Perfume is my favourite part of the beauty world.
Foundation is tricky because the shade might not match, mascara is a risk because it likely won't deliver on the promise of length and volume, and lipstick regularly doesn't suit me. Perfume on the other hand needs no skill to apply, is something I use every day, and it brightens my mood with just one spray.
So you might ask why I haven't purchased a new perfume in ten years. There are two reasons. 1. I am set in my ways; I wear Viktor & Rolf 'Flowerbomb' on a day-to-day, and I like Tom Ford 'Black Orchid' for special occasions.
The second reason I haven't purchased a new fragrance in a decade is because that's how long I've written about beauty and wellness as a job, meaning I'm often sent new perfumes to try, so if a newbie does make its way into my collection, I'm extremely spoilt not to have to pay for it. Some that have found a spot in my collection, albeit not permanently are Maison Margiela's 'When The Rain Stops', Floral Street's 'Arizona Bloom' and YSL's 'Libre Intense'.
The fact I have my forever faves and have been privileged to receive free fragrance means purchasing a new perfume yesterday is quite a big deal. Especially given I wasn't in the market for a new scent.
The fragrance in question? Kylie Jenner's 'Cosmic'. I'm no snob when it comes to celeb scents – I wore Katy Perry's 'Purr' while I was at university, Taylor Swift's 'Enchanted' in my early twenties, and recently dabbled in Kylie Minogue's 'Darling', but I was surprised to fall quite so hard for 'Cosmic'.
Falling for 'Cosmic'
I sprayed Kylie Jenner's debut fragrance onto my wrist as I walked through Boots, not thinking much of it, but for the next hour whenever I caught a wave of it, I found myself growing ever fonder. By the time I headed back to Boots to buy it, I was smitten. (I'm not alone, it's Boots' fastest-selling fragrance launch of 2024).
'Cosmic' seemed to transform with wear. I felt like it sank into my skin and warmed up, changing the scent from strong to subtle within half an hour. That's not to say it doesn't last though – I've been wholly impressed by the lasting power. One spray in the morning and I can still smell it now at 4pm. Kylie agrees, saying of her perfume: "I don’t feel like I need to reapply this one, though I do always have my little travel bottle with me."
Unlike other celeb fragrances I mentioned above, 'Cosmic' isn't sickly sweet. It's warm and comforting, with creamy notes of vanilla and sensual amber.
Channelling Kylie
'Cosmic' perfectly represents Kylie herself. The mother of two has been pivoting towards a more pared-back look than she was known for when she debuted Kylie Cosmetics with the infamous Lip Kits, and Cosmic reflects that with the lowkey bottle and the long-lasting, soft scent rather than something showy and statement-making.
That's not to say it's without Kylie's signature sexiness – it still feels sultry and I'd wear this day and night.
I'm happy I've ended my scent-buying celibacy – who knows, this could be the first of many newly purchased additions to my collection.