Vanilla Tops the Charts as Gen Z’s Sweet Scent of Choice

A new Unilever study has revealed that vanilla is Gen Z’s favourite fragrance note, beating out traditional choices like sandalwood and cut grass. Surveying over 2,000 young people aged 18–25, the research highlights how today’s beauty consumers are gravitating toward sweet, playful, and comforting scents such as vanilla, strawberry, and cherry blossom.

The findings show that 64% of Gen Z prefer sweeter perfumes, with many linking fragrance to mood, identity, and self-expression. In fact, 80% said they choose products based on how the scent makes them feel, while 41% described fragrance as a “must-have” in their everyday routine.

New behaviours are also emerging: almost a third of respondents are experimenting with “smellmaxxing,” layering multiple scents to create a personalised signature fragrance. More than half admitted they are influenced by social media trends, sometimes buying scents without ever smelling them first.

This shift underlines the scale of opportunity in the UK’s multicultural beauty sector, which is estimated at over £5 billion annually and continues to grow as demand for inclusive products rises. Tones of Beauty provides the ultimate platform for brands to showcase fragrance and beauty innovations to UK buyers, retailers and wholesalers. 

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Source: Unilever