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As a beauty editor with a penchant for perfumes that feel a little unexpected, I wouldn’t typically describe gourmand perfumes as my thing. While I can totally appreciate them for their nostalgic sweetness and comfort factor (this year’s delicious jammy perfumes being the perfect case in point), a lot of the popular dessert-inspired scents are simply a little too sweet for my taste. I prefer scents that offer warmth with a sugar high and pistachio perfumes fit that brief perfectly.
Nutty rather than pudding-like, pistachio offers a creamy softness that feels modern and considered. It adds a richness to fragrances without feeling heavy and also has a somewhat savoury edge that helps if you like your perfumes to feel a little interesting. Recently, perfumers have started using pistachio in far more complex ways than you might expect from a classic gourmand, too—pairing it with woods, musks or salty notes instead of the more typical vanilla and caramel. The result is a new take on gourmands that feels more subtle, wearable and elevated.
(Image credit: Mica Ricketts)
What Is a Pistachio Perfume?
“When used in fragrance, pistachio is a really full-bodied note that isn’t sugary by default,” explains perfumer Richard Saint-Ford, founder of London-based fragrance brand Iggywoo. “It should smell nutty but not dry, creamy but not milky, and it has an almost buttery quality with a natural warmth to it.” This savoury creaminess means that, when blended well and paired with the right notes, the best pistachio perfumes actually sit somewhere between a gourmand and a skin scent.
“Pistachio is far more versatile than the gourmand trend suggests,” says Saint-Ford. “When you let its natural nuttiness lead, rather than drowning it in sweetness, it can move into woody, floral and skin scent territory. That’s when it becomes timeless.” As for the notes that it does play well with? Saint-Ford suggests that pistachio works best when given space to breathe. “Creamy white florals like jasmine pull out the smoothness without turning it sugary, woods ground it, and skin musks are beautiful because they blur the edges and keep the pistachio feeling sensual rather than sweet,” he explains.
So, if you’re in the market for a grown-up gourmand that feels comforting without being cloying, then keep scrolling. Ahead, you’ll find my pick of the best pistachio perfumes, tried and tested by a very fussy beauty editor.
The Best Pistachio Perfumes
1. D. S. & Durga Pistachio
D.S. & Durga
Pistachio Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Pistachio, cardamom, roasted almond, patchouli, vanilla crème
When I want a perfume that feels unique, and I know not everyone else will be wearing, I look to D.S. & Durga, and this here is basically an ode to pistachio. (In fact, the list of notes on the packaging cheekily declares pistachio, more pistachio and even more pistachio in the top, heart and base notes of this nutty scent.) Starting life as a limited-edition run, this perfume was so popular that it quickly made its way into the brand’s permanent lineup thanks to how damn addictive this creamy gourmand is. It’s sweet but not sickly—rich with roasted almond, spicy with cardamom, and with an expensive-smelling twist of patchouli. Think of it as a grown-up dessert rather than an ice cream sundae.
2. Iggywoo Pistachio Voodoo Child
Iggywoo
Pistachio Voodoo Child
Key notes: Pistachio, voodoo dancer, lily, jasmine, pistachio accord, sandalwood, vanilla milk
I’d expect nothing less from Iggywoo than an unapologetically nutty perfume. After all, if you’re putting pistachio in the name then it damn well better smell like it. Here, pistachio is front and centre, opening with a warming toasted pistachio note that smells like the real deal. The unique thing about this scent, though, is the way it blends that pistachio with a bouquet of florals at its heart—the star of which comes in the form of the rare voodoo dancer lily which is a beautifully powdery floral that adds a dreamlike quality to the blend. Teamed with velvety jasmine, a soft pistachio accord and warming sandalwood, as well as a twist of sweet vanilla milk, and you’re left with a truly addictive perfume with none of the sugar rush.
3. Borntostandout Nuts
Borntostandout
Nuts Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Pistachio, almond, caramel, rum, honey, vanilla, sesame, davana essence, tonka absolute, tobacco, gaïac wood, ambergris, white musks
To me, this is how you do a gourmand perfume that still feels genuinely wearable and grown up. The simply named Nuts delivers exactly what it says on the bottle—a bold and buttery blast of toasted pistachio and sweet almond that shines through from the very first spritz. This is like real nuts toasted to reveal their inner creaminess, then tossed in sticky honey, vanilla and a touch of rum for a slight edge. It’s instantly comforting and slightly nostalgic, yet what keeps this scent feeling interesting to me is the way that it’s the more warming and smoky notes of tonka, tobacco and musks that emerge once it settles on the skin. It’s a gourmand with a layered pistachio note that feels both complex and delectable.
4. Experimental Perfume Club Pistachio Haiku
Experimental Perfume Club
Pistachio Haiku Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Fig leaf, pistachio leaf, pistachio, hazelnut, cedarwood, vetiver, benzoin
This is a celebration of the pistachio in its natural form—from the leaves of the plant to the sweet nut inside. Because of this, I’d describe this as a fresh, almost green perfume that smells like walking through a lush orchard on a spring morning. The first spritz is incredibly verdant with crisp fig and pistachio leaves before delving into those more familiar nutty notes. Alongside pistachio, there’s roasted hazelnut, which lends a sweet warmth and that toastiness continues with earthy vetiver and cedarwood. It’s a beautifully grounded scent that smells so elegant.
5. Sol de Janeiro Sol Cheirosa ‘62
Sol De Janeiro
Cheirosa ’62 Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Pistachio, almond, heliotrope, jasmine petals, vanilla, salted caramel, sandalwood
Sol de Janeiro’s iconic Cheirosa ’62 scent—the same one that infuses its cult Bum Bum cream—is also a perfume in its own right and delivers all of that gourmand goodness but with added staying power. If you haven’t smelled it before, then this is effectively sunshine in a bottle with an abundance of tropical blooms and creamy sweetness from vanilla and salted caramel that ripples throughout. Of course, we’re here to talk about the best pistachio perfumes, though, and this one really delivers on that decadent nuttiness thanks to a combination of slightly salty pistachio (think skin after a day at the beach) and toasted almond. Yes, it’s sweet, but the dopamine hit makes it more than worth it.
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We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.
