Our Beauty Lead asked Kayali what its top-selling summer perfumes are – and she tried all five over the space of a week. Zoe Cripps, head of beauty, fashion and shopping, tested five best-selling Kayali scents, with a clear winner emerging.
Zoe confesses to being a fragrance addict. While she is mostly partial to warm and woody scents, she does not confine herself only to vanilla and sandalwood. As summer approaches, she finds herself veering towards fragrances with more tropical, fresh notes. The brand she turns to most for summery scents is Kayali.
Founded by beauty mogul Mona Kattan – sister of Huda Kattan, founder of Huda Beauty – Kayali launched in 2018 and has been producing incredible perfumes ever since. With top-shopped scents ranging from the debut Elixir | 11 to the latest Eden Plush Pear, the brand guarantees something suitable for every fragrance taste.
Zoe asked the Kayali team to reveal their top summer perfumes, both new and old, so she could test five of them over the course of a working week. Her aim was to see how many compliments she could get from colleagues and strangers, in a bid to find the definitive scent winner for summer – one that could become her signature perfume.
Kayali Eden Sweet Peach | 35
This is very much a juicy, fruity summer perfume, opening with a burst of peach nectar and blood orange before softening into warmer vanilla, jasmine and musk notes on the skin. It is sweet, playful and slightly cocktail-like at first, but settles into something creamier and more wearable after an hour or so. Zoe would not describe it as subtle, but if you love bright holiday fragrances which get compliments, it is hard not to enjoy.
Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar | 42
This smells exactly like the name suggests: sweet, sugary, but not cheap. The opening is candied pear, marshmallow and bubblegum-like vanilla, but once it settles, warmer tonka and patchouli notes stop it from veering too synthetic. It is definitely one for people who love gourmand fragrances – a dessert-shop smell rather than a clean 'your skin but better' one – but Zoe can absolutely see why it has become so popular. One spray lingered on her clothes until the next day.
Kayali Maui in a Bottle | 37
This is sunshine in a bottle, and it is the winning scent that got Zoe compliments all day from four people. The banana note hits first, with its creamy, sweet, and very tropical twist, but it is balanced with vanilla and coconut, so it smells more like expensive suncream on holiday than an actual banana. There is definitely a playful side to it, and it will not be for anyone who prefers fresh or minimalist fragrances, but for summer, it is perfect.
Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81
It is definitely a sugary-girl perfume, but in a far more expensive-smelling way than the name initially suggests. Marshmallow is the star here – fluffy, creamy and almost toasted – while hints of strawberry, vanilla and soft musk stop it from feeling sickly. It is very sweet, so anyone who dislikes gourmand fragrances probably will not enjoy it, but if you want a perfume which smells warm and slightly addictive, this absolutely delivers.
Kayali Yum Pistachio Gelato | 33
A strong second contender for reeling in the most compliments, with two people asking for the name of the scent, is this unexpected one. The pistachio note gives it a creamy, salted-gelato feel, while whipped cream, vanilla and fluffy marshmallow make it smell almost edible. Zoe really likes the slight freshness underneath, which stops it from feeling too heavy. If you usually avoid gourmand perfumes, this one wears surprisingly softly on the skin.
For those shopping around for other summer scents, Marc Jacobs Perfect Eau de Toilette Spray (50ml) has been reduced to £60.75 from £81 at The Perfume Shop. It combines notes of pink peppercorn, polygonum and white daffodils for a crisp, floral opening, with cedarwood adding depth for a soft, warm and subtly woody finish ideal for everyday wear.
