Review of Vanilla Vibe by Yaroslavna Lasytsya

Vanilla Vibe by Rayhaan opens on an unexpectedly cool, fresh-spicy woody accord. The oud arrives first: cold, lightly metallic and polished, lending the composition a platinum-like, almost mineral clarity. Plum and freesia deepen the opening with a green-toned freshness, keeping it diffusive and poised rather than overtly fruity. As the fragrance warms on skin, it gradually shifts into an delectably boozier register. The plum becomes softly rum-infused, wrapped in a distinct trace of cardamom and aromatic herbaceous spices. Vanilla does not appear all at once; it weaves slowly through the composition like a quiet stream, its sweetness controlled, fluid and remarkably considerate. The dry-down is where the scent gains its most luxurious texture. Labdanum and amber create a glowing, cushioning foundation that holds the blend of alcoholic plum and creamy vanilla in place, while woods linger behind it in a shimmering haze. Vanilla Vibe is a genuinely unisex fragrance and a refreshing interpretation of both vanilla and boozy plum: nuanced, elegant and never excessive, primitive or flat, despite the apparent simplicity of its notes.