Kajal Yasmina, photo by Nicoleta
Kajal Yasmina is an under rated gem from the brand’s Wardé Collection (includes Jihan, Joorie, and Warde), all taking inspiration from the floral world, and reinterpreting them into blends that not only capture the essence of their blooms but also have the opulent and complex structure, characteristic of the brand.
Official brand photos, collage by Nicoleta
As with many perfumes from the Kajal line, it all started with a memory: “My childhood memories of jasmine are strongly linked to my grandmother – calling out to me to run into the gardens at the break of dawn to pick figs from the tree in our farmhouse. I remember running to the tree through weeds of chamomile, thistles, and dandelions. I would climb the first branches to get to the softer, juicier figs at the top, and I would take care not to get some of the white sap on the stem of the fruit onto my skin. But the most important part came next –after filling the bowl with enough fruit, it was imperative that I run to the jasmine tree and carefully pick the delicate flowers. I’d fill the bowl with jasmine so that the figs barely showed. The scent would fill my nose, and I remember even sucking on the base of the cut flowers to get a very mild sweetness from the nectar.” – Moe Khalaf (Founder & Kajal Creative Officer).The one who turned the memory into reality was perfumer Valérie Garnuch-Mentzel of Givaudan.
Valérie Garnuch-Mentzel, courtesy of Kajal Perfumes
Valérie Garnuch-Mentzel composes her creations in a way I very much resonate with – there is a French effortless elegance that makes her scents luminous and chic –although her attraction to the darker spectrum of raw materials is evident. Also, woven in the fabric of the scent, we find the the spirit of German rigueur, symmetry, and an architectural balance in the technical aspects of the scent, and the way they perform. And although opulent, the natural elements in her creations shine, effervescent, conveying the feeling of wide open spaces.
The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra Lawrence Alma-Tadema 1885 common use
Kajal Yasmina is a dark and rich fragrance that announces your presence in the most grand way. Immediately my mind went to the story about Cleopatra’s ship, there, where it was said she perfumed her boat’s sails with jasmine, on her way to meet Marc Anthony. Talk about sillage and making a head turning entrance!
“Purple the sails, and so perfumed that
The winds were lovesick with them; the oars were silver,
Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water which they beat to follow faster,
As amorous of their strokes.” William Shakespeare Antony and Cleopatra, Act II, Scene II
AI generated image by Nicoleta ©
In the first hour, the scent is an extroverted and opulent floral bouquet that blooms, with scarlet rose petals opening to an explosion of dry spices, with saffron and cardamom weaving a commanding aura with hefty projection. The beautiful interplay between the seemingly delicate jasmine and the bold spices that crown its presence now turns to another path, with the leather notes playing beautifully with the animalic facets of jasmine.
An unexpected booziness from the golden warmth of whiskey and an earthy powdery mood brought on by the iris take the fragrance to a new realm, on a more inward, introspective path. Patchouli comes into play, together with tonka beans, giving it a milky and creamy softness that veers towards an exotic, smoky gourmand. In the base note, there’s a radiant embrace of amber, casting its golden, resinous warmth for hours on end.
Elizabeth Taylor and Mark Anthony in Cleopatra 1963
Yasmina is a complex perfume that is hard to place into one category and assign a clear label to – although the name, presentation, and opening would lead you to think it’s an ambery floral, its spicy strong character is prevalent throughout its evolution. Striking a perfect balance between natural softness and exotic depth, with boozy whiskey, smooth leathery facets, and smoky hypnotic sweetness, this fragrance manages to be both intimate and atmospheric and an excellent unisex choice for the autumn days to come.
Top notes are Cardamom, Saffron and Rose; Middle notes are Jasmine, Leather, Whiskey and Orris; Base notes are Tonka Bean, Patchouli and Vanilla.
Disclosure: Bottle provided by the brand, opinions are my own.
Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor
Kajal Yasmina photo by NicoletY
Thanks to the generosity of Kajal Perfumes we have a 100 ml bottle of Yasmina for one registered reader in the EU and USA. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review of Kajal Yasmina and where you live. Draw closes 9/15/2023
Enjoy our reviews of Joorie, Dahab, Jihan, Almaz
Please watch Steven’s video 3 you should be wearing Kajal Homme II, Kajal Dahab and Kajal Lamar.
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