So, 2026 has been something of a banner year for fragrance launches. It’s almost becoming difficult to keep up with at this point. But you know me, I’ll try anything for science. And I have three brand spanking new perfumes that I am chomping at the bit to talk about. I have a launch from an all time favourite brand, a second release from a beauty brand, and a fragrance from a brand that is totally new to me. Let’s get into it!
KAYALI BOUJEE KITTY CARAMEL MILK – $55.00 for 10ml
NOTES –Top: Caramel, Salted Caramel, Milk, Coconut. Middle: White Chocolate, Cream, Vanilla Caviar, Marshmallow. Base: Caramel, Musk, Santal
All righty, let’s get the hot take out of the way early. I was there back in 2024 when Mona had Boujee Kitty as the Kayali April Fools ‘prank’. Only for this prank to become the rare ‘wait, maybe this should be a real product’. And much like when this happened to Tarte back in 2018, this is a situation where the idea is perhaps better in concept rather than execution. That isn’t say that Boujee Kitty is bad. But for me, it’s a little redundant. I have quite a few fragrances in my collection that smell alarmingly similar to this one upon it’s initial spritz (Setsuna’s Dancing In The Moonlight being the most obvious one I can name). But it’s the dry down where this one really loses me. It takes on this peculiar, sharp and sticky quality that really doesn’t jive with my skin chemistry. I also found that the wear on this is lacking in comparison to the other fragrances in the Boujee line. Usually it’s gone within 4-6 hours on me. Overall, it’s not bad. But it’s not a must buy. Especially if you’re a gourmand girly like me. You could probably dupe this more than a couple of times.
RARE BEAUTY RARE BEGINNINGS – $129.00 for 50ml
NOTES –Top: Pear, Pistachio. Middle: Gardenia, Jasmine, Lotus. Base: Sugar Vanilla Bean, Cedarwood
Rare Beauty’s first fragrance offering ended up quickly becoming a favourite around these parts (in fact, it was my third favourite fragrance of 2025). So, I did have some expectations on what Rare Beauty’s second fragrance offering, Rare Beginnings, would be. And y’all? This blew me away! Not to take another swing at Kayali, but Rare Beginnings is pretty much what I thought Eden Plush Pear was going to smell like. The combination of Pear and the White Florals is so well balanced. The Pistachio, while not super present, adds a subtle creaminess. With the Vanilla really tying it all together. This smell sweet, light, floaty, and feminine. Overall, another winner from Rare Beauty.
FRENCH COWBOY VANILLA FOR BREAKFAST – €90.00 for 100ml
NOTES – Almond Milk, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Benzoin
And now, we have the newbie of the group. French Cowboy is a French perfume house that specialises in bold, dynamic fragrances that has been blowing up on my socials for the last few months. In fact, I can blame my fragrance sister from another mister, Praise, for this purchase (if you’re not following Praise, you need to change that immediately). And now, I must do a call out. Praise, if you read this? Screw you for talking me into buying this perfume. I am a saintly woman. A married woman. I am not for the streets. So, why does this perfume have me acting up? The first time I spritzed this onto my skin, my jaw dropped at how good it was. I can honestly say in all of the years that I’ve been buying and wearing perfumes, specifically vanilla gourmands, that I have never come across a vanilla quite like this one. And it’s the Almond Milk note for me that makes it really stand out. It has such a creamy, decadent quality to it. But the Vanilla is always present. I’ve gotten so many compliments whenever I wear it. Like, customers stopping me and asking what I’m wearing. This might be too much for some. But for me, it’s perfection. And as it stands, this is now my fragrance of the year.
And that is a wrap on my fragrance stash. As always, please let me know in the comments which perfume has caught your eye. And also drop your must own fragrances as well.
Cheers and love
Emily xo