From honey recipes on TikTok to honey lotions and haircare, we guarantee that honey is on your radar in some capacity.
Used in cosmetics, baked goods, body care products, and more, honey is a trending ingredient across the board — and this is, in large part, thanks to its versatility.
Honey has been used throughout time for medicinal purposes thanks to its soothing and germ-fighting properties. Today, it can still be found in holistic and over-the-counter medications like teas and cough medicines… but its appeal goes beyond that.
Aside from the health benefits, honey has also been used for its rich scent. It has a delightful and comforting fragrance that’s easily recognizable, and it’s filled with warm, natural flavors.
Today, we’re unpacking how to achieve a honey-inspired aroma, ranging from which products to use to what notes they should include.
Where Does Honey Come From?
Honey is typically harvested by beekeepers or zoologists who keep bees safely in wooden boxes where they are able to build their honeycombs. Honeycombs function as their homes and are essential to the honey-making process.
The bees fly around searching for fresh flowers with nectar, like borage, coneflower, honeysuckle, and aster. They use their long tongues to suck up the nectar from the flower glands. Nectar is a sweet liquid that consists mainly of water, fructose, glucose, sucrose, proteins, salts, acids, and essential oils.
The bees transfer this liquid back to the hive and pass it on to the worker bees. These bees have the delicious job of gnawing on the nectar and breaking it down, resulting in a thicker version of the liquid.
The processed nectar gets stored in wax cells and is fanned by the bees with their wings, evaporating any remaining water resulting in sticky, gooey honey. The bees cover the honey in wax for natural preservation.
This is where the beekeepers come in. Carefully, without harming or disturbing the bees and their natural life cycle, the beekeepers retrieve the finished honeycomb cells and scrape off the layer of beeswax.
The pure honey is then taken from the honeycomb without damage with the help of a mechanical device called a honey extractor. The honey then goes through a filtration process where any remaining bits of wax are taken out.
From there, the honey is poured into jars and distributed all over the world. This is how we end up with honey perfumes, honey in our shower routine, and honey on the kitchen counter.
What Does Honey Smell Like?
Honey carries a unique unisex aroma that is sweet, floral, earthy, and warm. This full-bodied combination makes it a beloved choice for all sorts of products, including hair perfumes, candles, and body washes.
Sweet
Honey carries a rich, sugary aroma, just like the nectar it was made from. Although sweet smells are sometimes considered girly, the truth is that they can bring comfort to users of all genders and ages.
In addition to honey, common sweet scents include vanilla, caramel, peaches, chocolate, and strawberry.
Fresh
Honey smells fresh, like a bright spring day when bees are out and about feasting on blooming flowers. This natural note balances the rich aroma with a clean, cool element.
Floral
Honey scents typically features floral accords as well. The floral element gives the warm scent a level of softness and delicacy.
How Can You Smell Like Honey?
The accords and notes in honey can be summed up as fruity, clean, and light. By matching honey notes, you can capture the golden, delicious scent for yourself.
Subtly Fruity Scents
Using subtly fruity scents is an easy way to match the scent profile of honey. These types of smells can include orange blossom, grapefruit, apple, peach, lime zest, and anything citrus.
Clean Scents
Honey is a famously clean and natural scent. Other clean scents include sandalwood, lavender, linen, amber woods, musk, vetiver, white tea, and anything earthy or woodsy.
Light Aromas
Examples of common light aromas include lemon, jasmine, and green tea. That said, it’s important to note that how light or strong your perfume smells is usually based on its concentration level.
The higher the concentration, the longer the scent is designed to last. The lowest concentration level is eau de toilette, the middleground concentration level is eau de parfum, and the strongest concentration level is extrait de parfum.
What Is a Honey Scent To Try?
Honey Suite is a sweet honey fragrance featuring crystallized honey, lavender flower, incense, and vanilla bourbon for a warm, spicy, and woody scent experience that will have you over the moon.
Our warm, spicy, and woody formula is cruelty-free and made without parabens, preservatives, phthalates, and synthetic dyes. Made for optimal performance and long-lasting wear without being overwhelming, you can typically spray the 30ml bottle two or three times a day and have it last you three to six months.
In Sweetness
Honey’s sweet, warm, floral qualities are irresistible — and if you’re looking to incorporate this scent into your everyday fragrance lineup, you’re not alone. Honey features a unique blend of clean, fresh notes, making it a versatile daily scent.
Whether you’re in the mood for something soft and fruity or rich and warm, there’s bound to be the right honey product for you
Sources:
Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research | PMC
Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity | PubMed
Nectar | Description, Uses, Pollination, & Composition | Britannica