If you want a peek into life as a beauty editor, just know it involves a steady stream of brands sending their latest launches in hopes we’ll fall in love and write about them. From lip glosses to LED masks, my studio apartment often looks like a Sephora teen’s dream. But with the constant influx of products, only the very best earn a permanent spot in my routine.
And when it comes to fragrance, I’ve allocated a four-shelf display in my bathroom that holds up to 20 bottles at a time. The latest scent to earn a spot atop my perfume shrine? Tom Ford’s Figue Érotique.
Tom Ford’s fragrance lineup boasts instantly recognizable, sultry scents like Tobacco Vanille and Lost Cherry, and I’d argue that Figue Érotique deserves a place in the brand’s scent hall of fame, too. I first fell in love with it while testing dozens of perfumes for our annual Holy Grail Beauty Awards, where we crown the very best beauty launches of the year. It ultimately came out on top as the best fruity perfume, and Cosmo editors love it for its unique take on a fig scent.
Ahead, my full review of Tom Ford’s Figue Érotique Eau de Parfum.
About Tom Ford Figue Érotique:
Scent Family: Fruity floral
Top Notes: Fig leaf, bergamot, pink pepper, mandarin
Heart Notes: Fig, ylang-ylang, salt
Base Notes: Brown sugar, licorice, patchouli, vetiver
Price: $405
My Tom Ford Figue Érotique Review
As I mentioned, Cosmo’s beauty team is inundated with packages of new launches every single day. Beauty director Lauren Balsamo, beauty editor Beth Gillette, and I all sit next to each other with desks that are constantly buried under mountains of products. At this point, we know one another’s fragrance preferences, skin types, and hair needs so well that whenever something arrives we think another editor would love, we immediately pass it along.
Beth was actually the first to receive Figue Érotique, and because she knows I love a light, fruity scent, she let me have a spritz. And lemme tell you, it was love at first sniff.
My aforementioned fragrance exhibit houses an array of scent families, but the common thread between almost all of them is that they’re fresh and juicy. I want to smell like I just stepped out of the shower after washing my hair with an expensive fruity shampoo and conditioner—like I naturally smell that good. And that’s exactly the vibe that the juice inside of this plum-colored bottle radiates.
The scent has a muted sexiness to it. It’s soft, but not overly powdery, with bright bergamot and mandarin balancing out the creamy fig and brown sugar notes. It’s the kind of fragrance that stays close to the skin, so only the people nearest to you get the full effect of its warm, slightly salty sweetness. I’d describe it as a more mature version of your favorite fruity gourmand: sweet enough to feel addictive like a sweet treat, but sophisticated enough with patchouli and vetiver so it never veers juvenile.
For summer, it’s fruity without veering overly sugary or dessert-like (I didn’t even notice the brown sugar scent). To me, one spritz brings me to the feeling of sipping a fruity cocktail while sprawled out in a crisp towel at a beach club somewhere along a foreign coast. But while fruity fragrances can often feel distinctly seasonal, fig isn’t too bright or juicy, which is why I’ve been wearing it since winter too, and I got compliments on the uplifting scent amid all the cold-weather dullness.
What Other Cosmo Editors Are Saying
“I haven't found a perfume I’ve loved as much as Tom Ford’s Figue Érotique in a long time. I’m always traveling with it, which is saying something (I almost exclusively bring my favorites so I know I’m not gonna smell rank the entire time I’m on a trip). This fig-based scent is unique thanks to the addition of juicy bergamot, but also universally yummy. The staying power is impressive too. One spritz on my pulse points easily lasts all day.” —BETH GILLETTE, BEAUTY EDITOR
Final Thoughts
At $405—which is the pricey standard for a Tom Ford eau de parfum—this is definitely an investment fragrance, but one worth splurging on. If you love soft scents that aren’t overly sweet, but still want something fruity, sexy, and sophisticated, Figue Érotique strikes that balance perfectly.
Why Trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmo who covers all things scent—from the latest note trends to new perfume launches. For this story, she tested dozens of fragrances for Cosmo’s Holy Grail Awards, spritzing and wearing Fig Erotique for months to test its longevity, notes, value, and more.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
