The Wedding Velvet Santal | 35 Kayali 2023

I've tested every perfume Kayali has offered since I've ventured into this magnificent journey that is perfume. When I heard they were releasing a limited edition set of two, I never hesitated and went straight for the samplers.

This one is as dark as its bottle suggests. It's also a bit on the heavier side (think Middle Eastern perfumes) and plenty sensual. The jasmine in here is a little less floral and offers more of a powdery accord that mingles well with the rest of the notes. Cedarwood, benzoin and sandalwood stand as the clear stars of this perfume (I never smelled the tea note to my dismay). Those three notes give off this woody, almost smoky aspect to the perfume which reminded me of Killian's Angel Share (that I have previously tested). I know that Mona's husband Hassan Elamin was the one who worked on this perfume and I think it fits him quite well: ebony dark, a refined man with a heavier musky scent. It's heavy, but has a little bit less of a sillage if I compare it to Santal. The perfume also layers itself quite well with its lighter couterpart, lending a heavier woody and musk accord that tempers the sparkling sweetness accord.

I think the marketing is spot on when referring to the fact that Mona and her husband Hassan worked on it specially for their special day. I don't necessarily think it's a fragrance for a wedding as I'd see people wearing it daily. Although it does lean more masculine, I think anyone can pull it off. The perfume is a bit more linear than its counterpart, but offers a nice depth to it nonetheless. I'm not a great fan of smoky, incense type of perfumes so it won't be making my collection, but I'm glad I got to test it out.

I rarely enjoy men's fragrances on myself and don't sample them often. This is not because I believe in rigid gender norms or anything like that, I just find the vast majority of them way too harsh for my personal style and taste. But I really like Kayali scents, so I was curious how they would do a men's fragrance.

I'm happy to report that this doesn't smell like your typical male-marketed cologne at all! It could very easily be issued as a unisex scent or even as a women's perfume. No sharp and scratchy aftershave vibes in sight, it's a very smooth scent that reminds me of the Mon Guerlain line and Guess Seductive Noir. Just a little more aromatic.

The sandalwood in this is milky, soft and slightly spiced. Thankfully it doesn't have that cucumber/pickle note that some other sandalwoods of recent years have. Due to the warm, buttery benzoin the sandalwood comes across as even milkier. This smells like some vanilla and tonka could be involved, too. And lavender! That's the reason why it reminds me of Mon Guerlain and Seductive Noir. I don't really get jasmine or tea here, but maybe it's a leafy, dry tea note that gives me the lavender-like effect.

This is not necessarily what I imagine a groom in a velvet tuxedo to smell like - for your own wedding, I feel your fragrance can be a little more attention-grabbing. This more of a cozy feelgood scent for colder days and casual evenings. Regardless of gender, I think it would come across more festive if it was stronger. But I still like it a lot the way it is!

Ohhh my lawd. I LOVE THIS!!! Right off the bat, yes, this def gives off Mon Guerlain & Guess Seductive Noir vibes. However, I also get a pretty prominent cacao/chocolatey undertone, almost kinda reminding me of Black Opium Extreme (it has that same type of chocolate) . This is simply delicious.

So imagine Mon Geurlain + cacao/chocolate + a sexy vanillic/tonka-y smooth sandalwood. That’s how this smells to me. It’s extremely sophisticated and classy smelling, and perhaps more cold weather or nighttime appropriate. It’s def unisex but as a woman, I am more than comfortable wearing this.

I sprayed this on paper and it was a beautiful, powdery, woody floral scent. Very soothing and a tad vanillic, which I'd attribute to the benzoin. Projection was lackluster, and it left a lot to be desired in terms of durability, since I tried detecting it on the strip later on and it was largely gone.

However, I sprayed this on my skin about five minutes after the paper test and it quite literally smelled like a soiled diaper. I was perplexed. How could it be such a pretty, calming scent on the strip and a disgusting stomach-turner on skin? It was almost like a magic trick!

Even though the next morning the base on my skin is a very pleasant musk/sandalwood combo, I've come to realize the scent is very much akin to an actual human infant: you smell its head and it's heavenly and soothing. Then you check the diaper and... well.

Definitely try — ON SKIN — before you buy.

If you have Mon Guerlain Intense, you don't *need* this one. But, the dry down is so tea-fresh and lovely that I think it's worth having both. I bought the mini, loved it, and bought the big bottle.

This is unisex, leaning feminine, to me. It's soft but depending on your chemistry can turn more woody (on my male bff vs on me). It does smell best layered with Wedding Silk, IMO. 8/10 frag in my collection.