This Vanilla Fragrance Had Strangers Asking Me What I’m Wearing

Updated:

28 Jul 2025

The beauty industry has been my passion and job for years. I was adopted from India and have now worked on advocating for inclusion in the beauty Industry as a Digital Creator. I enjoy nothing more than beating my face, soaking my skin in a delicious face mask and telling my Instagram followers all about it.

You don’t need to twist my arm when it comes to a gourmand fragrance. If I hear about notes of sugary, bakery, vanilla-ry aromas bottled, I am always listening.

Fragrances with vanilla have not always been on my radar.

I guess I often pre-judged, thinking a vanilla perfume could be leaning on the ‘predictable’ end of the scale. But, how could I be so wrong?

Cue: Kayali Vanilla 28. The vanilla to end all vanilla’s.

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Allow me to be all gushy for a moment. I had zero expectations as this was my first introduction to the brand, but it was love at first spritz.

I went from smelling like a boring human to a goddess of warmth, spice and seduction.

You know when you smell something so intoxicatingly delicious, you have to tell someone about it?

I spread the word about this Kayali perfume to everyone and anyone who would listen.

I felt empowered by this fragrance and not to be dramatic (but I can’t resist), it changed me.

Kayali Vanilla 28 Notes:

Head: Jasmine, Madagascan vanilla orchid.
Heart: Brazilian tonka.
Base: Musk, amber, patchouli, brown sugar.

My Kayali Vanilla 28 Review:

If you are like me, who reads the list of fragrance notes and quickly realises you don’t understand scent language, I’ve got you.

Vanilla 28 has personality, she’s intriguingly sultry, alluring, irresistible etc.

Kayali knows what the people want for their fragrance wardrobe, which is why this was part of the first launch and why it's one of the if not *the* best-selling Kayali perfume and has since gone viral.

This is THE staple scent; reliable, versatile, the core.

When I drench my body in this I feel restored, it’s “I needed this” captured in an Eau De Parfum.

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More importantly, it will have you smelling expensive. Think, rich brown sugar, backed by the warmth of woods and a dash of spiced vanilla that is as addictive as it sounds.

I think what makes a fragrance worth every penny is when you earn “you smell good” status.

Which is exactly what happens every time I douse myself in Kayali Vanilla 28.

Throwback: I’ll never forget the time I was at a cafe when I spotted a person distracted by the power of scent. I’m not nosy, but I could hear them eagerly asking the staff what room spray they use, to which they replied they hadn’t used anything at all.

The staff member and I had already exchanged the “what perfume are you wearing?” banter, so it was graciously appreciated yet expected when they directed said customer to little old me sitting at the front of the cafe.

I do not gatekeep, so I spilled every drop of knowledge I possessed onto this customer and directed them to none other, Kayali Vanilla 28.

This wasn’t my first rodeo, I had friends messaging me after catch ups for the exact fragrance I was lathered in, so they too could smell ridiculously good.