Dirty Vanilla

I’m in the downtown of a small town and it’s Saturday afternoon. The early November sun warms my cheeks and a cool breeze makes them rosey as I step into an antique shop. Wooden planks creek underfoot as my eyes take in the feast before me. I weave through treasures of the past, a bowl of root beer candies rest on a stack of dusty books so I pop one into my mouth. Time seems to stand still as I wander around each nook and cranny, patchouli incense and 70’s southern rock filling the air. Dirty Vanilla is neither gourmand nor syrupy sweet vanilla. More like spice, woods, and patchouli enveloped in a smokey vanilla. Star anise and licorice are not listed notes but my nose picks up a root beer vibe that made me fall in love with the fragrance. Longevity is fantastic, lasts well over 8 hours. Doesn't smell like Grand Soir or Dior Homme Intense in the slightest. It does remind me of Toi Toi Toi except DV is stronger and lasts much longer...oh and is cheaper.

Absolutely love it! But I don't agree with most reviews. The vanilla is prominent and truly accurate to vanilla extract, though it does fade(I have been a professional baker for 19 years). It's not a fluffed up warm or cloying bbw vanilla at all. The patchouli is very reminiscent of Yankee Candles Witch's Brew, a sweet almost Coca-Cola like patchouli, not hippie like. The patchouli also keeps this scent smelling very "cool" to me, like a cool fall evening. Not the biggest compliment grabber but the way this scent fills my heart with the excitement for Halloween is unmatched. I wear this September through October

It’s a very woodsy, resinous perfume that’s having an affair with a vanilla bean pod and they’re all over each other. I get pepper, coriander, patchouli, then cedar and sandalwood, all of it warm and sweet. The vanilla puffs up in wisps sometimes and makes it into a rather sexy smell. Imagine a strong, sludgy chai served in a roughly hewn wooden mug, and it’s kinda hot. Layer it with Coeur Noir if you want to smell like the coolest wooden chest ever. Yum! Edit: the oil rollerball is heavier and spicier, hell yeah

God I really love this one, I’m surprised as I usually don’t reach for vanilla fragrances but this is just perfect. The opening is very warm, vanilla and spicy, and as it dries down I find the warmth burns off and you can really smell the cedar and sandalwood, but the patchouli stands out as it settles onto the skin. The vanilla mostly stays constant throughout the day, it definitely settles in and sticks close to the skin all day but when I smell my wrist I can still smell it.

Vanilla with vetiver and patchouli. I love the resulting "Dirty Vanilla" accord - a dirt and greens vanilla with a hint of herbal spiciness. What you spray is what you get for the entire wear, and it remains pretty consistent across wearings. If I was a signature scent type of gal, I could easily see this being a signature. Predictable, easy to wear, I don't have to think about it too hard, and it doesn't overstay its welcome.

Vanilla fragrances normally give me migraines - something about the syrupy direction it's usually taken in makes me feel a bit sick. This is the first vanilla-heavy perfume that hasn't made me feel even a little ill! It doesn't smell sweet, to me, and actually doesn't feel like a gourmand at all (thank goodness). It evokes more of a warm woodland feel, taking vanilla back to its origins as a tree-borne orchid.

Ooooh I fell in love with this after smelling it in store and now I'm side eyeing it so hard cus its way out of my budget and I already have a long wishlist of fragrances, but its right up my alley and I didn't expect it to be at alll wow. Literally a "dirty" vanilla-- an earthy, smokey, woody, resinous vanilla. Like a vanilla-scented incense.

This is wonderful. It really is dirty and it really is vanilla. An antidote to the "clean girl" trend, thank God. Who wants to smell like plastic? I like the musk scents, but love the heavy vanilla ambers. There's just enough patchouli in this to make it interesting. If only it were stronger.

The perfect balance of vanilla and patchouli where neither drastically overpowers the other. It smells grounded and earthy in a way that is sexy without seeming fussy. It is prominent enough to be worn liberally but not so loud it is overpowering. My favorite new daily rider.

This powdery woody vanilla is earthy and enticing.... Like strings of vanilla pods and flowers wrapped around vines in the bake of Mexican sun falling on the dry dusty earth below... Hypnotic - just gotta breathe it in....

It’s more of a vanilla extract deep smell - deeper than other vanillas. I get why it’s “dirty” and it’s a spicy wood vanilla.

Smoother version of Doir Homme Intense/ Bentley for men Intense.

She's giving vanilla bean pods in cedar coffin

jumping the gun a bit here on this review because I only sprayed this 2 hours ago on my wrist (sample from Credo) & I also sprayed Torn from Henry Rose for comparison because they are both very similar—both are clean beauty vanilla fragrances with a green background. Not sure which of the two I like better, sort of oscillating between them. Dirty Vanilla opened very ambery musky, some vanilla, touch of green almost reminded me of a cheap amber oil I found on Amazon but it’s settling into this skin like vanilla, definitely hit it on the money with the dirty. This is a year round fragrance to me. Very versatile, could be perfect for layering. Very nice. Still has room to grow on me maybe some compliments and further knowledge on how this performs/ project will make me love this. In conclusion, this really is a dirty vanilla scent. Dirty as in skin, almost post-orgasm. Sexy but not a smoke bomb of a fragrance. Could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing type of fragrance. Doesn’t demand attention—“you sort of just had to be there” vibe. Not cloying whatsoever it’s a vanilla that is just green, ambery, resinous. Subtle but slightly dark.

Dirty Vanilla to me isn’t so much “dirty” in the sense of being provocative, and it’s not a gourmand in the slightest. While it is a bit sensual, it’s more like others have mentioned. It’s very earthy, like real dirt and real wood. The stronger dirt and wood scents remind me of walking through a foggy forest late at night. It’s been a while since the rain stopped and the soil and wood are close to dry, so you pick up smells of the drying wood and slightly damp dirt melding together in the air. On me, it’s that with a little bit of vanilla. Not a sweet vanilla, but the extract you bake with. With how woodsy it is, I understand the paper or old book comparisons. It actually kind of reminds me of Commodity’s Book. It’s an interesting concept for a reasonable enough price. On its own, it’s decent enough. I do think it needs something to make it more complex, so I like to layer it with KVD’s Sinner to create a much more intoxicating scent. But even on its own, it’s fine.

This is boozy and woody at first, then quickly develops patchouli spiciness. The dirty aspect is accurate, in that both the vetiver and patchouli have an earthy quality. However, the absence of a strong musk note prevents it from straying into "unwashed hippie" territory. After dry down, the vanilla comes out more and the woody notes become more specifically cedar. It definitely retains that spicy aspect of the patchouli, so I'd say one has to at least tolerate patchouli to enjoy this fragrance. The dirty/earthy aspect is well balanced, not overwhelming. Overall, I'd say this is predominantly a patchouli scent, sweetened by vanilla and given depth by cedar. For me, patchouli is a neutral note - neither a plus or minus in a fragrance. But because I love cedar and some woody vanillas, this is a win. As with most Heretic fragrances, it has subtle sillage and medium lasting power. Therefore I'd say this is work/close quarters appropriate for fall/winter.

This is one of Heretic's all-natural fragrances (some of them are partially synthetic), with some real vanilla, some vanillin (naturally derived but apparently not actual vanilla), and a variety of woodsy- and musky-type botanicals. My husband thought that it smelled "musky, like men's cologne." I think it's nice but am not as in love with it as I think that I might be if it didn't have the vanillin in it (which I think is responsible for the "cheap-box-cake vanilla note" that one of the other reviewers mentioned). Seven Virtues Vanilla Woods is less complex because it contains only vanilla and nothing else, but still, that is real vanilla rather than vanillin and I think that makes a difference to me. I still do like this one though, and would consider buying a full bottle if my husband liked it on me more because it feels kind of comforting to me.

This is a clove-smoking, stinky, festival-weary hippie who layers vanilla perfume oil with patchouli and musk. It's Sunday afternoon packout and the closest she's come to bathing this weekend is a few baby wipes in a hasty port-a-john wipe-down. I'm speaking from experience, here. There's a camphor-y medicinal quality to the patchouli like the leaf was plucked right off the stem and crushed in the hand. That's probably the cedar. It's the kind of vanilla smell you get in the botanical garden orchid room, where the humidity becomes too much and you're covered in a layer of sweat, overcome with the heady scent. The name is not a red herring. There is nothing airy, fluffy, or delicate about this vanilla; it's dirty honeysuckle nectar dripping down a sticky arm. I really like this on me and I plan on spraying it on my husband, too.

i definitely smell the woody notes with the vanilla. like someone else said- it kind of reminds me a bit of incense. it has that like earthy almost ‘dusty’ vibe to it. if that makes sense lol. it’s not at all like other vanilla scents. it’s sweet in a much different way. i don’t know how to explain it. but i swear there’s something else there that feels very familiar. i can’t put my finger on what it reminds me of. edit: okay okay i know what this smells like to me !!! on my skin it smells like og hubba bubba bubble tape gum !! i know that sounds ridiculous but i swear it does to me!! i wasn’t originally sure if i liked it but as it sat on my skin for a while (and i made the bubble gum connection lol), i think i like it now

I get this scene in my head when I wear it. I have been antique shopping all day, that, or visiting a cute old lady's house and she has put on a lovely morning tea. This smells like a 1908s vanilla slice. Creamy but not milky. Sweet, quite sweet. Sweet enough that you think you should eat/spray more but you know you'd end up feeling sick if you do. Naturally, you eat more. I wouldn't call it special but it is what it says.

When I sampled this on paper the patchouli was so strong to me, but on the skin it thankfully took a back seat and became a lovely little blend. On first application the cedar notes are nice and bright but the vanilla is a pretty sweet richness to balance from the wood notes being too sharp. Then the coriander chases it with a nice warm spiced scent. The longer it sits on my skin the more the vanilla comes out.

A spicy, earthy, woody vanilla, plain and simple. If you like your vanilla fragrances to be sweet, I don’t recommend blind buying this one. There’s definitely some sweetness, but I find it to be pretty spicy overall. Not my favorite vanilla but a unique one in my collection. I wear this when I want something a little different or not quite as sweet as my other vanilla perfumes.

I smelled this in store and it felt like deja vu but I couldn't quite put my finger on why it smelled familiar until it hit me: this smells like a weaker version of MFK Grand Soir. DV doesn't have nearly the sillage or staying power as GS (it literally disappeared in about 2 hours, but the scent DNA is quite similar, so chances are if you like one, you'd like the other.

Like many other reviewers, to me this vanilla is sweet but not sickeningly so; it's more balsamic than sweet. The balsamic quality of the vanilla is underscored by the other strong resin notes. It's a pretty straightfoward, spicy, resinous/woody, smokey vanilla. Because it's not to sweet, I think it could be worn by a woman or a man. Definitely has a holiday feel to it.

This is not bad at all, I get a nice woody fragrance with the vanilla in the background and then they switch places. The drydown reminds me of Musc Ravageur from Malle, though MR is far stronger, has more of an animalic (I guess?) kind of funk to it, and spiciness (cinnamon) that's on a completely another level. I like this one and the wafts I got while wearing it.

The patchouli vanilla heavy hitter I didn't know I needed. This vanilla is herbal and dank. My trial process: "ew, I don't like this....wait, yes I do. I like?" Sprays more and more until the decant is empty and is left still craving more. Makes me feel like the herbalist witch in the medieval village who's just one spell away from trial by fire.

smells exactly like what you expect: cedar vanilla. I’m excited to wear this in the fall or when i want to smell like i’ve been rotting amongst the trees. I do feel like it doesn't match the climate I live in though, if you live somewhere more green this would be a perfect scent

Such a balanced patchouli vetiver scent. The vanilla takes a back seat, and serves to round out the scent. This gives a vintage impression, but not a traditional or department store impression. It's exceptionally well blended and enticing! Wish it projected a bit better.

Definitely dirty (actual soil), woodsy (the cedar & sandalwood are nice but ghostly), vaguely smoky, patchouli vanilla. The vanilla wafts from the background, present but only just. I think I like it. Need to keep trying. Fall/Winter.

Such a lovely realistic vanilla fragrance, it makes me want to smell my wrist all day. Very mature feeling but yet still soft but warm?

Salty vanilla, the kind that's intensely salty, with almost no hint of sweetness.

We are officially concluding our journey with Imaginary Authors and diving straight into a new chapter with Heretic Parfums, beginning with one of their most popular offerings: Dirty Vanilla. Heretic is celebrated for its commitment to natural ingredients and for approaching classic notes with a provocative edge, suggesting this may not be your typical sweet, fluffy, bakery vanilla. The name itself immediately signals a transition away from standard gourmands and into a darker, woodier, and earthier aromatic experience. We are looking for something complex—a vanilla note dragged through the metaphorical soil of patchouli and spices. The critical question for this review is this: Does this composition successfully balance the comforting sweetness of vanilla with its "dirty" undertones to create a wearable, edgy masterpiece, or does the raw, natural base make it too challenging or muddy for widespread appeal? Let's get our hands "dirty" and find out. Opening: The opening is an immediate impression of woody, sweet, and earthy notes. The primary accords I perceive are cedar, vanilla, patchouli, and sandalwood, with the cedar and vanilla being the most prominent. Contrary to the name, the cedar leads the charge with a hefty dose of dry woodiness. It has that characteristic "lumber" smell that cedar notes often carry, but it's not too over-the-top. Coming in behind the cedar is the vanilla, which provides a gentle, creamy sweetness. The name would suggest vanilla should be the standout, but here it is subtle, almost ethereal, curiously floating in and out of existence. Next up are the patchouli and sandalwood. The patchouli manifests as an earthy, "dirty" accord, giving life to the other half of the fragrance's name—it is gentle but perceptible. Lastly, the sandalwood adds an additional layer of soft, powdery woods in the background. I am reminded a bit of my experience with Musc Ravageur in this opening, albeit nowhere near as powerful or overbearing. Dry Down: The dry down shifts to be sweet, woody, and powdery. The primary notes are now vanilla, patchouli, cedar, and sandalwood, with the vanilla and patchouli being what stand out the most. In this stage, the fragrance finally lives up to its name, with a boosted dose of vanilla. It is sweeter, creamier, and has clearly taken its spot at the forefront. A fair distance behind the vanilla is the patchouli, continuing that "dirty" accord from the opening, but to a lesser extent. This is followed by the cedar and sandalwood. Both notes work together to create a solid, woody base, with the cedar holding onto just a touch of the "lumber" accord, and the sandalwood continuing its powdery tones. The faint comparisons to Musc Ravageur are still there for me, but they are even less pronounced now in the dry down. Performance: Initial projection within the first hour is quite light, only reaching out about arm's length. Sillage is about the same, creating a scent trail somewhere between faint and noticeable. After about 3–4 hours, the projection was still hovering about arm's length, but the scent trail was only faintly perceptible at this point. The fragrance became a skin scent shortly afterwards. I will note a point of interest: although the projection and sillage were never particularly strong, this fragrance stuck to my skin for a lot longer than I imagined it would—at least 10–12 hours—giving me soft whiffs here and there as I moved around, suggesting it’s a scent mostly for the wearer. When to Wear: Dirty Vanilla is a cozy fall/winter fragrance that can be worn during the daytime or evening. Its light and airy nature makes it fairly versatile and able to be worn casually, for special occasions, formally, or even as an office fragrance, provided you don't mind its extremely subtle projection. Blind Buy: If you appreciate understated vanilla fragrances, this is probably a safe blind buy for you. Just do not go into it expecting a nuclear vanilla bomb, because you will be disappointed. Expect a subtle, personal cloud of fragrance. Final Verdict: My experience with Dirty Vanilla was both pleasant and confusing. The scent profile itself is perfectly accurate to its naming convention, beginning with woody "dirtiness" before beautifully transitioning into a vanilla-dominant dry down. It's a genuinely lovely, not overly-gourmand vanilla. However, my primary concern with this house—its use of famously plant-based, natural ingredients—proved to be its Achilles' heel in terms of performance. The fragrance was never strong, keeping to a "personal bubble" type of projection for only a few hours, even though the longevity on the skin was impressive. All things considered, it was an interesting and beautifully composed experience, and I'm curious to see what the rest of my Heretic samples will bring, but given the poor projection, this is not something I would purchase a full bottle of, especially at the asking price of $275.00. It’s an intimate work of art, but too fleeting to justify the high cost. Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 5/10 Sillage: 5/10 Versatility: High Mass Appeal: High Gender: Unisex Value: Overpriced

Good, woodsy, inoffensive. I bought the Smoke Box perfume samples and Dirty Vanilla was the most disappointing. Not because it smells bad at all, but because of how similar it smells to the Febreze Luxe Vanilla Suede air freshener, only smokier. If I had no prior knowledge of it, this probably would be ranked higher. Quite pretty, but not as unique or interesting as the others.

Has some nice moments. Sweet, yet rich, and vanilla and I do like a dark vanilla, but the combination of so many woods seems to amplify the patchouli in the base and I can't do strong patchouli. It is not a bad fragrance, but I didn't expect the patchouli to hit so hard, so its not for me. Also, I was disappointed in the longevity and feel the price is high for what it is

Strong patchouli note initially. The scent definitely reminds me of an antique store. The vanilla becomes more prominent over time. Not a bad fragrance, as it gets better when it warms to the skin. Just very strong at first. I prefer it to Dirty Violet though the two are nearly identical to me, with only the vanilla and violet being the difference.

this feels very vanilla bean pod as opposed to smooth white vanilla... it's grainy and earthy and crystalline. the patchouli adds a wonderful depth, and i get a little whiff of something like cola or clove too (maybe it's coriander?). a vanilla for the "not too sweet" crowd!

This smells like a new book on my skin, like that glue that book binders use or something like this :D which was the last thing I expected based on the notes and reviews. It's fun but ultimately not something I would wear

You have to love styrax to love this. The vanilla is strong but not yummy due to the styrax which gives it a bit of a salty scent. Not a good blind buy. Summary - interesting, strong, good sillage, long lasting.

It's not terrible but I really don't get any vanilla from this one and that's why I bought it. It's very woodsy which isn't bad but there's just something a little off about this one to me.

I really wanted to like “dirty vanilla” more because I am a huge vanilla lover! Unfortunately there is a sweetness in it that almost smells like stevia or some sort of alternative sweetener. It is extremely sweet and mixed with notes that almost remind me of incense. Unfortunately this sweet fragrance is not that one for me because I despise that stevia sort of scent. If you don’t mind that sort of note then give this one a try, but for me sadly it makes me nauseous. I much prefer Heretic’s newer perfume “coeur noir” and the vanilla note in it!

Subtle and weird. The hermetic seal from a freshly opened plastic tub of monkfruit/stevia sweetener with only the faintest whisper of tonka or vanilla. Not offensive but still challenging. Not dirty but also not pleasant. A disappointment.

I wanted to like this, and in some ways, I do. But there's a harshness to it that I wasn't expecting. The harshness fades after a while, but it's still there.

warm vanilla but under laundry clean jasmine & then tobacco. all of the notes were separate and emerged under layers as you smelled closer.

Perfectly fine for vanilla people, but it's much too sweet and vanilla and gourmand for my tastes. Kinda smells like a nice car freshener.

On my skin it’s mostly patchouli, dust and some little faint vanilla in the background

Patchouli heavy with a plastic note that comes out on my skin. Not for me.

UGH this is so vegetal it almost smells like onions from the coriander

Should be called “Dirty Attic From House Built in 1922.”

I grew up in a strictly Christian, 1990s household where witchcraft and "dark things" were demonized. No Harry Potter, no scary movies, and definitely no visiting the witchy hippie store in the mall, Green Goddess. Ever the dissident, dark things became my obsession. I saved up my allowance to buy and read Harry Potter under my sheets with a flashlight, repeatedly watched The Shining and the Exorcist before the age of six, convinced myself I was a forest witch, and damn it if I wasn't going to walk directly into Green Goddess as soon as I was old enough to go to the mall by myself. I got the chills the first time I walked in. Fake ivy hung from the ceiling, jewelry shaped like crescent moons hung from tree branches, and in the middle of it all was a massive display of oils, crystals, and incense. I gaped at the massive footlong sticks and longed for them. But, with only a couple of dollars, I settled for a small box of the tiny Nag Champa sticks and burned each one an inch at a time when my mom wasn't home. I loved them, but yearned for the huge ones. One day, I had more than a few dollars in my pocket and decided to splurge while my mom was out of town. I grabbed the patchouli one I'd been eyeing for months and watched as the clerk dropped it into a glittery paper bag. I stuck it in my burner as soon as I got home and lit it. After all that time, all of that build up, I learned that I hated it. It was sticky-sweet, deep and cloying in a way that gave even my teen self a headache. Dirty Vanilla captures that entire experience perfectly. When I read reviews, I had high hopes that patchouli meant the spicy and bright version I'd grown to love, rather than gooey and resinous, but as soon as it dried down all I got was drippy, sticky incense stick. No vanilla to be had, no spice, no smoke, no earth, just gross, cloying, headache inducing incense. So bummed about this one. My search for a spicy, earthy, non-gourmand vanilla continues.

Literally, what the name says. It's very "earthy" to say the least, if you're into sweet, gourmand, girly vanillas.... this is not it. Imagine spraying Kayali vanilla 28 in a grimy, dusty, water damaged attic. I get why some people love it though, its kind of dark and mysterious.