Key takeaways
- Vegetable-scented fragrances including tomato, basil, cucumber, and beet are experiencing year-over-year growth, with Loewe's 2020 tomato candle launching the trend mainstream.
- Major brands like Jo Malone, Diptyque, Replica, and Heretic Parfums have released vegetable fragrances between 2022 and 2026, with Le Monde Gourmand's Tomato Bébé achieving photorealistic tomato scent.
- Vegetable fragrances appeal to consumers whose taste preferences have matured beyond sugar-forward scents and who seek grounded, garden-inspired summer experiences rather than beach nostalgia.
- Entry-level vegetable fragrances blend vegetal notes with florals, citrus, or gourmand warmth—Jo Malone's Velvety Butternut and Hermès' Jardin Sur Le Nil offer accessible starting points.
The fragrance world is experiencing an unexpected shift. While gourmand scents built on vanilla and sweetness once dominated summer shelves, a new category is stealing the spotlight: fragrances built on fresh vegetable notes. Tomato leaf, basil, cucumber, beet juice, green bell pepper, carrot, and rhubarb are no longer supporting players in a fragrance composition. They have become the starring characters.
The Data Behind the Garden Trend
What seemed like an outlier a few years ago is now measurable market momentum. According to data from Spate, vegetable-based fragrance notes are experiencing year-over-year growth, with particular strength in Sichuan pepper, beet juice, cucumber, beetroot, and green tomato. The numbers validate what fragrance insiders have been predicting: consumers are hungry for something different.
Geraldine Nicolai, global head of fine fragrances at Givaudan, explains the appeal to beauty editors: these vegetable notes deliver freshness while maintaining the juicy, playful, and natural quality that drew audiences to gourmand fragrances in the first place. They feel indulgent without the sugar, grounded without losing complexity.
How Brands Sparked the Vegetable Revolution
The Tomato Beginning
Credit for starting the category shift belongs to Loewe. In 2020, the luxury house launched its tomato candle, a bold move that signaled fragrance makers could build an entire scent around a single botanical extract rather than treat it as a whisper in the background. The gamble worked, and the industry took notice.
By 2022, Diptyque entered the space with La Droguerie, a candle that pairs basil, mint, and tomato leaves into a bright, herbaceous blend. That same year signaled momentum was building. In 2023, Replica—the brand known for capturing real-world scents—positioned tomato leaf as the lead note in From the Garden, cementing the category’s legitimacy in mainstream fragrance.
The Acceleration Begins
The trend reached mainstream accessibility by 2025. Snif launched Slice Society, which leans into pizza nostalgia by combining tomato sauce and basil notes, while Bath & Body Works released Off the Vine, an approachable collection of vegetable-inspired fragrances softened by floral additions. These launches proved the market extended beyond niche enthusiasts.
The pinnacle came in 2026 when Le Monde Gourmand collaborated with Jon & Vinny’s, a Los Angeles-based Italian restaurant, to create Tomato Bébé. The fragrance captures tomato so authentically—balancing fennel, basil, tomato leaf, and green bell pepper—that first-time users report momentary disbelief over whether they’re actually wearing a scent or standing in a garden.
Beyond Tomato
While tomato commanded early attention, brands recognized the opportunity to explore the entire garden. Heretic Parfums dropped Rhubarb Thief, a tart and decidedly vegetal composition. Jo Malone responded with particular ambition, releasing a limited-edition collection of three distinct vegetable fragrances: Scarlet Beetroot, Velvety Butternut, and Carrot Blossom. Each targets a different entry point into the category—from earthy to slightly sweet.
Fulton & Roark has woven vegetable notes throughout its fragrance range, incorporating rhubarb, tomato, and green bell pepper into existing compositions while developing new releases. The brand’s Flower District specifically addresses the consumer curious about vegetables but not yet ready to commit fully to pure vegetal scents.
The Psychology of Wearing Your Vegetables
Taste in Fragrance Follows Taste in Food
Kevin Keller, cofounder of Fulton & Roark, articulates a theory that connects fragrance preference directly to how our palates mature. Children gravitate toward simple, starchy flavors and desserts. As adults, we develop tastes for bitter, green, and complex savory notes. The same arc applies to fragrance choices. People seeking out vegetable scents tend to be those who’ve abandoned sweet perfumes in favor of sharp, savory olfactory experiences. The caprese martini replaces the vanilla latte.
Summer Reimagined
Vegetable fragrances offer a grounded interpretation of seasonal scents that differs from traditional beach and tropical compositions. While classics like Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess and Tom Ford Soleil Blanc evoke resort luxury, vegetable notes trigger different memories: long afternoons in family gardens, weekends in upstate New York mountains, grass underfoot in summer hammocks, and fresh salads at picnic tables. The olfactory experience becomes less about vacation fantasy and more about intimate, domestic summer rituals.
Starting Your Vegetable Fragrance Journey
Not every consumer is ready to wear pure tomato leaf or beet. Fortunately, brands have created entry points. Kevin Keller notes that many existing fragrances already contain vegetable notes but haven’t centered them—perfumers are now reordering composition hierarchies to elevate notes once hidden in the formula.
For those testing the category, consider fragrances that blend vegetable notes with supporting softness. Jo Malone’s Velvety Butternut combines squash with gourmand warmth. Hermès’ Jardin Sur Le Nil wraps tomato and carrot in bright citrus, watery florals, and musk, balancing vegetal freshness against more familiar fragrance architecture. These compositions prove vegetables don’t require absence of other notes—they simply need prominence.
What’s Next for the Garden
Geraldine Nicolai projects the category expanding further into unexpected combinations. Tomato with chocolate appears on the horizon, as do dill and honey pairings—suggesting the fragrance kitchen is treating the pantry as raw material for creative experimentation rather than limiting itself to produce department staples.
The momentum shows no signs of reversing. What began as a niche curiosity in 2020 has evolved into a recognizable trend shaping how brands develop fragrances for 2026 and beyond. The tomato girl summers of previous years are giving way to a full-garden approach: if we can’t eat with confidence, we wear our vegetables instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What vegetable fragrance brands should I try if I'm new to the category?
Jo Malone's Velvety Butternut offers gourmand warmth, Hermès' Jardin Sur Le Nil combines tomato and carrot with bright citrus, and Fulton & Roark's Flower District provides a softer entry point with added florals and woody notes.
When did the vegetable fragrance trend start?
Loewe launched the first tomato candle in 2020, followed by Diptyque's La Droguerie in 2022 and Replica's From the Garden in 2023. The trend accelerated in 2025 with Bath & Body Works' Off the Vine and reached its peak with Le Monde Gourmand's Tomato Bébé collaboration in 2026.
What specific notes appear in popular vegetable fragrances?
Common vegetable fragrance notes include tomato leaf, basil, green bell pepper, fennel, beet, cucumber, rhubarb, and carrot. Jo Malone's limited-edition collection features Scarlet Beetroot, Velvety Butternut, and Carrot Blossom, while Heretic Parfums offers Rhubarb Thief.
