If You Want to Smell Like an Expensive Tropical Holiday, These Are the Perfumes to Wear
Whether you’re heading abroad or simply in need of a mood-boosting scent, these are the best tropical perfumes for summer 2025.


I truly believe that there's nothing better than a tropical holiday in summer. Between feeling the warm sun on your skin and the relaxing sound of waves, nothing beats those salty beach days and sunset cocktails. But while I'd love to spend the entire season jet-setting across different islands, my bank account tends to disagree. I've therefore found another way to invoke the joy of a sunny getaway—investing in a tropical perfume.
What Is a Tropical Perfume?
Tropical fragrances are basically summer perfumes in a bottle, featuring any of your favourite warm-climate plants. Think fruity fragrances with creamy notes of coconut, juicy bursts of mango, or the airy scent of frangipani in bloom. They perfectly blend fruity, floral scents and beachy notes that will instantly transport you to warm island breezes and sun-drenched beaches, without actually having to go abroad.
At first, I’ll admit I was initially very sceptical about tropical perfumes, worried that they would smell overly sweet like those fruity body sprays we drenched ourselves in throughout high school. But the truth is that there are now plenty of ultra-sophisticated options that balance out the juicy notes with warm sandalwoods, delicate florals and deep ouds to make them feel chic, elevated, and grown-up.
So whether you’re heading abroad and looking for a perfume to take with you, or simply in need of a mood-boosting scent to help you feel like you're living your best OOO life, even if you're on a trip to your local high street, I've rounded up the best tropical perfumes to invest in this summer
The Best Tropical Perfumes
1. Best Overall Tropical Perfume: KAYALI Maui Sweet Banana 37, £79
2. Best Everyday Tropical Perfume: Maison Margiela Beach Walk, £62
3. Best Nighttime Tropical Perfume: Vilhelm Parfumerie Mango Skin, £145
4. Best Holiday Tropical Perfume: Juliette Has a Gun Lust for Sun, £100
5. Best Tropical Body Mist: Phlur Dragon Fruit Body Mist, £25
Shop the Best Tropical Perfumes
1. KAYALI Maui Sweet Banana 37
Key notes: Banana, coconut cream, pear, gardenia, jasmine, sandalwood, rum, vanilla bourbon
Maui Sweet Banana 37 was created to replicate the smell of a tropical holiday. With notes of bananas, coconut cream and vanilla bourbon, this fresh but fruity fragrance is sure to evoke memories of your favourite sun-kissed vacation.
2. Maison Margiela Beach Walk
Key notes: Coconut milk, lemon, cedar, heliotrope, bergamot, musk, pink pepper, ylang-ylang.
If you're looking for an everyday scent that's not too overpowering, Maison Margiela's Beach Walk is a lightweight EdT that features beachy notes of coconut milk, lemon, bergamot and ylang-ylang. Despite its lower fragrance oil concentration, reviewers have praised this scent for lasting all day.
3. Vilhelm Parfumerie Mango Skin
Key notes: Mango, blackberry, black pepper, wild orris, black lotus, jasmine, patchouli, vanilla, pink sugar
Mango Skin by Vilhelm Parfumerie perfectly blends the fruity notes of mango and blackcurrant with woody patchouli and spicy black pepper. This more sophisticated take on a tropical scent makes it perfect for night outs or formal events.
4. Juliette Has a Gun Lust for Sun
Key notes: Coconut, freesia, bergamot, gardenia, jasmine, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, white musk, vanilla, ambroxan
With notes of coconut, freesia, orange blossom and ambroxan, Lust for Sun is the ideal holiday fragrance. And the best part? You can also buy this scent in a smaller 50ml or 7.5ml to ensure you get through airport security with ease.
5. Phlur Dragon Fruit Body Mist
Key notes: Dragon Fruit, pineapple, watermelon, plum blossom, lotus flower, peony, sugared amber, vanilla bean, sandalwood
I've used a number of Phlur body mists, and I'm always impressed with how long-lasting they are. And according to reviews, this dragon fruit spray is no different. The gorgeous mix of dragon fruit with plum blossom and sandalwood makes for a scent that is sure to earn you loads of compliments.
6. Killian Paris Sunkissed Goddess
Key notes: Tiare, ylang-ylang, coconut, vanilla, guaiac wood, labdanum, neroli
Killian Sunkissed Goddess was recommended to me by my fellow editor, Grace Lindsay, and it did not disappoint. It's a floral fragrance that features tropical flower tiare as well as coconut and neroli.
7. The Body Shop Passionfruit Body Mist
Key notes: Passionfruit, peach, vanilla
If you're in need of a tropical fragrance that won't break the bank, look no further than The Body Shop's Passionfruit body mist. It only contains three notes (passionfruit, peach and vanilla), but reviewers have described it as "paradise in a bottle", so it's definitely worth the blind buy.
8. Jo Malone London Frangipani Flower Cologne
Key notes: Frangipani, lemon, ylang ylang, sandalwood
For those who find fruity fragrances a little too overpowering, Jo Malone's Frangipani Flower cologne is a much more subtle perfume that focuses on the flowers that grow across the beaches of Bali. Frangipani, lemon, ylang ylang and sandalwood blend together to create a floral-lactonic scent that you can wear for any occasion.
9. Born To Stand Out Black Guava Extrait Extreme
Best Oud Tropical Perfume
Key notes: Guava, mandarin, cardamom, Madagascan oud, peony, rose, geranium, amber, Madagascan patchouli, cypriol
If, like me, you love oud, you need to smell Born To Stand Out's Black Guava. It does come with a price point that's higher than most, but the mix of guava, Madagascan oud, rose and patchouli makes for a fruity-smoky scent that you won't be able to put down.
10 Le Monde Gourmand Angel Soirée
Best Gourmand Tropical Perfume
Key notes: Lychee, strawberry, marshmallow, apricot, rose, milk, violet, magnolia, vanilla, praline, musk, sandalwood
Angel Soirée by Le Monde Gourmand channels the sparkling sweetness of a lychee martini on a beach getaway. Despite being in the gourmand family, it manages to remain elegant and grown-up whilst still feeling modern.
11. Ellis Brooklyn Guava Granita
Key notes: Guava, banana, coconut, melon, mango, water lily, bergamot, vanilla, sandalwood, almond milk
If you're a fruity fragrance enthusiast, Guava Granita is the perfect pick for you. Formulated with HALOSCENT® technology to extend the wear without smelling too overpowering, the scent features five different tropical fruits to give you that sun-soaked getaway feeling even when at home.
Shop More Tropical Perfumes I Love
Why Trust Us?
At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products, including perfume, makeup, skincare and nails, over the years and work closely with trusted experts—dermatologists, make-up artists and leading industry insiders—to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.
We focus on fragrance 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.

As WWW UK’s editorial assistant, Brittany focuses on creating compelling fashion and beauty content for site. She supports the fashion team on shoots and with styling, and works closely with the Managing Editor on recurring columns and franchises. With a particular passion for fragrance—and a personal collection to match—she has a passion for all things fashion, beauty and lifestyle related. Prior to Who What Wear, Brittany worked as the Shopping Assistant at Reach Plc and across a number publications, including OK!, Notebook, S Mag and The Mirror. In this role, she was responsible for creating on-site beauty and fashion content, compiling shopping grids and campaigns for the print magazine as well as filmed and edited weekly video content for the brand’s social media account.
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