Darryl Do Bio, a senior perfumer and fragrance expert at Delbia Do Fragrances, says that when shopping for a vanilla fragrance, don’t just opt for ones that are simply vanilla. “Look for perfumes with vanilla as the main ingredient, surrounded by other notes, or supporting cast members,” he says. “Pay attention to the ingredients combined with vanilla and the technique of the fragrance creation,” the Fragrance Foundation’s Levy says. What notes work best with vanilla and why? There are many different notes that work with vanilla, from citrus (like bergamot), to woody notes (like cedarwood) and florals (like tuberose).