Welcome to ESScent — a weekly fragrance series, where we tantalize your senses with the latest scents and swoon-worthy launches. From floral fantasies to sultry musks, we’re here to guide you through the ever-evolving landscape of perfumery, ensuring you’re always one step ahead in the scent game. Get ready to embark on a fragrant journey that celebrates the beauty, power, and individuality of Black women through the art of scent.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there’s no one in the perfume industry who works harder than Mona Kattan. But not only does she work hard, she listens to her audience, (with the exception of bringing back the limited edition wedding scents), and comes even harder with each new release.
This time around, she’s making sure the ladies are vacation-ready with Kayali’s “Vacay in a Bottle” collection — taking you on a fragrant journey with four new mini fragrances, each inspired by a unique destination.
Each scent extremely unique than the rest, Marrakesh in a Bottle Orange Blossom captures the essence of Morocco with sensual and warm notes of bergamot, orange blossom, pink pepper, Turkish rose, neroli, and cedarwood. This fresh floral fragrance, crafted by Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas, evokes the bustling heart of Marrakesh with its tender floral notes and scintillating spices.
Capri in a Bottle Lemon Sugar, created by perfumer Alexis Grugeon, offers a bright and addictive escape to the sun-drenched Italian island of Capri. This fresh citrus fragrance features key notes of lemon, sugar, freesia, raspberry, vanilla, and musk, reflecting the island’s vibrant and sweet ambiance.
Maui in a Bottle Sweet Banana, also by Alexis Grugeon, is a sweet, solar fragrance that transports you to the lush mountains and dazzling beaches of Maui. With key notes of sweet banana, pear, coconut cream, jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla, this exotic juice radiates the sunny vibes of the Hawaiian paradise.
Lastly, Maldives in a Bottle Ylang Coco, crafted by Gabriela Chelariu, evokes the serene and refreshing atmosphere of the Maldives. This fresh solar fragrance combines notes of rosemary, wild lemon, starfruit, banana blossom, ylang-ylang, and coconut milk, creating an aromatic bouquet reminiscent of a dreamy island escape. Each fragrance in this collection is vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and made in France, allowing you to create your own scent mood or layer them together for a personalized experience.
Priced at $100 USD, you’re getting 4 unique fragrances for the price of one, which in my opinion is a steal with the quality of fragrances you’re getting and how each one of them is unique to various different occasions.
Why I love it: While Marrakesh in a Bottle personally wasn’t pleasant to my nose, my personal favorite, Maui in a Bottle dried down beautifully on my skin, and from the moment I spritz it on, the creamy sweetness of banana and coconut cream created an immediate sense of bliss. This fragrance captures the essence of a perfect tropical getaway, making me dream up my next vacation (seriously, I started looking up destinations online). Its long-lasting and intoxicating scent kept me feeling fresh and uplifted throughout the day, reminding me of sun-kissed beaches and lush landscapes. I also found that Maui in a Bottle‘s is versatile enough for any occasion, ensuring I’ll always have a touch of paradise wherever I go.
Perfect pairings: Kattan is a genius when it comes to layering scents, and described how she’s layering Vacay in a Bottle to create additional unique, delicious destinations.
She recommends layering Maui in a Bottle with Vanilla Rock Candy Sugar, to create a sweet and floral combination that’s very addictive. The tropical essence of sweet banana and coconut cream in Maui in a Bottle blends seamlessly with the sugary, vanilla-rich notes of Vanilla Rock Candy Sugar. This combination brings out the creamy and luscious facets of both fragrances, resulting in a delectable scent reminiscent of a tropical dessert, enhanced by the violet leaves and jasmine. Maldives in a Bottle on the other hand pairs beautifully with Utopia Vanilla Coco, evoking the feeling of sunshine and water in a bottle. The aquatic and serene notes of rosemary, wild lemon, and starfruit in Maldives in a Bottle are perfectly complemented by the creamy coconut milk and aromatic ylang-ylang. When layered with Utopia Vanilla Coco, which adds layers of coconut and vanilla, the combination becomes a dreamy escape to a sun-soaked beach with turquoise waters.
For those who love to smell edible, Capri in a Bottle and Vanilla 28 combined together create a sweeter, gourmand, and irresistible scent, very similar to a lemon cake. Capri in a Bottle’s bright lemon and sweet vanilla notes are enhanced by the rich and creamy vanilla notes in Vanilla 28. The addition of freesia, raspberry, and musk from Capri in a Bottle adds a fresh and fruity twist, making the blend delightful and mouth-watering, reminiscent of a delicious lemon dessert. And finally, Kattan recommends Marrakesh in a Bottle paired with Déjà Vu White Flower, which will result in a very floral, projecting, and extremely long-lasting fragrance. Marrakesh in a Bottle’s warm and spicy notes of orange blossom, pink pepper, and Turkish rose are balanced by the white floral bouquet of gardenia, jasmine, and tuberose in Déjà Vu White Flower. This combination softens the spice and enhances the floral aspects, creating an elegant and captivating scent that transports you to the heart of Marrakesh’s vibrant markets and floral gardens. Each of these layering combinations allows you to explore new scent dimensions, making your fragrance experience even more unique and personal.