Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla (Margaux Le Paih-Guérin) 2026 + Va Va Voom Giveaway

Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla

 Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla image courtesy of the brand

The velvet curtain rises. The lights dim. On the screen, a new adventure is about to begin. Flickering somewhere between twilight and midnight, in that delicious liminal hour when the respectable gents loosen their ties and the good girls think of slipping into something a little bit more… dangerous, there is a whisper of some new girl in town. And good thing I am sitting down, because each time I enter Sarah Baker’s cinematic universe, the ground has this tendency of falling off from under my feet…

If Velvet Vendetta was the gun-slinging outlaw dancing only to the beat of her drum through the Nevada desert, then Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla is her younger, yet slightly more well-traveled sister. She has left behind her country life and traded the dusty saloons for velvet booths, the straight bourbon for espresso martinis, and nonchalantly watching high-noon showdowns for being the one having all eyes on her. She slides her way through the low-lit intrigue of Manhattan’s after-hours jazz clubs, where danger comes in less rugged forms, and temptation comes in broad daylight. There’s no need for sheep’s clothing here, she’s a smokin’ wolf in a tailored silhouette, she knows the moon is always on her side, and she isn’t the one howling. The camera pans over to her, her hips swaying in perfect harmony to the jazz tune that has just started. She slips off her fur coat with slow, practiced gestures, revealing the stunning beige dress that hugs her in all the right places. She takes a seat at the bar, and her perfectly rouged pout smirks defiantly when the bartender asks if she wants a coffee. “Oh, no, please, you are such a bore, I want something more… va-va-voom?” The bartender wipes the counter with a knowing look, leans in, “Got you, babe” and starts to prepare the drink. She smiles, a flash of white teeth touching the cocktail glass, as she sighs: “Oh, just perfect, Va-va-vanilla.”

Margaux Le Paih-Guérin & Sarah Baker

 Margaux Le Paih-Guérin and Sarah Baker in NYC, photo via the brand

Once again, Flair Paris perfumer Margaux Le Paih-Guérin teams up with Sarah Baker, and they know what we’re craving, so they serve it to us, in full technicolor, in a perfume full of texture, contrast, and that ineffable something that keeps you coming back for another shot. Va-Va-Vanilla opens up with a gloriously picture-perfect Espresso Martini, extra shot of caffeine, please – and, oh boy, she certainly did not skimp on the foam.

Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla

Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla, image via the brand 

After the first spritz, I am left feeling properly caffeinated, dangerously confident, and oh-so chic. There’s the jolt of dark roasted coffee, bitter and awakening, immediately softened by the creamy Kahlua, that adds all its decadent, buttery, roasted chestnut goodness, melting into a pool of dark vanilla sweetness. It feels like my olfactive camera lens has finally found its focus, and the blur of the night can finally sharpen into a high-definition close-up. But just as I have figured out the gourmand plot, the scene changes. The adrenalized and caffeinated frothy deliciousness gives way to something even more subversive.

Cut to: the jazz trio in the corner strikes up something slow and smoky. Someone’s ordered Manhattans all around, and the air grows thick with the scent of sweet vermouth and whiskey-soaked cherries. The black cherries bob in the glass in little tornadoes, their maraschino sweetness dusted with warming cinnamon that prickles at the edges, adding a spicy bite that makes everything even more mouthwatering. A gorgeous saffron note emerges, all golden, wrapped in vanilla, honeyed and sweet. There’s a boozy warmth here that’s utterly addictive, with the woody dark smoke and velvety woods pulsing softly beneath the sweetness, grounding it, deepening it, pulling the whole composition closer to the body.

Va Va Vanilla Sarah Baker

Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla, image via the brand 

And we meet again with the oh-not-so-innocent vanilla. The forbidden vanilla is back, and it’s the kind that’s been aged properly, kissed by smoke, inebriated with all the good liquors, and put in her place by hands that know exactly what they’re doing. It’s creamy, round, and voluptuous, yes, but there’s a dark undercurrent running through it: some woody smoke, a few fangs-bared growls, a soft whisper of leather against warm skin, the grounding sensuality of sandalwood and silky woods that make everything feel touchable.

If Velvet Vendetta is an action-adventure-spaghetti-western, all dust and danger and sexy redemption, then Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla is film noir meets romantic drama, with a little bit of X-rated fun thrown in for good measure.

Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla

image via the brand 

“Let us leave beautiful women to men with no imagination,” said Marcel Proust. Ahem, our Va Va Vanilla, however, begs to differ. She is all that and more – call her too much, too pretty, too intense, and bursting at the seams, she will not care. A slow-burning vanilla that turns to flame, nutty and creamy, leathery and sexy, spicy and boozy, complex without being difficult, seductive without being obvious, and utterly, completely, devastatingly be-au-ti-ful. With a cherry on top.

Warning: May cause sudden urges to order espresso martinis at absurdly inappropriate hours, speak in double entendres in teams meetings.

Top: Espresso Martini, Cinnamon, Black cherry; Heart:Saffron, Coffee, Crushed nuts, Rum, Manhattan cocktail; Base: Forbidden vanilla, Guaiac wood, Leather, Hot skin, Sandalwood, Silky woods

Disclosure: A 15 ml bottle was offered by the brand; opinions are always my own.

Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor

Va Va Vanilla by Sarah Baker

AI collage by Nicoleta with the 15ml bottle of Va Va Vanilla

 Thanks to the generosity of Sarah Baker we have a 15 ml bottle of Va Va Vanilla for one registered reader from the US, EU & UK. 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 and where you live. Draw closes

Also, check out the reviews for  Velvet Vendetta Pastel Rumors, Peach’s Revenge. Read the entire interview with Margaux Le Paih-Guérin in our ÇaFleureBon Young Perfumer Series here; Margaux is Michelyn’s perfumer of 2025

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial@nicoleta.tomsa @houseofsarahbaker @margaux.lepaih.guerin

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36 comments

  • Brad Woolslayer says:

    I’ve never tried an expresso martini before, but it sounds like a fun drink to try on a cold Friday night. Notes of black cherry, rum, and nuts add to the excitement of this new fragrance. I live in Maryand USA.

  • Vladimir says:

    Vanilla for the win ! This house certainly knows how to do vanilla in a way like no other house can. Kudos to them and to Nicoleta for the wonderful review. And for the draw of course
    Based in the EU

  • RH says:

    Is it hot in here???

    Lordy, I’m worried if I state what sparked my interest I’ll be censored. I’d love to win a bottle, but also worry it might make me feral. Will have to save it for nights when subtlety is not required.

    I’m in the US.

  • inascent says:

    You had me at film noir and espresso martini! Oh my goodness. Also, I will smell every coffee fragrance I can get my hands on. Margaux can do no wrong. I’m in the U.S.

    P.S. “ She’s a smokin’ wolf in a tailored silhouette”. D*mn.

  • RaePerfumeSoul says:

    I have been looking for a dark vanilla perfume. The review is also written in a very interesting way that can only be described as ‘va-va-voom’ :=)

    I will be interested to also see a sister perfume to this which is the wild country wolf that also howls.

    In UK.

  • Danniel says:

    A boozy smoked vanilla would be a delight on its own. All of that adding spice is nice and coffee is great and nuts are wonderful. I feel like we’re on the verge of peak vanilla and I’m wondering what’s next after the inevitable vanilla fatigue that’s sure to come sets in but I still love vanilla so I’m here for it. I’m in the USA.

  • Jeremi says:

    The cinematic, film-noir vibe blended with boozy espresso martini notes and smoky vanilla sounds irresistibly seductive and addictive. I live in Poland, EU.

  • Bradley says:

    If Sarah Baker can do a peach fragrance as beautifully as she did with Peach’s Revenge, I’m sure vanilla will be no different. I love the added facets of smoke, leather and cherry to spice things up a bit too. Hello from Brooklyn NYC!

  • Steven A says:

    My interest is sparked by the cinnamon not and the expresso martini note to go along with the vanilla. US

  • Ensorceler says:

    What draws me in most is the way Nicoleta frames Va Va Vanilla as cinema rather than just scent, a sensory film noir that unfolds scene by scene. Her description of that transition from the espresso martini opening to the smoky jazz-club heart paints the perfume as an experience caught between elegance and danger, which perfectly suits Sarah Baker’s aesthetic. The idea of a “forbidden vanilla”; aged, boozy, and leather-kissed, adds this delicious tension between comfort and seduction that I find irresistible, like watching sophistication lose its composure, one spritz at a time.

    – USA –

  • acg233 says:

    Okay, I’m LIVING for the espresso martini notes and the shoutout to Kahlua. My rescue pup’s name is Kahlua and espresso martinis were our wedding cocktail so this perfume is right down my alley. I absolutely love a vanilla and this one sounds so unique and different! USA

  • jennapark says:

    I desperately want to try this fragrance. I’ve been hearing about Va Va Vanilla for a few weeks. I am so excited for this. I really like the authors description a slow burning vanilla that turns into a flame. That sentence heightens my excitement and makes me want try it even more. I like that Sarah Baker’s vanillas have some interest. An expresso martini with sweet vanilla sounds sexy and interesting. I have Velvet Vendetta and I enjoy its dark unique flair. I know this will be a masterpiece. The reviews are very promising. I’m in USA Pennsylvania

  • elainelovesperfume says:

    When I saw this article I knew I had to comment. I am a fan of Sarah Baker fragrances. I really enjoyed Velvet Vendetta it is a unique vanilla. This sounds intoxicating with the expresso martini and vanilla. A boozy coffee with sweetness from the vanilla is a fragrance that I would love to try. I enjoy a vanilla note but it needs to have some depth dare I say a little darkness. I am very excited for this release and would love the opportunity to try it. I live in USA.

  • Brandy says:

    This sounds so interesting and unique. dark vanilla,creamy Kahlua,black cherries gorgeous saffron note emerges, all golden, wrapped in vanilla, honeyed and sweet boozy warmth here that’s utterly addictive.
    Usa

  • AleksCipri says:

    The notes sounds amazing. I thin the mention of the jazz trio playing in the corner and this sentence “Va Va Vanilla is film noir meets romantic drama, with a little bit of X-rated fun thrown in for good measure” is what sealed the deal for me. I must try this one out. Although knowing majority of older Sarah Baker releases, I have no doubt I will like this one as well. Her style really fits with my taste. Cheers from Illinois, US.

  • bustednose says:

    I have yet to smell a Sarah Baker fragrance that hasn’t moved me. Can’t wait to try this one! I’m in the USA

  • lkali says:

    I would love to try this fragrance! What sparks my interest based on the review is the complexity of the scent regarding the vanilla and liquor notes. I’ve been searching for a vanilla evening fragrance and haven’t found one yet. This sounds intriguing and I’d love to try it in hopes of finding my go-to evening fragrance. I especially enjoyed the imagery in the review. I live in Colorado, USA.

  • wonderscent.mari says:

    A very VA VA Voom sensational film noir description that captivates me, make me being transported into the seductive heart of this vanilla. I’m particularly intrigued by the multifaceted evolution of this vanilla fragrance. This particular sentences got my attention :” A slow-burning vanilla that turns to flame, nutty and creamy, leathery and sexy, spicy and boozy, complex without being difficult, seductive without being obvious, and utterly, completely, devastatingly be-au-ti-ful. With a cherry on top.”
    Also I have never tried Espresso Martini and Manhattan coctail, so it’s sounds to me quite interesting the interplay of these boozy facets with the sweetness of Vanilla.
    Really excited to try this scent. Sounds incredible unique, irresistible and sexy!
    Warm thanks to Sarah Baker, Cafleurebon and Nicoleta Tomsa for this giveaway.
    From EU

  • psebi101 says:

    I am not the biggest fan of vanilla, because most of them are too sweet. But your description on this one looks like it’s of a different kind: smokey, boozy, spicy, leathery….and the creamy coffee at the start should be a nice introduction. A vanilla that I actually made me curious.
    Thanks, I am in the EU.

  • kellyatwood says:

    This was such a fun description of this fragrance! Completely transported me to an an underground club in Manhattan, me in a fur coat, smelling like this delicious fragrance, sipping on an espresso martini. Love it! Curious to get my nose on this!

  • opalbear says:

    These notes??! Sarah and Margaux found a way to make a unique vanilla even though there are so many vanillas out there. I can’t think of any using espresso martinis or a manhattan. And of course cherry, rum, nuts, saffron all sounds divine. I’m sure this is wonderful! Sultry and addictive. I’d love to try it. I am located in the U.S. thank you for the generous give away.

  • Nuvare Aenra says:

    I like that Nicoleta’s review doesn’t just describe a fragrance, it drops you into a full-blown film noir. The character arc from Velvet Vendetta’s desert outlaw to Va Va Vanilla’s Manhattan sophisticate is brilliantly drawn. What sparks my interest most is the promise of that intoxicating transformation she describes: the “adrenalized frothy deliciousness” of the espresso martini opening giving way to something “even more subversive.” The idea of a vanilla “kissed by smoke, inebriated with all the good liquors” and grounded by “a soft whisper of leather against warm skin” is the exact kind of complex, grown-up gourmand I crave. It sounds like a scent with a plot twist, and I absolutely need to experience its narrative on my skin. The warning about causing urges to order espresso martinis at inappropriate hours is just the final, delightful sell. I am in the EU.

  • Amaziz89 says:

    Warning: May cause sudden urges to order espresso martinis at absurdly inappropriate hours, speak in double entendres in teams meetings.

    Top: Espresso Martini, Cinnamon, Black cherry; Heart:Saffron, Coffee, Crushed nuts, Rum, Manhattan cocktail; Base: Forbidden vanilla, Guaiac wood, Leather, Hot skin, Sandalwood, Silky woods. A beautiful description really intrigued by Espresso Martini, Cinnamon, Coffee, Rum and Leather. Thanks a million from the UK

  • Ramses Perez says:

    I am fascinated with how the house of Sarah Baker went from creating dark and brooding scents to more accessible and even mass appealing fragrances. Anything with vanilla or coffee sign me up for it because I naturally gravitate towards vanilla scents and drink coffee daily. Va Va Vanilla seems to be chic and on the go; something to wake you up. I’m personally loving this new direction Sarah Baker is going in and I can only ask for more gourmands to come. I’m located in the US.

  • Jarrid Steele says:

    Warning: May cause sudden urges to order espresso martinis at absurdly inappropriate hours, speak in double entendres in teams meetings.
    If that doesn’t spark interest, I don’t know what could?
    I am living and working in beautiful Montreal, Canada but I have a mailing address in the good ol’ USA.

  • skye says:

    This sounds like a sophisticated gourmand for city dwellers who bypass the bakery and head for the bar. The multiple coffee notes and spices mingle with the fruit with a hint of bitter from the Manhattan. A base of leather and woods can only be enhanced by a “hot skin” accord. Definitely a vanilla for grownups. USA

  • crownroyale47 says:

    Nicoleta simply saying “May cause sudden urges to order espresso martinis at absurdly inappropriate hours, speak in double entendres in teams meetings.” has me ready to go get this before my team meeting tomorrow!! LOL!!

    I’m from the US.

  • tashtash says:

    Love the idea of a caffeinated vanilla – what a nice jolt in the opening and it’s an interesting (and inspired) choice for a vanilla fragrance. I’m in the US.

  • mmerline says:

    Margaux created a fun progression with Va Va Vanilla, swinging from sweet espresso to spiced boozy nightcap, with its namesake present throughout. “A slow-burning vanilla that turns to flame, nutty and creamy, leathery and sexy, spicy and boozy, complex without being difficult, seductive without being obvious, and utterly, completely, devastatingly be-au-ti-ful.” Really fun and flirty take on vanilla.

    I’m in the USA.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the alluring giveaway page! Sarah Baker Va Va Vanilla strikes me as a bold, modern take on gourmand warmth—opening with a rich espresso-martini accord brightened by black cherry and cinnamon before diving into a heart of whiskey, coffee, rum, saffron and nutty nuances that feel both boozy and sophisticated. The base of creamy vanilla, guaiac wood, leather and sandalwood gives it a sensual backbone that keeps the sweetness grounded and elegant rather than sugary. What really intrigued me was how this composition blends cocktail-like energy with cozy gourmand depth—like sipping a spiced vanilla drink beside a crackling fire. I’d love to try Va Va Vanilla!

  • Conny74 says:

    Nicoletas fragrance review/movie script makes me want to try Espresso Martini, although I almost never consume alcoholic beverages. I really love the notes : coffee, cinnamon, red cherry etc.. “It’s creamy, round, and voluptuous, yes, but there’s a dark undercurrent running through it,…”. Would love to try it!

    I am in the EU.

  • foreverscents says:

    Va Va Vanilla sounds like a firecracker of a perfume. I like that there are coffee and espresso martini notes to create a charging and confident allure. Then we get into some boozy and smoky notes, leading us to the forbidden and voluptuous vanilla. This is a slow-burn fragrance for sure, I would love to wear his while watching a good film noir.
    I live in the USA.

  • mleenstra says:

    Espresso martini and “a slow-burning vanilla that turns to flame, nutty and creamy, leathery and sexy, spicy and boozy, complex without being difficult, seductive without being obvious, and utterly, completely, devastatingly be-au-ti-ful. With a cherry on top.” Sign me up!
    That sounds like something Sarah Baker would develop. Her perfumes are different and always have a certain va va voom. Would love to try. Marit EU

  • roxhas1cat says:

    Count me in on the well travelled sister. This sounds fabulous. Beautiful with a cherry on top is perfect. I’m sorry I had a dirty martini tonite instead of an espresso martini tonite. Thanks for the chance. USA.