Cinnamon is a versatile ingredient in the kitchen, as at home in a spicy curry as it is in cakes and cookies. It is no different in the fragrance world – the scent is equally at home in spicy, gourmand, and woody scents.
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However, it can be an expensive ingredient. The steam distillation that’s part of how to make cinnamon perfume can take several days. So before you go out shopping for a new scent, take a look at our 11 favorite cinnamon perfumes.
Our Top 11 Cinnamon Perfumes
Best Cinnamon Perfume for Newbies
Diptyque L’eau Diptyque is a great unisex scent if you are new to the world of spice. This 1968 scent by Desmond Knox-Leet is a classic – straight spice with notes of cinnamon and rose fading into a heart of geranium and a dry down of cloves and sandalwood.
PROS : Strong spice scent
CONS: Can come off a bit mature
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Everyday
- Cost: $$$
Best Value
Cinnamon Bark by Demeter is another one of the brand’s signature one-note scents. And while we find some of them a little muddled and lackluster, this one is spicy, well-rounded, and not too sweet.
This scent is a cheap cinnamon perfume but works beautifully.
PROS: Great for layering
CONS: Simple scent
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Layering
- Cost: $
Best Luxury Cinnamon
Kilian Angel’s Share Unisex EDP comes in a delicate glass bottle that evokes the feeling of sipping a top-shelf Scotch from a cut crystal glass. The scent is no less luxurious, starting out with a cognac note before fading into a heart of cinnamon, tonka bean, and oak and a drydown of praline, vanilla, and sandalwood.
This 2020 scent by Benoist Lapouza is not a cheap cinnamon perfume, but it is well worth it.
PROS: Warm and spicy
CONS: Can be overpowering
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Winter parties
- Cost: $$$$
Best Niche Cinnamon
Noel Au Balcon by Etat Libre D’orange is marketed as a holiday scent, but we think of it as the perfect everyday fragrance for colder months. Honey, apricot, and mandarin orange notes come first, followed by cinnamon and chili pepper, and then vanilla, patchouli, and musk.
This 2007 scent by Antoine Maisondieu is not for everybody, but it is a warm unisex scent that will let you experience cinnamon as spicy, sweet, and earthy.
PROS: Rich, well-rounded scent
CONS: Not great for warmer weather
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Everyday, office
- Cost: $$$
Best Gourmand Cinnamon
If you are looking for a perfume that smells like cinnamon and vanilla, look no further than the feminine-leaning unisex Vanille Absolu Montale. The mixture of sweet vanilla, fresh flowers, and spicy incense smells like a family holiday celebration.
This 2008 fragrance by Pierre Montale starts off with vanilla and cotton candy notes, and fades into a heart of vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves before a drydown of woodsy notes.
PROS: Warm and well-rounded
CONS: Cotton candy notes may not appeal to everyone
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Date night, holidays
- Cost: $$$
Best Cinnamon Perfume for Floral Fans
As soon as you see the black stiletto heel-shaped bottle of Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl, you know you are in for a big, crowd-pleasing feminine fragrance. This scent starts out with almond and citrus notes that fade into a heart of tuberose, jasmine and rose before a finish of vanilla, praline, and cinnamon.
This 2016 perfume by Louise Turner and Quentin Biche may not impress most niche fragrance fans. But if you are looking for a big floral scent with a spicy kick, this one is for you.
PROS: Crowd-pleasing fragrance, big, specific floral notes
CONS: Not for niche fans
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Date night, day-to-evening
- Cost: $$$
Best Classic Masculine Fragrance
1 Million by Paco Rabane was developed in 2008 by Christophe Raynaud, Olivier Pescheux, and Michel Girard. By that point, the brand had spent quite a while as a synonym for a kind of tacky, outmoded masculinity.
But this fragrance shows you cannot judge a book by its cover. Top notes of mint and grapefruit fade into a heart of cinnamon, spice, and rose and a dry down of amber, leather, and patchouli.
PROS: Classic scent
CONS: May be feminine-leaning for some
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Day-to-evening, date night
- Cost: $$
Best Classic Feminine Perfume
Who knows, your mom may have worn Poison by Dior back in the day. But while this fruity and amber perfume from 1985 is nearing its 40th birthday, it still smells as good as ever.
The scent from Edouard Flechier and Maurice Roger starts off with notes of plum, wild berries, and anise, moves to a heart of incense, cinnamon, and rose, and then finishes with a drydown of amber, musk, and vetiver.
PROS: Strong fruit-forward scent
CONS: Too strong for some
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Date night
- Cost: $$
Best Cinnamon Perfume for Summer
Cinnamon might seem like a scent only for fall weather, but it can work in the right summer scents. In Cheap and Chic I Love Love by Moschino, cinnamon, along with musk and cedar, helps to ground a straightforward sweet citrus scent.
This 2004 scent by Olivier Cresp has become a new cult classic for very good reasons.
PROS: Crowd-pleasing sweet citrus scent
CONS: Too sharp for some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Very good
- Appropriate for: Everyday warm weather wear
- Cost: $$
Best Cinnamon Perfume for Winter Holidays
In our minds, the perfect holiday scent needs to have a hint of pine or cedar. That is why Sonia Constant’s 2013 Rima XI by Carner Barcelona is our pick for December. Notes of cardamom and mint transition into a heart of cinnamon and nutmeg before hitting cedar and vanilla in the drydown.
PROS: Great holiday scent
CONS: Not enough vanilla for some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Cold weather
- Cost: $$$
Best Earthy/Spicy Fragrance
Spicebomb by Viktor&Rolf obviously plays homage to their megahit perfume Flowerbomb. Like its floral cousin, this is a scent from a big house that still feels like a niche perfume.
This 2012 Spicebomb perfume by Olivier Polge starts with pink pepper, elemi, and grapefruit notes, which fade into cinnamon, saffron, and paprika in the heart and tobacco, leather, and vetiver in the dry down.
PROS: Earthy and rich
CONS: Takes on a sour scent with some wearers
- Sillage: Very Good
- Longevity: Good
- Appropriate for: Everyday, day-to-evening
- Cost: $$
What Does Cinnamon Perfume Smell Like?
It will smell a little different than the spice in your cupboard. That is because while much of the product in the grocery store is the ground bark of the Cinnamomum cassia plant, perfumes use the real stuff from the Cinnamomum verum plant.
Is Cinnamon an Attractive Scent?
It is one of the most appealing spicy aromas, although some find it a heavy scent. How much is too much is up to you, but it is worth trying the spice in different guises, like earthy or oriental.
Final Thoughts
Cinnamon is a versatile ingredient in a wide variety of scents. Its deep, spicy aroma pairs perfectly with lighter and more floral aromas – there is a huge range of perfumes with fantastic combinations that you will love.
Vanilla is a natural combination. Floral scents like rose match beautifully. Deep aromas like oak bring out something truly special – the choice is yours.
Check out our top choices above and find your new cinnamon-scented fragrance today.
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.