There’s nothing more exciting than getting ready for a date night, whether it's your first date or your 10th anniversary. You’ve picked the perfect outfit and the perfect restaurant look, and finding the perfect fragrance is next on the list.
The fragrance you wear can boost your confidence and help set the mood for the evening. If you want that special someone to be obsessed with you and your fragrance, we’ve got you covered.
Finding the perfect scent can be tricky, so we're breaking down some of our top picks to help you decide. You might even discover more than one signature scent to spice things up when that date number two (or anniversary number 11) rolls around.
Our Favorite Date Night Fragrances
Snif has just what you need to make your partner’s heart beat fast — plus, our vegan and cruelty-free fragrances are formulated with industry-clean standards, so you won't find parabens, preservatives, phthalates, or synthetic dyes in our scents.
We use a high-end blend of natural ingredients you can truly feel good about wearing, whether you’re in your best dress or your Sunday cozies.
But where should you start the journey to find that next date night fragrance? Here are eight of our go-tos.
Cozy Coffee Date
For a cozy, low-pressure coffee date, you might want to reach for something sweet and gourmand to match the vibes.
Vanilla Vice
Love the sweeter things in life? Vanilla Vice is a vanilla ice cream fragrance with a smooth balance of vanilla bean with sophisticated, woody notes like jasmine sambac, musk, and orcanox.
Although Vanilla Vice is one of our richer scents, we still think it makes a fantastic choice for summer because it is so evocative of one of the season’s most iconic sweet treats.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (ice cream accord), Mid notes (vanilla bean, jasmine sambac), Base notes (amberwood, musk, orcanoz)
- Longevity & Projection: The complex, rich base in Vanilla Vice helps it last well all day without being overwhelming.
- Why It Works on Date Night: This sweet scent will help you fit right in at a cozy cafe where vanilla lattes and sweet treats are the items of choice on the menu.
- Pro Tip: Pat (don’t rub!) it on and let it dry naturally for the best projection.
Crumb Couture
It’s hard to find a Sunday date better than a trip to your favorite bakery, so why not turn those delicious aromas into your next signature scent?
For your next date night, take a bite out of Crumb Couture, a croissant fragrance with croissant accord, wild berry jam, blackcurrant, toasted vanilla, tonka bean, and sandalwood.
Given that it’s a slightly heavier scent, we recommend wearing this fragrance on a date night in winter when ultimate coziness is the goal.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (croissant accord, wild berry jam), Mid notes (blackcurrant, toasted vanilla), Base notes (tonka bean, sandalwood)
- Longevity & Projection: This scent is formulated to last for around 8 hours.
- Why It Works on Date Night: Keep the flaky, delicious smells from the coffee date with you on the walk home with Crumb Couture.
- Pro Tip: Spray this scent on right after you get out of the shower when your skin is damp.
Backyard Stargazing
An outside, evening date can be dreamy and romantic. For this setting, you might want something with green or woody undertones.
Sweet Ash
Meet Sweet Ash, an earthy and low-key sweet scent with inviting and addictive vibes. If you ask us, it’s the perfect choice to make a first impression your date will be sure to remember.
With indulgent hints of black vanilla bean and Tonka and a silky blend of moss, fir balsam, and woods, Sweet Ash is a fragrance you’ll want to keep with you at all times, not just on date night. That’s why we include a 2 ml sample size when you purchase any of our scents.
We make it easy to slip your fave fragrance into your smallest clutch or pocket so you'll never have to go without. As a lighter fragrance that doesn’t come on too strong, this scent is a perfect go-to all year round.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (juniper, bergamot), Mid notes (fir balsam, tonka bean, vanilla bean), Base notes (white moss)
- Longevity & Projection: Sweet Ash is made to last all day (and night).
- Why It Works on Date Night: You might want a grounded, natural fragrance, and Sweet Ash falls right into that category.
- Pro Tip: Spritz your clothes as well!
Off the Grid
We wouldn’t be able to talk about date night without mentioning at least a few candles. After all, nothing, and we mean nothing, sets the romantic mood more than candlelight.
Off the Grid is the perfect date night scent with warm and calming, vibes that will take you and that special someone to your happy place, and it’s the perfect summer or spring burn. It features a blend of amber, lily, musk, and sandalwood for a soothing burn that will make you want to put your phone on do not disturb.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (lily of the valley, moss, cypress), Mid notes (tuberose, cedar, cistus), Base notes (amber, sandalwood)
- Longevity & Projection: When properly cared for, this candle can burn for 200+ hours in the 50 oz size.
- Why It Works on Date Night: This is the perfect candle to add some ambient lighting to the porch while you cozy up to watch the sky.
- Pro Tip: Make sure you get a full melt pool the first time you light this candle.
Patio Cocktails
Patio cocktails can be relaxing and laidback while still helping you feel closer to your partner.
Rose Era
Enjoy a modern twist on a classic scent with Rose Era, a rose scent with rose, strawberry, clean laundry accord, ambrette seeds, white moss, saffron, and sandalwood. This silky blend takes you from rose-colored glasses to pure petal vision.
Fruity, floral, and light, Rosa Era will be the scent you reach for when you’re coming out of winter and getting ready to embrace the easy, breezy feel of spring.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (ambrette seeds, strawberry, saffron), Mid notes (rose, clean laundry accord), Base notes (white moss)
- Longevity & Projection: Don’t be fooled by this subtle fragrance, it’s made to last ‘til the sun goes down.
- Why It Works on Date Night: Rose fragrances are full of elegance and timelessness.
- Pro Tip: Store your fragrance in a cool, dark, dry place to make sure it stays fresh as long as possible.
Instant Karma
Instant Karma is a dark and dreamy scent perfect for a nightcap on a romantic, starry evening. This creamy candle features a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, and vetiver to create a spiced and sensual environment for sweet talking and warm moments. This candle is a particularly great burn for the moodier fall and winter seasons.
On your first burn of any Snif candles, you’ll want to let the entire surface of the wax melt. It may take about two to three hours, but that’s how long the best dates last anyway. Limit each burn to four hours max, and always make sure your candle is lit in a safe place.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (cardamom), Mid notes (nashi pear, black plum, geranium), Base notes (vetiver, cedarwood, black tea)
- Longevity & Projection: The 6 oz candle will burn for over 35 hours.
- Why It Works on Date Night: If your patio cocktails are at home, place this candle on your table. Or, light it when you get home for one last nightcap.
- Pro Tip: Trim the wick of the candle for optimal use.
Sunset Dinner
Sunset dinners are full of charm, and they can either lean casual or upscale.
Snif Me
Snif Me is a shape-shifting, warm skin scent blending orris with plum, peach skin, white moss, musks, and sandalwood for a woody, musky, and fruity scent experience. This is the ideal date night fragrance when you’re going for an all natural look and want to smell like you but just a little bit better.
Given that it’s a light, delicate fragrance, we recommend a spritz of Snif Me for summer and springtime dates when you want to give the whole minimalist chic vibe a try.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (peach skin, plum), Mid notes (orris), Base notes (white moss, musks, sandalwood)
- Longevity & Projection: Even though it’s not as bold as other fragrances, it’s crafted to last all day.
- Why It Works on Date Night: This scent gives you an effortless smell that’s low-key but intriguing.
- Pro Tip: Spritz Snif Me onto your pulse points so that it lasts as long as possible.
Suganami
Looking for something a bit more woody? This creamy and smooth scent is sure to become your new date night favorite. It combines iris with hints of incense, myrrh, and amber, then finishes things off with cypress and bright spices like angelica seed and pink pepper.
The fragrance has a subtle powdery after-effect, and the combination of floral and earthy scents will give you that warm, fuzzy feeling (even if your date doesn’t).
When you wear Suganami, you can feel good about more than just the scent. This fragrance comes in packaging that is recyclable and compostable, and it's made from 40 percent post-consumer material — because we want to keep our world as clean as our products.
Suganami is a great fit for early spring or the autumn months thanks to its creaminess.
- Olfactory Pyramid: Top notes (Angelica seeds, Coriander), Mid notes (Iris, Rose, Cypress, Myrrh), Base notes (Amber, Cedarwood, Creamy musks)
- Longevity & Projection: This scent is formulated with high-quality ingredients to be long-lasting.
- Why It Works on Date Night:This fragrance helps add an element of luxury, no matter how casual the vibes are.
- Pro Tip: Moisturize your skin before you spray on Suganami (or any scent)!
FAQs
How do I pick the right date night scent?
First things first, match the vibe of your date. Choose lighter florals for daytime dates and richer scents for evening affairs.
Should I always wear the same scent on date night?
Although there’s something undeniably chic about having a go-to signature scent, don’t be afraid to mix up your date night fragrances to complement your mood and the activity.
Find the Perfect Date Night Fragrance
We’ve reached the end of our fragrance review, but hopefully just the start of your new (or on-going) fling. Like dating, choosing the one fragrance for you can be intimidating at first, but the journey is full of excitement.
If you're still unsure (about your fragrance, that is), Snif offers a free trial so you can try more than one scent at no charge.
With our long-lasting fragrances, you can leave a lasting impression — and remind your partner of that night by wearing your new scent for years to come.
Sources:
You've been burning candles wrong your whole life | Insider
The scent of attraction and the smell of success: crossmodal influences on person perception | PMC