KAYALI
FREEDOM MUSK SANTAL | 34

2025

bergamot
pink pepper
mandarin

sweet freesia
lily
lavender

candied amber
musk santal
vetiver
amber
kayali signature accord

Part of a Freedom collection: Musk Santal | 34, Musk Latte | 41, Musk Matcha | 45 & Musk Bouquet | 27.

‘A velvety, sensual, and confident fragrance that evokes authenticity as power—an olfactive celebration of self-love and the freedom to be entirely yourself. This warm and sheer perfume opens with a luminous spark of bergamot, mandarin, and pink pepper, before unfolding into a delicate cloud of white florals and aromatic frankincense. Grounded in creamy sandalwood, warm vanilla, and ambery musk, it creates a comforting yet seductive signature that is deeply yours. FREEDOM MUSK SANTAL | 34 comes in a matte bottle that reflects the sensual nature of the fragrance within. KAYALI’s signature diamond-shaped bottles and opulent jeweled caps are inspired by traditional Middle Eastern oud bottles. The number 34 indicates the rounds of formulations it took to achieve the perfect juice.’ – Sephora

‘This fragrance is effortlessly elegant, velvety, sensual, and so easy to wear. With hints of soft florals, warm amber, and creamy musk, it carries a gentle sophistication that feels perfect for any time of the day, a timeless scent you’ll always want to return to. The inspiration behind this collection is deeply personal for me. It’s about embracing freedom in your own skin and celebrating who you are, fully and authentically. I want everyone to feel empowered to celebrate themselves, free from others’ expectations or pressures. These fragrances are for anyone who wants to honor their individuality and revel in the beauty of being unapologetically themselves. While embracing this freedom can be daunting, nothing is more fulfilling.’ – Mona Kattan

Musk Santal is the one that I would say I’m more so disappointed about, than anything else. There’s elements here that I prefer over Musk Matcha and probably also Musk Bouquet, but it falls apart.

First things first: Everyone and their relatives are comparing this to Parfums de Marly Valaya. And yes, I think it’s safe to say that it takes (deliberate) cues from that fragrance, but they are also definitely not identical. It’s not as clear to me as the previous release Chocolate Oud, which is a blatant copy of Kilian Angels’ Share, but it does reveal a lack of originality by the band.

Valaya is significantly more aldehydic, soapy, clean and a bit more out of left field for a popular release, whereas Musk Santal is way sweeter. In that sense more akin to Valaya Exclusif.

I really enjoy the opening of Musk Santal. The citrus shines; mandarin and a sweetness that combines into an almost boozy feeling. It’s almost like mixing Valaya with Casamorati Lira.

Fast-forward to hour 2-3 of the wear and something went wrong along the way. It goes… off/bad on my skin. The sweetness and fruitiness combine into something that some others have refered to as a hidden strawberry accord. And I do agree that it has a bit of the same vibe as the (many bad strawberry and/or banana) gourmands of 2025. It almost comes across skanky.

Frankly, if you’re going to compare it to Valaya, it smells like a cheap dupe for it that misses the mark on its essence.