Pool Toys, Tennis Balls, and Caviar: Fantasy Perfumes Have Never Been More On-Trend

What does it mean to smell like a tennis ball? Or an inflatable pool float? Or an artichoke? These uncommon fragrance notes may have you scratching your head at first glance, but their “weirdness” is what actually makes a scent really sing. Perfumers call them fantasy fragrances, or scents that don’t exactly exist in nature but create a unique, exciting perfume experience—and according to the pros, these quirky notes have never been more popular.

We can thank TikTok (of course) for the shift. Shopping for fragrance has been completely flipped on its head thanks to the app, as users commit to fragrances they’ve never even smelled before. So brands are tasked with making a splash in a split second—and doesn’t a fragrance with notes of “croissant” sound much more alluring than your standard vanilla perfume? “It makes it have more of an emotional connection,” Caroline Ornst, fragrance development director at DSM-Firmenich, says regarding these fantasy notes. “A lot of consumers these days are shopping online, so that storytelling really does help give them some point to hook onto and make that online purchase rather than if they were smelling something in real life.”

Traditional fragrance storytelling—beautiful extraction methods, a fragrance’s rich history, and so on—still has its place in the perfume market, but these fantasy notes help create a very specific narrative. “It’s like they are moments in time,” says Vince Spinnato, cosmetic chemist, perfumer, certified nose, and CEO of Turnkey Beauty.

“I think there’s also this idea of personalization, which is so important for the consumer these days. They want something that smells unique to them,” Ornst adds. Love it or loathe it, a perfume infused with “pool toy” is undoubtedly one of a kind. Ahead, discover the five fantasy fragrance families I can’t stop thinking about—how they’re made, why perfumers picked them, and what makes them smell so dang irresistible.

Imagine: There you are, lounging on a squeaky pool float, sunnies perched on your head and a frosty drink in hand. Every now and then, you might catch whiffs of coconut or banana—something tropical you’d commonly find in a sunscreen—but a faint, vinyl-like aroma might also start creeping in from the rubber inflatable. That whisper of plastic has been transformed into fragrance, and believe it or not, it’s what makes a summer-inspired perfume even more delectable.

Just take it from Vacation, the cult-favorite sunscreen brand that features a very specific “pool toy” note in its “Vacation” by Vacation fragrance. “We were being cheeky at first, thinking that it could be cool to include such a note,” says Rodrigo Flores-Roux, perfumer and vice president of perfumery at Givaudan, who developed the Vacation scent. “And then as it materialized, we pushed it to an extreme where people really perceive this unique latex, rubber, swimming pool water accord.” It’s a true fantasy note, conceptualized by ingredients like azurone and karmaflor to achieve that rubbery, ozonic effect that evokes plastic pool toys drying in the sun. “We also used tarragon essence, which has a subtle chlorinated character, to reinforce this aquatic, nostalgic quality,” Flores-Roux adds.

I’d argue that this fantasy note is what made the fragrance really stand out among the slew of tropical, beachy perfumes on the market. After all, it’s hard to brush past a quirky perfume that claims to smell like a rubber float (in the best way). “We’ve observed that the ‘pool toy’ note has resonated strongly with our consumers,” Flores-Roux agrees. “It’s a standout element that many find both nostalgic and intriguing, and they’ve certainly never seen it advertised for a fine fragrance before!”

Other perfumes might not include something as nuanced as “pool toy,” but according to Spinnato, anything with “oceanic” or “aquatic” accord (think Maison Margiela’s Replica Sailing Day or Memo Paris’s Ocean Leather) is technically part of the fantasy fragrance family, too. “Things like spirulina, algae, seaweed—those do have fragrance, but when you get into the ‘oceanic’ category, that’s a fantasy fragrance,” he shares. For those intrigued by a marine fantasy moment, I suggest diving into these picks below.

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Butter, whipped cream, croissants, freshly baked bread—if you’ve ever wanted to smell like a French bakery (uh, who doesn’t?), these fantasy notes are tailor-made for you. Although, it can be pretty difficult to capture the essence of a flaky croissant or dollop of Chantilly cream, so perfumers today rely on sophisticated technology to translate these delights into fantasy fragrances.

For example, DSM-Firmenich has created a method called Smell-the-Taste, in which flavorists and perfumers work together to translate delectable ingredients to perfume components. “Think of a latte or a certain kind of taste—a gummy bear, for example,” Ornst explains. “[They] can take that flavor profile and translate it into a [scent]. These are unique ways that we can incorporate those scents into our fragrance creations.” Using this technology, DSM-Firmenich helped create the sweet “Chantilly cream” note in Marc Jacobs’s limited-edition Daisy Love Paradise eau de toilette, as well as the “peach fuzz” in Pantone’s Peach Fuzz Eau de Parfum (inspired by the 2024 color of the year).

Fragrance brand Snif even has an entire sub-brand (called NoNoses, Inc.) dedicated to unconventional scent concepts—one of which is the quirky “croissant accord” note found in its Crumb Couture fragrance. “What was intended to be a niche concept became one of our most viral, best-selling scents of all time,” co-founder of Snif Bryan Edwards reveals. (Trust, the hype is very much real; the perfume even won a spot in our Beauty 100 awards!) “The familiarity and comfort associated with the scent of a croissant resonate with consumers, while also having a sophisticated dry-down thanks to the sandalwood, tonka bean, and vanilla in the fragrance.” It really nails that “just spent the entire afternoon in a Parisian bakery” feel, which is certainly my personal fantasy.

Butter notes also fall into fantasy fragrance territory, Spinnato tells me. See, a stick of butter has little to no scent, but the word “butter” on a perfume label (or “butter cream,” in the case of Philosophy’s Fresh Cream) often immediately conjures a sense of warmth and comfort—that’s the fantasy component at play. “[That’s why] you’ll see butter notes in candles, especially around the holiday season,” he adds. “It’s in what you’d call the comfort category.” Feel free to browse the pastry-inspired fantasy fragrances below that, no lie, smell good enough to eat.

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Sporty elegance has dominated the fashion-and-beauty scene, so it only makes sense the trend would make an appearance on the fragrance market. Enter sporty perfumes with notes of cotton sweatbands, fresh tennis balls, cut grass, and ice-cold courtside lemonade. Yes, really!

According to Spinnato, these sporty fragrances live in both the green and pheromone categories, meaning you’ll catch the fresh, crisp whiffs of a freshly cut grass tennis court, but you’ll also notice something rubbery and leathery akin to sweaty sports equipment. Similar to the “pool toy” scent, that vinyl-like edge makes an earthy, green fragrance feel more nostalgic, musky, and, as a result, a bit sexy.

For Imaginary Authors The Soft Lawn fragrance, which highlights “fresh tennis balls” in its scent profile, that rubbery element comes from linden and styrax, plus other green and “bouncy” notes inspired by the buzzing energy of sitting in the stands at Wimbledon. “Anyone that’s opened a can of tennis balls understands the wild power and core memories it creates over a lifetime,” perfumer and founder of the brand Josh Meyer says. “It’s not just the stale rubber and yellow fuzz… It’s the hidden memory of learning to play with your grandparents and parents and the lazy weekend days of iced tea after coming home from the park.” How’s that for a fragrance fantasy?

Vacation’s candle collab with iconic tennis brand Prince (aptly named Ball Boy) also features “uncapped tennis balls,” along with notes of “cotton sweatbands” and “courtside cucumber sandwiches.” It’s fresh and green with a hint of rubbery musk that practically screams tenniscore. “It reminds me of my childhood: a hot summer day at the tennis courts, sunscreen in the air, grass, a cool breeze,” one reviewer writes. I’d say there’s no other fantasy fragrance more uniquely specific than one that evokes a summer day spent courtside, just like these picks below.

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Here, we’ve arrived at the full-on green category with notes of tomato, carrot, green pepper, and artichoke. You might not instinctively crave vegetable notes in your perfume, but trust me, these scents make the elixir so much more sophisticated. They add a fresh garden element that grounds the fragrance, Spinnato says, which makes an otherwise fluttery floral feel way more complex. “You always want to ground your fragrance,” he adds. “And the way to do that is with darker things, like the green family.”

Woody notes also help ground a fragrance, for what it’s worth, but green scents do so in a way that still keeps things light and airy. Think garden fairy as opposed to forest nymph (since we’re committing to the “fantasy” bit). For instance, Diptyque features artichoke in its Eau Rose scent, which gives the classic floral a bitter green element that’s borderline addictive. Bell pepper, as seen in D.S. & Durga’s Bistro Waters, adds a sharp, crisp flair that beautifully complements the perfume’s pea flower, basil, and mandarin.

A little faith is important here because it’s not like grocery items like tomatoes, peppers, and artichokes have a distinct smell on their own. “It’s just more of a composition of a green note,” Spinnato explains. “When you process it, you land in the green category.” The difference between a tomato and artichoke perfume is so very slight that unless you’re a trained perfumer, you might not catch the subtle nuances. “You can so, so easily manipulate the scents—this is not a bad thing,” Spinnato adds. That’s merely where the fantasy component arises. As you browse these scents below, think of the perfumer as a storyteller inviting you to walk through their garden. (You may even find yourself down the rabbit hole.)

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What does “rich girl” energy smell like? Imagine twinkling glasses of champagne, chilled caviar pearls, and shimmering crystal chandeliers—now imagine that opulence bottled in its purest form. Sure, plenty of perfumes can have a bougie quality that makes you smell like an unbothered baroness, but what if when people ask what perfume you’re wearing, you tell them it’s a scent formulated with caviar? Or a champagne-infused potion? Now that’s rich.

It begs the question: How do brands actually bottle such status symbols? Well, Ornst clues me in on DSM-Ferminich’s NaturePrint technology, which essentially transforms materials into creative ingredients. “It’s a headspace technology that is placed on an object—it can be living, it can be a fabric, it can be a cracker, anything that kind of emits a smell—and this unique, proprietary tool can actually capture that scent,” she explains. “We have a perfumer, his name is Cyril Mestre, who can compound a formula to re-create that smell, and the perfumers can then use it in their formulations.” Neat, no?

That’s exactly how artisanal fragrance house Atelier des Ors created its Pink Me Up and Noir by Night eau de parfums. The former perfume, a fruity, fizzy floral, features a “champagne NaturePrint,” while the latter, a woody, spicy blend, captures the essence of “silken caviar” from the same technology. These elegant, sophisticated fantasy notes make any night feel like a special event, and what’s more, they’re basically created out of thin air—that’s some real scent magic.

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