubble around myself for about 3-4 hours before I find I’m wanting to reapply. This is such a great ‘easy grab,’ a fragrance you can wear daily to work or out shopping, it’s perfect for casual daytime wear. This is in a similar ballpark with the original Be Delicious, mentioned above. I might call this an ‘older sister’ to Be Delicious, it’s maybe just a touch more mature but I wouldn’t call it ‘old lady’ or anything. It’s very fresh, pleasant and easy to wear.

Find it here:

Nina 80ml (at Amazon)

Nina 50ml holiday edition, 80ml tester (at FragranceNet)

Nina 6.8oz shower gel (at FragranceNet)

HONORABLE MENTION: DKNY Be Extra Delicious

• Top Notes: pear, black currant, freesia and bergamot
• Middle Notes: peony, heliotrope, gardenia and lily of the valley
• Base Notes: caramel, raspberry and Ambroxan
• Other Notes Perceived: candied apple, pepper

So this fragrance is listed as an honorable mention because there’s no actual apple note listed, lol, but it smells just like a caramel apple to me! I get the signature Be Delicious apple vibes combined with the prominent caramel note which automatically equals candied apple to me. If you love gourmand fragrances that smell like caramel, you HAVE to try this!

The projection for this fragrance is good and it lasts me about 5-6 hours before I’m wanting to refresh it. One thing I find interesting about this fragrance is it always reminds me a bit of another perfume I love, Unnamed by Byredo, in the later stages of dry down; perhaps like a flanker of Unnamed with caramel added, lol! Bonus: this fragrance tends to be pretty inexpensive at the discounters.

Find it here:

Be Extra Delicious 30ml (at Amazon)

Be Extra Delicious 100ml (at Amazon)

Be Extra Delicious 50ml, 100ml (at FragranceNet)

HONORABLE MENTION: Escada Candy Love (Limited Edition that is difficult to find)

• Key Notes: candy apple accord, rose centifolia, vanilla whipped cream, green mandarin

This is a really lovely fruity-floral perfume that leans more floral in the opening with the rose taking center stage and the sparkling mandarin right behind it, I get a touch of pepper as it dries down and then it starts to lean sweeter and more gourmand. I definitely get the candied apple vibes, it also slightly reminds me of Sweet Tart candies. The candy vibe is pleasant and not overly sweet or sickly to me. Overall, the fragrance embodies a lovely sweet/tart/floral impression that’s fun and carefree-feeling.

When I first saw the Barbie-esque bottle, I thought this might be way too childish or young for me, even as a gourmand lover. But I actually love it! I think the rose really adds to it and bumps it up to be a tad more sophisticated than a typical sweet scent. I think many ages could wear and enjoy this, not just young girls, despite the cutesy packaging.

The projection for this fragrance is moderate and I get about 4-5 hours wear before wanting to reapply. This particular fragrance from Escada’s ‘Love’ collection has recently become rather difficult to find. I used to always see it on FragranceNet and Amazon and it’s worth still looking there but you may have better luck with Mercari or eBay (look for a reputable seller!) Kayali’s Eden Juicy Apple (discussed above) is pretty close in feel to this fragrance and makes a great alternative to try, if you can’t locate this one.

(Maybe) find it here:

Candy Love 50ml (at FragranceNet)

Candy Love 50ml (at Amazon)

Candy Love (on Mercari)

Candy Love (on eBay)

Other Apple-Scented Beauty Products to Layer With These Fragrances

If you’re looking for other products to layer with your apple fragrances, a great option is the Bath & Body Works classic, Country Apple, which is available in shower gel, lotion, and other products. Winter Candy Apple, also by B&BW, is another excellent choice.

Find it here:

All Bath & Body Works Apple Fragrance Products (at Amazon)

So there you have it, my choice for the best apple perfumes! How do these fragrances sound to you? Have you tried any of these before? If not, would you want to try any of them after reading my reviews? Let me know what you think about apple perfumes in the comments section below! 🍎🍏❤️

P.S. As I was writing this very article, Ellis Brooklyn has released a new apple fragrance called Apple Love! I am so excited to try it and will absolutely be back to talk about it once I give it a good sniff!

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