Kayali: More Than Just a Fragrance, It’s a Feeling
Mona Kattan’s name is synonymous with modern perfumery, thanks to her wildly popular fragrance brand, Kayali. You might recognize them as the creators of the viral pistachio perfume, or for redefining vanilla scents with their iconic Vanilla 28 and Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar 42. But Kayali is far more than just a few signature scents.
Kayali has redefined the very concept of perfume, elevating it beyond a simple accessory. It’s a way to complete your look, adding a special and intimate touch that truly defines the wearer.
Kattan envisions Kayali as a world of olfactory exploration, encouraging experimentation from the very beginning. She personally blends ingredients, tirelessly seeking the perfect aroma to capture her inspiration.
Kayali also champions the art of layering, inviting you to create a unique scent profile each day by combining different fragrances. Weather you choose to blend them or enjoy each aroma individually, Kayali fragrances offer presence and personality.
With the launch of her latest perfume,Fleur Majesty,Kattan shares her perspective on the Kayali phenomenon.
The Rise of Kayali: A Conversation with Mona Kattan
Kayali was founded in 2018 and has experienced significant growth in recent years. What do you attribute this success to?
“I’ve been obsessed with fragrances my entire life.I started exploring the idea of creating my own fragrance line back in 2010 or 2011, and I still have samples from that time. So, I’ve been working on fragrances for well over 15 years. I also started building my community on social media around that time, really focusing on it sence 2015 or 2016.
The development of Kayali officially began in January 2017. I’ve poured so much love and passion into it. It’s the culmination of years of hard work. as they say, overnight success takes 10 years, but in my case, it’s been 15! We’ve experimented endlessly, we’re relentless, and it’s our passion.
Even so, I think the timing is perfect for our success. When we launched in 2018, it took a while for the brand to gain traction. 2018 and 2019 were challenging. After Covid, I think people realized the power of fragrance and started discussing it in new and captivating ways, creating content. This content sparked interest in independent brands like ours.”
Kayali is known for its unique and daring scents, like Yum Pistachio Gelato and Boujee Marshmallow.Where do you find inspiration for these unconventional ideas?
“We like to create fragrances that are easy to understand,because the world of perfume can be overwhelming. As a consumer,I find it frustrating when I buy a fragrance and don’t know what it will smell like. I end up having to research it, and I still have no idea what’s inside the bottle. As a brand, we prioritize transparency, so people know what they like and what they don’t.
I prefer things to be very literal, direct, exact, and precise, as reflected in the names of my perfumes.
We use dessert names because what better way to evoke memories than sharing a dessert with loved ones? Birthdays, weddings, promotions, dates – these sweet moments shared with someone you love are the best in life, and we wanted to recreate that emotion through perfume.”
Sweet perfumes like yours are very popular right now. What does this trend mean to you, and why do you think they’re so fashionable?
“For me, it’s about happiness and cherished memories. I love cake and sweets, and my greatest joy is sharing something sweet with friends and family. I think that well-balanced sweet fragrances simply evoke a feeling of happiness. And for me, all fragrances are feelings, emotions, and moods in a bottle, so when you apply them, you feel something.
manny studies have shown that vanilla, my favorite note in perfumery, produces happiness. When you smell vanilla, you feel calm. That’s why I love creating perfumes with vanilla. I love making people happy.I believe that happiness isn’t a trend, but a discovery. and I don’t think it will ever disappear, because people always want to feel happy. I think gourmand perfumes are a new family that will continue to grow. Right now, floral is considered the largest fragrance family, but gourmand is quickly gaining ground.”
Each Kayali fragrance evokes a different emotion. What emotions do you hope to capture with Fleur Majesty?
“the emotion I want to evoke with Fleur Majesty is different from the one I get with Boujee Marshmallow. Fleur Majesty is more classic, romantic, and chic, while boujee Marshmallow is more cheerful, soft, feminine, and simply fun.
they are different emotions that I never want to stop feeling. That’s why I layer Fleur majesty with Boujee Marshmallow – it’s an irresistible, delicious, and more cheerful combination.
in short, I think people will realize that gourmand fragrances are actually super nice and fun, and they’re great to layer on top of a floral.”
