Hear me out: banana in perfume really works, and will rival vanilla this summer
Banana is the unexpected perfume note we're smelling everywhere - and it's actually not as strange as it seems...
Banana is the latest niche fruit note gaining momentum this season, and while potentially polarising, it offers a surprisingly creamy and edible quality to perfumes and scented bodycare.
I'll be the first to admit that the idea of a banana perfume once had me scrunching up my nose in disgust. Personally, I'm actually not a fan of the fruit, in general, and can only tolerate it in sweet treat form, like muffins or banana bread. Thus, when I saw it touted as a 2026 fragrance trend, I was more than a little sceptical. But having smelt several of this year's new, banana-y fragrance releases, I can tell you that when blended with similarly sweet and edible notes, it can be very appealing. Especially if your tastes already skew towards very creamy and sunny-smelling long-lasting perfumes.
Article continues belowBanana scents are trending for summer 2026 - here are our 6 picks
Now, if you're reading this and thinking, "Why would I want to smell like a banana?" a few months ago, I was right there with you. But hopefully, having shared my overall aversion to the fruit, you'll trust me when I say that the genre might just grow on you. Like many of the best gourmand perfumes, these banana-centric blends are sweet, creamy and in the case of Juliette Has A Gun's Banana Rush, very nostalgic.
RRP: £100 for 50ml | Notes: banana, maple syrup, coconut, frangipani flower, vanilla and sandalwood
This latest launch from Juliette Has A Gun was my first foray into banana scents, and I'm so glad. On first inhale, I was instantly reminded of those pale, foam banana sweets, but the blend quickly develops, with warm notes of maple syrup, creamy coconut, vanilla and sandalwood melting together with that initial burst of banana. It's decadent and downright delicious - so not what I was expecting for a banana-inspired scent. If you love warm, velvety gourmand scents, it's definitely one to invest in, especially with summer ahead.
RRP: £80 for 50ml | Notes: banana, coconut cream, gardenia, jasmine. rum, sandalwood and vanilla bourbon
For solar perfume lovers, this Kayali scent layers sweet banana with creamy coconut and soft florals, as well as decadent boozy notes of rum and vanilla bourbon. It's both tropical and fresh, with a sunny quality that just makes it perfect for holiday spritzing. If you're a fan of the brand's other gourmand blends, you're sure to like this.
RRP: £95 for 27ml | Notes: bergamot, green banana peel accord, broom flower, ripe banana, jasmine, orange flower, honey and labdanum
For a more unusual take, 27 87's Hakuna Matata features green banana peel as well as ripe banana accords, and layers them with crisp bergamot, jasmine, orange flower and sweet honey. It's fun, tropical and ambery, ideal if you're on the hunt for a unique and unusual summertime signature.
RRP: £15.99 for 90ml | Notes: banana flower, meringue and almond
If you're on the hunt for an affordable fragrance, the best ZARA perfumes are always worth a sniff, but for something very new and trendy, we recommend trying Sun Kissed Banana first. It's described by the brand as a solar floral, layering banana flower with almost-edible and nutty notes of meringue and almond.
RRP: £62 | Scented with: peach, banana, cacao, tonka bean and musk
As mentioned, banana isn't just proving popular in the fragrance world but also in body care. Like trendy Saltair, Joonbyrd offers a range of skin-loving and gorgeously scented body lotions, washes and so on, and has just launched two new formulas boasting a banana-y scent. This body glaze is powered by ingredients like grape flower, resveratrol, plant biopeptides, maize kernel sugar and 7-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, to support your skin's long-term health and leave it looking glossy, radiant and smelling like fruity peach, banana and tonka bean.
RRP: £39 | Scented with: peach, banana, cacao and tonka bean
If you're keen to embrace a banana scent throughout your beauty routine, this new Joonbyrd body wash is a lovely option. Its fragrance boasts notes of peach, banana, cacao and tonka bean. Meanwhile, its lathering formula is enriched with a nourishing biotech complex of plant-derived exosomes, organic sunflower sprouts, maize kernel sugar and 7-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid to help lock in moisture and leave your skin feeling supple and looking refreshed.
If you've been staying across the scent trends, you'll know that more unusual notes have been on the rise for some time now, especially regarding fruity perfumes. Last year, it was all about berries, with strawberry and cherry perfumes gaining a lot of search and interest. Meanwhile, gourmands have been making a comeback, with creamy milk perfumes and nutty blends among the most in-demand, with many of us seeking out niche and under-the-radar options to make our signatures. So, the fact that banana perfumes are on the up actually makes a lot of sense.
What does banana smell like in perfume
Similar to vanilla and more laconic accords, banana can afford a very smooth, sweet and creamy quality to a fragrance. It can also be quite lightweight and almost whipped - picture the light and sugary smell of foam banana sweets - depending on what notes it's layered with.
Then there are some banana perfumes that boast a very sunny, tropical sort of scent, much like notes of fig or coconut, hence why it's such a popular summer perfume option. You can also find greener fragrances featuring notes like banana leaf.
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