By Kimberly Wilson ·Updated February 12, 2026 /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

I’m going to be honest with you: I didn’t think I needed another passion fruit perfume in my life. 

But then I got to sit down with by/rosie jane founder Rosie Jane Johnston ahead of the MATILDA launch, and after chatting all things perfume and hearing the inspiration behind this scent, I was sold before I even smelled it.

MATILDA launched on February 2nd (so, yes, it literally just dropped), and it’s being positioned as a bright, optimistic alternative to all the vanilla-heavy scents we’ve been drowning in for the past year. And you know what? They’re not wrong. This is the complete opposite direction of those warm, cozy gourmands everyone’s been obsessed with. It’s juicy, it’s fresh, and it feels like bottled sunshine (it sounds cliche, but it really does!).

The notes include passion fruit tart and ambrette at the top, meringue, mango, and finger lime in the middle, then golden musk and Australian sandalwood at the base. On paper that sounds complex and layered, but in reality? It’s pretty straightforward. What you’re getting is mostly passion fruit and mango. Like, a lot of it. Tart, sweet fruit with this slight airy creaminess and that signature musky base by/rosie jane always does. And honestly, I’m not mad about it because the passion fruit is really good.

If you’ve tried other by/rosie jane scents, this is nothing like Remi (which was all green and mineral-y). It’s closer to Missy in terms of the tropical, fruity direction, but way more interesting. Where Missy felt a little one-note to me, MATILDA has more depth. It’s still pretty linear, but there’s something about the way the passion fruit and musk work together that keeps it from feeling boring or flat.

Why I love it: The marketing for this says ‘like dancing in your underwear’ and honestly that’s the most accurate tagline I’ve seen in a while. I’ve only worn MATILDA a handful of times but it’s already made an impression. It just puts me in a good mood when I have it on. That sounds simple but it’s true. Some fragrances make you feel sophisticated or sexy, and this one just makes you happy. Like everything’s fine even when it’s probably not (I write this as it currently feels like the world is burning around us).

Even in those few wears, and even with like 100 other fragrances sitting on my shelf, I keep coming back to this one. There’s something about MATILDA that just feels easy to wear. I’m not sitting there calculating if I sprayed too much or if it’s appropriate for where I’m going (because like Funmi Monet says, you’ve got to put that sh*t on). It’s got that close-to-skin quality by/rosie jane is known for, so it never feels overwhelming even when I go heavy-handed with it. Which I do, because the projection isn’t crazy and I like actually being able to smell myself throughout the day.

Also, I love that this exists right now. We needed something bright and optimistic after a year of heavy, warm scents. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good vanilla (you saw my column last week), but there’s something refreshing about wearing fruit that doesn’t feel like you’re trying too hard or stuck in 2015.

Perfect pairings: This is where MATILDA gets really fun because it layers so well with other things in my collection. My personal favorite combination is with by/rosie jane’s Dulce. They’re from the same brand so they naturally work together, and Dulce adds this warm, sweet dimension that makes MATILDA feel more rounded out and cozy without losing that bright passion fruit energy.

If you want to add more depth and make it feel more expensive, layer it with Glossier You. It will amplify that musky quality without fighting the fruit. I’ve been doing this combo for work and it’s perfect because it extends the wear time and makes everything feel more sophisticated.

If you want it sweeter, KAYALI Vanilla 28 works really well with this. Go light on the vanilla though, because it can overpower the passion fruit if you’re not careful. But when you get the ratio right? It’s really good. You get that brown sugar sweetness with the bright fruit, and it’s like tropical dessert but make it wearable.

Byredo Blanche is another one I didn’t expect to work, but the contrast between the bright passion fruit and those soft aldehydes is really pretty. It makes MATILDA feel more refined and less straightforward fruity.

Final verdict: MATILDA is available now at Sephora in three formats: the Eau de Parfum is $86 for 50ml, there’s a Travel Spray for $29, and a Perfume Oil for $48. If you’re not sure about passion fruit as a fragrance note, start with the travel size. But if you’re ready for something that feels like the antithesis of every warm, cozy scent from last year, go for the full bottle.

This isn’t going to be for everyone. But if you’ve been looking for something bright and joyful that still feels sophisticated? If you want a fruity fragrance that doesn’t smell like a teenage body spray? If you’re just tired of smelling like everyone else’s vanilla cloud? This is it.

MATILDA is what 2026 fragrance should feel like. Optimistic and fruity and actually fun to wear.

The post ESScent Of The Week: By/Rosie Jane’s MATILDA Is The Bright, Fruity Antidote To Vanilla Fatigue appeared first on Essence.