This ‘compliment magnet’ perfume mist is a dreamy summer choice
I’m a fragrance expert with well over 200 perfumes and at least 50 body sprays in my personal collection. Whenever I travel, I usually have at least four scents on me, from travel-sized eau de parfums and solid perfumes to body sprays. This year, I was craving sunny skies, so I jetted off to Gran Canaria and Morocco, and there’s one fragrance that is my ultimate holiday scent: Phlur’s Vanilla Nectar.
I will say, my bottle is the 240ml size (£39), which is way too big to go in a carry-on. I got around this by carefully pouring it into a travel-sized 30ml bottle. I reused an empty Sol de Janeiro bottle, but I do think something like this £5.49 set on Amazon would be perfect. There is a smaller, carry-on-friendly size available for £26.
Vanilla Nectar opens up juicy with notes of sugared tangelo, apricot and papaya nectar. I don’t have a lot of papaya in my perfume library, but I think, based on how much I love this, it might need to change. The heart is where everything really starts to come together with peach blossom, coconut orchid and jasmine dew. Its dry-down lingers all day and sticks to clothes until I wash them. It’s a simple trio of whipped vanilla, cedar and honeyed amber that I can’t get enough of.
To me, this perfume is the perfect balance of juicy, fresh and tropical. I think it pairs well with Kayali’s new Eden Sweet Peach (£80 for 50ml), but I don’t think it strictly needs layering. That said, I’ve been layering it with the Vanilla Skin body oil (£45), which has me smelling myself constantly. I do wish there was a Vanilla Nectar body oil, ideally with a shimmer like the Beach Skin oil (£45), but the spray alone will do for now.
I think Vanilla Nectar is going to be a game-changer for fans of Sol de Janeiro’s classic hits like Cheirosa 62 (£25) and 59 (£25). It’s got the sweetness that makes those scents so popular, but I think it’s slightly better balanced.
Vanilla Nectar by Phlur
from £26
SpaceNK
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This is a juicy vanilla scent that’s ideal for summer
That said, there seems to be a big space for creamy fragrances this summer. Lush has launched Banoffee Pie for £29, which smells just like the dessert. Ellis Brooklyn also launched Banana Milkshake (£28), which could be a sign that this year is having a big banana moment.
But Vanilla Nectar is my fragrance of choice for 2026. It’s one I can’t stop myself from coming back to, and it seems to have been my signature scent for the last month – quite the feat with how many I have to choose from.
It’s not just me who is a fan, though. Vanilla Nectar has pulled in 232 perfect five-star reviews on SpaceNK. One shopper said: “I love this! It’s so unique, smells elegant and is still fun! It really smells like vanilla nectar – the nectar could be a bit stronger, but it’s definitely there. I’m impressed by the longevity too – I hope they are consistent with the batches as I’ll definitely be repurchasing!”
Another called it a ‘compliment magnet’ and a ‘summer favourite’. They said: “Honestly, this smells so good. Perfect summer mist, I get so many compliments! My favourite Phlur mist of all time. Wish they had this in a perfume. I like pairing this with Capri in a bottle. Literal compliment magnet and summer fave! I would definitely recommend that if you were to get any Phlur mist, let it be this one. I’ve never smelled anything like it before, honestly. Best fragrance.”
One shopper was disappointed by the longevity, they said: “Although I really enjoy the scent, I wish it lasted longer. I feel like I have to spray a lot throughout the day to make it last, and I. I’m not sure, but it definitely doesn’t last all day, and I know it won’t because it isn’t a perfume with a higher concentration of perfume oils. But overall, the notes are amazing.”
While another found it lasted a long time, adding: “This is the most incredible body mist that is actually long-lasting. I would say it is most definitely on the sweeter side, but smells incredible on the skin as it is not too overpowering. It is most definitely a mist that lasts and I have even had people complimenting the smell hours after applying.”
