Fig Fever: Why This Fragrance Note Is Everywhere + The Best Products

We curate our days according to what pleases our senses—we pick what movies we watch, what music we listen to, what clothes we wear, the flavors we taste, and when we can, the fragrances we smell. 

Wearable fragrance is just one way to enhance your mood and bring about pleasure, but knowing which bottled scents fit your personality isn't quite as easy as declaring your favorite movie. 

If you can't perfectly imagine what a fig smells like right now, you're not alone. This is by no means a familiar scent like vanilla or rose but rather a complex and niche note. 

Each part of the fig tree (the fruit, wood, and leaves) has a unique scent—so fig at its core more diverse than many florals or fruits. 

"The leaf is the most inspiring for perfumers because of its range as a scent. Naturally, the leaf has a green fragrance, but it's also crunchy and milky with a coconut inflection. The fig leaf also exudes woody nuances of sandalwood and cedarwood, making it a diverse ingredient utilized in some of the most popular perfumes and colognes," explains fragrance expert and VP of Operations at Dossier Ines Guien. 

Sometimes fig falls into the category of the green fragrance family but not always. "Whether the scent is green is more so dependent on whether the perfumer has intended to create a young fig with green notes, as opposed to a ripened fig with more sweet notes," says perfume manufacturer, consultant, and fragrance developer Darryl Do. 

There are a few different expert theories as to why fig fragrance is gaining prominence, all of which point to the unique scent experience fig brings to the table.

Do suggests the revival of gourmands as a larger category is to blame, while Guien says it's more about where the fragrance takes you mentally.

"Figs are reminiscent of summer, of nature, and for some, holidays in warmer regions such as the Mediterranean and the southern coast of Italy," Guien says.

Frank Voelkl, the perfumer behind Phlur's dynamic fig fragrance Father Figure, says this product was created from a similar vision: "This fragrance is inspired by hidden gardens. There is a contrast between the vivid greenness and something more skinlike. The milky nectar of fig complements buttery suede qualities of orris to create a naturally sensual effect," he says.

A quick look at the major trends of 2023 includes both the Mediterranean diet obsession, the European cottage-core inspired "tomato girl" TikTok micro-trend, and the overarching theme of wanting to live like the centenarians in the Blue Zones—a simple life, chock-full of natural foods and, by default, accompanying fresh scents. 

AI-driven fragrance brand Noteworthy launched a limited edition, travel-size fig fragrance earlier this year called n,415 that sold out in just two weeks, reaffirming the obsession (don't worry, it'll be back in stock by summer 2024). According to co-founder Ashley Boyce, the success of this product points to the yearning for individuality in fragrance.

"Based on a longitudinal study that we did of over 600 women, 74% of women would like a signature scent that is unique and different from other people," she says.

Moreover, "So much of the fragrance market is dominated by florals or woods or citrus. Fig offers a completely different olfactive experience to a more commercially popular fragrance," she adds.

There's a wide range of fig notes to choose from thanks to the option to embrace the fig tree wood, leaves, or fruit itself, so fig can really be dressed up or down to fit a plethora of preferences.

If you typically lean toward something sweeter, opt for a fragrance that's juicy and fruit-forward, even paired with additional citrus notes. If you're craving something more skinlike, prioritize additional woods and vanilla notes to add depth.