Fig perfumes: 12 to try, from green and creamy to sweet

Every perfume here comes as a 3ml, 10ml or 30ml decant, so you can compare a green fig with a creamy one before you commit to a full bottle. We group them by style and do not rank them.

Green fig: leaf, sap and wood

Green fig is the fig of the branch rather than the bowl. It smells sappy, a little bitter and fresh, closer to a garden in July than to dessert. If you want a fig perfume that does not smell sweet, start here.

Philosykos by Diptyque

Launched in 1996 and composed by Olivia Giacobetti, Philosykos is the reference for green fig. It opens on fig and fig leaf. The heart turns to green notes, coconut and fig tree sap, which gives it a milky edge. It dries down on cedar and fig tree wood.

It is unisex. For summer and spring days, the community picks it most often. Most voters call its sillage moderate. Longevity votes lean moderate.

Un Jardin en Méditerranée by Hermès

Un Jardin en Méditerranée came out in 2003 and keeps the fig at the back. The top is bergamot, lemon and mandarin orange. The heart is orange blossom and white nerium oleander. Fig leaf sits in the base with red cedar, juniper, pistachio, musk and cypress.

The result is a bright, aromatic garden scent rather than a fruity one. It is unisex and suits the office. Summer is the season voters pick it for most often. Most voters also place both its longevity and its sillage at moderate.

Fico di Amalfi by Acqua di Parma

Fico di Amalfi was launched in 2006. Citrus comes first, with bergamot, citron, grapefruit and lemon. Then fig nectar and fig leaf arrive in the heart, with pink pepper and jasmine. The base is cedar, benzoin and white musk.

Think sunlit citrus with a juicy fig in the middle. It is unisex, and voters most often pick it for day wear. Voters pick it most often for summer and spring. Their votes on longevity and on sillage both lean moderate.

Creamy fig with tea and woods

Here the fig is softer and rounder, and it shares the room with tea. The tea keeps the fruit from turning sweet, and the woods give it a calm, dry finish. These are the fig perfumes to try if Philosykos feels too leafy.

Wulóng Chá by Nishane

Wulóng Chá was launched in 2015. It opens with bergamot, orange, mandarin orange and litsea cubeba. Oolong tea and nutmeg form the heart. The fig only appears in the base, next to musk, so it reads as a soft, creamy finish after the bright opening.

It is unisex and works well for the office. Most voters rate its longevity long lasting, while its sillage gets a moderate vote. Summer and spring days are where the community wears it most.

Thé Noir 29 by Le Labo

Thé Noir 29 is an eau de parfum from 2015. Bay leaf, bergamot and fig open it. Black pepper, black tea and rose make up the heart. The base is the darkest part, built from amber, cedarwood, hay, musk, tobacco and vetiver.

Of the fig perfumes here, this is the one with the most shadow. It is unisex. Most voters rate its longevity long lasting. Sillage votes lean moderate. Fall and winter are the seasons it is picked for, at evening, by day and at night.

The Matcha 26 by Le Labo

The Matcha 26 came out in 2021 and was composed by Frank Voelkl. Fig, bergamot and orange start it off. Matcha, white tea and jasmine follow, and vetiver, musk and cedar close it.

It is a pale, earthy fig, easy to wear and unisex. Voters split on its longevity between moderate and long lasting. Its sillage votes lean moderate. It is picked most often across spring, summer and fall, from day and office wear to evening.

Gris Charnel by BDK Parfums

Gris Charnel was launched in 2022. Fig, black tea and cardamom open it. Iris, bourbon and tea sit in the heart, above a base of sandalwood, vetiver and cashmeran.

It is a quiet, grey-toned fig, and it is unisex and fine for the office. Votes on its longevity lean long lasting. Most voters call its sillage moderate. Fall and winter evenings and nights are where it is picked most often.

Fig in a sweet, floral or warm setting

In this group the fig turns from fruit into a supporting note. It adds a soft, jammy lift to sugar, flowers or spice.

Figue Érotique by Tom Ford

Figue Érotique is the newest perfume in this guide, launched in 2025. Bergamot, fig leaf, mandarin and pink pepper open it. The base turns sweet and dark with brown sugar, licorice, patchouli and vetiver.

It is unisex. Longevity votes lean long lasting, and sillage votes lean moderate. Voters pick it most often for summer, spring and fall days.

Dia Woman by Amouage

Dia Woman dates from 2002. Fig leads the top among aldehydes, violet leaf, sage, bergamot and tarragon. The heart is floral, with peony, rose, orris root, orange blossom and peach blossom. Heliotrope, sandalwood, incense, cedar and vanilla fill the base.

It is a floral with a fig in front, made for women and for going out. Votes on its longevity lean long lasting. Sillage votes lean moderate. Voters pick it most often for spring, in the day and at the office.

Scarlet Poppy Intense by Jo Malone London

Scarlet Poppy Intense was launched in 2020 for women and for going out. Ambrette opens it. Orris, fig and poppy form the heart, and heliotrope, barley and tonka bean make the base.

Here the fig is a soft fruit. Longevity votes lean moderate, while sillage votes lean strong. Voters pick it most often for fall and winter, at night and by day.

Ouverture by Xerjoff

Ouverture came out in 2019. It opens with fig leaf, orange and magnolia. Cinnamon, ylang-ylang, Indian jasmine and Bulgarian rose form the heart. The base is warm: sandalwood, cashmere wood, amber, incense and vanilla.

It is unisex and works at the office. Most voters rate its longevity long lasting. Sillage votes lean moderate. Fall and winter evenings and nights are when voters reach for it.

Fig in a bright, fresh frame

Pacific Chill by Louis Vuitton

Pacific Chill was launched in 2023. The top is a burst of citron, orange, mint, lemon, black currant and coriander. Apricot, basil, carrot seeds and rose sit in the heart. Fig, dates and ambrette round off the base.

The fig arrives late and stays soft, so the scent stays light and cool. It is unisex and made for the office. Voters mostly rate both its longevity and its sillage moderate. Summer days are when it is picked most often.

How to choose a fig perfume without smelling it

Start with the part of the fig you like. If you want green and fresh, look at the first group. If you want soft and creamy, look at the tea group. If you want warmth, look at the sweet group. The guide on how to choose perfume without smelling it covers the rest of the method.

Then check the season. Community voters most often pick Philosykos, Fico di Amalfi and Un Jardin en Méditerranée for summer. They most often pick Thé Noir 29, Gris Charnel, Ouverture and Scarlet Poppy Intense for fall and winter. Our summer perfumes page lists more warm-weather options.

If you already like Diptyque, the guide to the best Diptyque perfumes is a good next read. If you prefer something skin-close, read about clean perfumes. Most of the perfumes above are unisex, so unisex perfumes worth sharing pairs well with this list.

Try a green fig and a creamy fig in 3ml

The quickest way to learn which fig you like is to wear two. Take one green and one creamy, one on each wrist or on separate days. Philosykos is the green one and Wulóng Chá is the creamy one.

A 3ml of Philosykos costs €12.51, and a 3ml of Wulóng Chá costs €12.87. A 3ml gives you around 60 sprays, enough to wear it on several days. A decant is filled from the original bottle.

When one fig wins, move up a size. The 10ml size holds around 200 sprays to wear for weeks, and the 30ml holds around 600 to keep.

The bigger picture: What does bergamot smell like, and why is it in almost every perfume? and Chypre perfume and the other fragrance families, explained.