A 101 GUIDE TO KAYALI
Discover the world of KAYALI, featuring playful layering, modern gourmands, and mood-inspired scents. From much-loved vanillas to fruity favourites, consider this your invitation to explore the KAYALI fragrance wardrobe and create a combination that’s entirely your own.
About KAYALI
Founded in 2018 by beauty entrepreneur and fragrance enthusiast Mona Kattan, KAYALI draws inspiration from her Middle Eastern heritage and the ritual of layering perfume.
Translating to ‘my imagination’ in Arabic, KAYALI encourages you to explore fragrance on your own terms. Wear one scent solo, combine several to create something unique or switch up your fragrance wardrobe to suit the mood. Created with renowned perfumers, fine ingredients and plenty of patience, each fragrance tells its own story — right down to the number on the bottle.
Meet KAYALI Founder Mona Kattan
“I consider fragrances as bookmarks to my life because scent has this incredible ability to transport you to different places and time.” — Mona Kattan
For Mona Kattan, fragrance is far more than a finishing touch. After earning a degree in finance and beginning her career in investment banking, the Arab American entrepreneur went on to launch a business consultancy, co-found a beauty salon and help build Huda Beauty alongside her sisters, Huda and Alya.
In 2018, she channelled her lifelong love of perfume into KAYALI. Today, Mona shares her fragrance knowledge with a global community of more than six million followers, inviting scent enthusiasts to experiment, layer and find the formulas that feel unmistakably their own.
What Do the Numbers on KAYALI Perfumes Mean?
Spotted the number beside every KAYALI fragrance name? It is not a launch date or the order in which the scent joined the line-up. Instead, it reveals how many formula iterations it took to reach the final result.
Vanilla | 28, for example, was the 28th version of the fragrance, while Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81 took 81 rounds to get just right. Consider each number a small insight into the creative process — and proof that KAYALI is prepared to play the long game when crafting its perfumes.
Want to brush up on the terminology behind the top, heart and base notes? Our 101 fragrance guide makes sense of the scent speak.
On the Creative Process
KAYALI works with some of the world’s most renowned perfumers to create memorable scents. Inspired by emotions, experiences and Mona’s own fragrance memories, each formula is designed to tell a story while leaving room for the wearer to make it their own.
The attention to detail continues with the jewelled bottles. Taking cues from traditional Middle Eastern oud vessels, each one feels as luxurious on a dressing table as the fragrance does on skin. The result? Perfumes that unite heritage, modernity and true craftsmanship.
Why KAYALI Is Made for Layering
Layering is not an afterthought in the KAYALI universe; it is part of the brand’s DNA. Rooted in the Middle Eastern tradition of combining scents, the ritual allows you to adjust the depth, sweetness or freshness of a fragrance and create a blend that is unique to you.
New to fragrance layering? Begin with the richer scent, such as oud, amber or vanilla, then spritz a lighter citrus or floral fragrance over the top. Deeper notes form the foundation, while brighter ones add a fresh final flourish. For more pairing inspiration, explore our complete guide to layering fragrances.
You can also experiment with where you apply each fragrance. Spritz onto pulse points — including the wrists, nape of the neck and behind the ears — or mist your clothes for a more noticeable scent trail. Applying fragrance after a body balm or lotion can help it linger for longer too. Discover more formulas with staying power in our round-up of the best long-lasting fragrances, featuring several KAYALI favourites.
Still finding your fragrance feet? The KAYALI Discovery Layering Set lets you experiment with different combinations before committing to a full-size bottle. You can also explore more fragrance sets from across our line-up.
£25.00
Building Your KAYALI Fragrance Wardrobe
There is no single route into the KAYALI fragrance universe. If warm gourmands call your name, the KAYALI Vanilla | 28 Eau de Parfum blends rich vanilla with brown sugar, tonka bean and musk. Wear it alone or use it as a comforting foundation for your own layered creation. For something richer, discover the KAYALI Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli | 64 Eau de Parfum Intense. Described by Mona as Vanilla | 28’s more intense big sister, it unites vanilla, golden rum and jasmine with sugared patchouli, brown sugar and musk. Find more inspiration in our guide to the best vanilla perfumes or browse our full line-up of vanilla fragrances.
Craving something fruity? Eden Juicy Apple | 01 offers a bright introduction to the Eden scents. For a more indulgent gourmand, Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81 pairs pink marshmallow and strawberry with coconut, whipped vanilla and pink musk. Hungry for more? Our guide to the best gourmand fragrances and line-up of sweet fragrances serve up plenty of inspiration.
£110.00
£79.00
£110.00
£110.00
Travel sizes and fragrance sets make it easy to explore different scent families before welcoming a full-size bottle into your fragrance wardrobe. The difficult part? Choosing where to begin.
One fragrance, two or three? With KAYALI, more really can be more. The only rule is to follow your imagination.
Rina is Cult Beauty’s SEO Content Strategist and Beauty Expert and has always had a passion for beauty and skin care (rich moisturisers are her obsession). What started as a love for The Body Shop and their famed Born Lippy lip balms (in ‘Watermelon’ of course!), she is now more interested in finding products with proven effectiveness instead of broken promises. A loud and proud VIEVE fan, Rina owns nearly every item of the range and recommends the brand to anyone who will listen... When she’s not intently reading ingredient lists, you can find her either immersed in multiple true crime podcasts or a fantasy romance novel, with an *extra* hot cappuccino in hand.
