Is this THE perfect blend of vanilla & coconut??? [reviewing Utopia Vanilla Coco | 21 edp, by Kayali]

"A warm, luxurious, sensual, and truly irresistible fragrance"

Perfume house Kayali, founded by Huda Beauty launched Utopia Vanilla Coco| 21 during the covid lockdown. Mona Kattan (Huda's sister) wanted to make a sun-drenched, solar perfume that would transport you to your dream destination and "fill you with a euphoric sense of vacation", after the global lockdown prevented travel and everyone felt trapped.

That description instantly sold me on Utopia, when I read it when scrolling though Instagram during the covid lockdown, so I instantly ordered a bottle, without waiting until I could try it.

Did it transport me away to a magical land?

If you've read a few of my perfume reviews, then you know that I enjoy the scent of coconut milk, so I immediately knew that I'd enjoy Utopia, since it opens with a delicious coconut milk accord. I also love both honeysuckle and pear blossom, so the fact that the coconut milk is entwined with those notes is two thumbs up for me.

The lemon and vanilla notes are also pretty fast to develop, and the lemon is perfectly balanced with the vanilla, preventing it from being overly sweet & overwhelming the softer notes in Utopia. The honeysuckle is a lovely & delicatly creamy note, but it still manages to carry itself from the top to the heart without becoming lost. It gradually fades into the jasmine, gardenia and tuberose. I enjoy Kayali fragrances so much because if they highlight a key scent note, then I know that it will be clear and detectable in the juice.

The remaining coconut & vanilla combine with the white florals, as the mix is wrapped up with a musky sandalwood and gradually feels warmer. I can't often clearly detect the dirty spice in the warmth of the patchouli in the base and when I do, it is mainy during the colder autumn and winter months.

Official scent notes; honeysuckle, pear blossom, Italian lemon, coconut milk, jasmine Sambac, gardenia, tuberose, ambrette, sandalwood, patchouli heart, vanilla bourbon, and musks.

Utopia is inspired by the makers dream vacation, so must be best for spring and summer... right? Personally I don't find it to hold a specific seasonal appeal and think that it is a very pleasant all year round fragrance, as it has a nice balance of notes that appeal to me all year round, mixed with 'fun & playful' notes that I can't get enough of in warmer weather, and ones that are 'comforting & warming' to me in cold weather. I've had my bottle for a while now, so I've worn the fragrance in various seasons and have found that it really does adapt very well with the heat & my body chemistry. I've been pleasently surprised by just how ultra-wearable Utopia is.

I adore the actual fragrance, however the longevity & aura are a disappointment; Utopia is one of Kayali's more intense concentration perfume formulations, yet it doesn't wear or carry more then their layering edp formulations on me. On average I get 7/8 hours wear, which is pretty good. However it goes close to the skin quickly, which is a big letdown, as I love the scent and wanted a bigger aura. After being wowed by Déjà Vu, Sweet Diamond and Invite Only, I'm disappointed enough that I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to replacing my now-empty bottle of Utopia, even though I really enjoy it. 

In the UK you can buy 50ml & 100ml bottles of Utopia in Selfridges, from Boots (online only), Cult Beauty, and Feel Unique.