I’ve been particularly obsessed with perfume over the past few months. Never one for the clean-girl aesthetic or fresh-smelling vibe, it’s always the bolder, louder, stronger perfumes I gravitate towards. Most recently, there’s been one specific genre of fragrance on my FYP that’s grabbed my attention, and it’s perfect for the upcoming spring season. Enter: jammy perfumes.
Warm and fruity, jammy perfumes really come into their own at this time of year, while it’s still cold outside but the promise of spring is on the horizon. Now, I’m well aware that fruity fragrances often get a bad rap for being too immature, often reminding us of our school days filled with overly sweet body mists. However, believe me when I tell you that jammy perfumes are anything but.
What Is a Jammy Perfume?
A jammy perfume is a fragrance that profiles notes of stewed fruits and berries, resulting in a warm and syrupy scent. Mimicking its namesake, jam spread, jammy fragrances are fruity and sweet. However, proving that there really is more to them than you might think, the jammy nature remains grounded, with notes such as vanilla, florals and woods, creating a much more sophisticated scent than you might initially expect.
Sound like something you might be interested in? Luckily for you, I’ve rounded up the scents that remain grown-up, sophisticated and elegant, despite their gourmand bases.
Below, you’ll find my edit of the six best jammy perfumes around, all tried and tested by a beauty writer.
The Best Jammy Perfumes
1. Best Overall Jammy Perfume: Dior Miss Dior Essence, £93
2. Best Luxury Jammy Perfume: Jo Malone London Scarlet Poppy, £164
3. Best Affordable Jammy Perfume: Lush Rose Jam, £30
4. Best Daytime Jammy Perfume: Glossier You Rêve, £70
5. Best Nighttime Jammy Perfume: Lancòme La Vie Est Belle L’Elixir, £107
6. Best Niche Jammy Perfume: Nette NYC Pear Jam, £97
1. Dior Miss Dior Essence
Dior
Miss Dior Essence Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Blackberry, black elder; jasmine sambac, jasmine, wood, oak
Centred around a jammy, syrupy blackberry base, Miss Dior Essence is a playful chypre scent that manages to perfectly balance warm and sweet notes with fresh jasmine and woody oak. Out of all the jammy perfumes I tried, this is by far the sweetest, which I’m aware is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, I personally think it’s the perfect scent for spring. It’s juicy and attention-grabbing, not to mention it lasts for hours.
2. Glossier You Rêve
Glossier
You Rêve Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Buttercream, plum butter, toasted almond, sandalwood, iris, ambrette, ambroxan
If you want a jammy perfume that’s not overpowering for everyday use, You Rêve fits the bill. True to Glossier You‘s nature, it enhances your skin’s natural scent instead of masking it. Plum butter and buttercream notes give it a fruity aroma, grounded by the musky base of the brand’s original You scent. It brings the cosiness and warmth I expect from a jammy fragrance, yet feels luxe, sophisticated and lightweight enough for the office or a casual day out with friends.
3. Lancôme La Vie Est Belle L’Elixir
Lancôme
La Vie Est Belle L’elixir Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Raspberry, liquor, Calabrian bergamot, violet leaf, rose, leather, cocoa butter, cedarwood
La Vie Est Belle L’Elixir had been recommended to me long before I discovered the jammy perfume genre, but I hadn’t tried it until very recently, when I was shopping with friends in London. Now, it’s one of my go-to scents for nights out. The jammy raspberry is enveloped in leather, rose and liquor, resulting in a much more mature take on a gourmand scent. In fact, I love it so much that I’m planning to buy another bottle for my mum’s Mother’s Day gift this year.
4. Nette NYC Pear Jam
Nette NYC
Pear Jam Eau de Parfum
Key notes: Japanese pear, Bulgarian rose, osmanthus, jasmine sambac, ambrette seed, vanilla, patchouli, raspberry pulp, white peach
If you’re looking for a jammy perfume that smells unlike any other, opt for a scent that features a more unusual fruit, and I personally recommend Pear Jam by Nette NYC. The notes of pear and white peach set this apart from the berries we typically find in these kinds of fragrances, but it still remains warm, jammy and syrupy. It’s bright and uplifting but still manages to smell extremely sophisticated.
5. Jo Malone London Scarlet Poppy
Jo Malone London
Scarlet Poppy Cologne Intense
Key notes: Ambrette, orris, fig, poppy, tonka bean, heliotrope, barely
I’m a firm believer that you don’t need to spend hundreds on a good fragrance, but every so often I come across one that’s well worth the splurge. Jo Malone London’s Scarlett Poppy is a powdery floral-gourmand that has a jammy-like quality rather than being an obvious jam scent. But trust me, the warm, syrupy essence is still very much present. The fig is warm but uplifting and blends seamlessly with the tonka bean and barley to create a slightly creamy perfume.
6. Lush Rose Jam
Key notes: Turkish rose, rose oil, marmalade, lemon, geranium
With an overt rose note and a hint of jam underneath, Lush’s rose jam is a mood-boosting fragrance that’s much more elevated than your typical high-street perfume. To me, it smells light and clean but not in a “fresh laundry” way. Rather, it reminds me of eating marmalade in a fresh rose garden on a spring day.