When a skincare brand decides to cross over into fragrance, I always approach with both excitement and caution.
Because we’ve seen it go either way (for the good and for the bad). Either a brand leans fully into the moment and creates something truly memorable, or the result feels like an afterthought. So when Summer Fridays, the brand behind the iconic Lip Butter Balm that we all know and love, announced that Sunlit Vanilla Eau de Parfum was their first foray into the fine fragrance world, I had high expectations. They already make delicious smelling lip balms, so all they need to do is bottle these scents into our next scent-sation (get it? See what I did there?)
And my honest thoughts after having my nose on it the past few weeks? They mostly delivered.
Let’s rewind, because the story behind this particular scent and launch makes total sense for the brand. Sunlit Vanilla was inspired by the scent of the bestselling Lip Butter Balm, with the idea of bottling that endless-summer feeling. Specifically, the brand describes it as cool vanilla ice cream with the delicate sweetness of a lightly caramelized crème brûlée. When I first sprayed it, I’ll be honest: the bergamot listed as a top note was so subtle it almost disappeared entirely on my skin. What hit me immediately was the coconut and caramel heart, and it smelled exactly like someone had just cracked open a fresh coconut next to a pot of bubbling caramel on the stove. Random, but work with me here. If you were hoping for something subtle or understated, this is not your fragrance. Sunlit Vanilla opens warm, sweet, and fully present from the jump.
As it dried down, the vanilla, tonka bean, and amber took over and the whole thing settled into something deeply familiar, like a scent you feel like you have smelled before even on the very first wear (well… likely because you have). The coconut saves the composition from being a straight vanilla single-note, which I genuinely appreciated. I do wish it leaned a little more solar (to give a little more sunshine and beach air vibes) because that is the promise in the name and that particular part of the story does not quite land for me. What it does deliver, though, is a warm, skin-close, enveloping vanilla that I found myself reaching for again and again throughout the week.
My most unhinged but also completely accurate take on this fragrance: It smells like Warm Vanilla Sugar went to therapy, got its coins up, and started shopping at Sephora. If that sentence makes perfect sense to you, you are my people, and you need this in your life immediately.
Why I love it: Sunlit Vanilla is deeply comforting without being basic. I wore it on a random Saturday running errands and felt inexplicably luxurious the entire time, which is truly the power of a well-done vanilla. This one does not overcomplicate itself. It is the gourmand for the person who wants to smell like dessert but still leave the house in public. The creamy musk keeps everything close to the skin in the best possible way, and the tonka bean and amber add just enough depth to prevent this from becoming a one-note situation. It is familiar enough to feel comforting but polished enough to feel intentional, which is honestly the sweet spot for any fragrance. At $82 for a 50ml, it is a genuinely accessible entry point into what feels like a real fine fragrance experience. The $30 travel-size 10ml is also a smart buy if you want to test the waters before fully committing to a bottle.
Perfect pairings: Sunlit Vanilla is a natural layering piece, and if you enjoy playing around with combinations (which you absolutely should), this one is worth it. My first go-to for solving the one thing this fragrance is missing is layering it over Maison Margiela Replica Beach Walk. Since Sunlit Vanilla never quite delivers on the sunshine and beach air its name promises, Beach Walk fills that gap beautifully. The coconut milk and driftwood in that formula meet Sunlit Vanilla’s warmth halfway and suddenly you have the full summer story the brand was going for.
For a brighter, more citrus-forward take on this scent, layer Sunlit Vanilla over Ellis Brooklyn Sun Fruit. The bergamot and passion fruit in Sun Fruit are warm and a little tropical, so they speak the same language as Sunlit Vanilla while adding a bright, citrus-forward lift that takes the whole thing somewhere sunnier. Together, the two round each other out in a way that feels intentional rather than accidental. If you want to take things in a slightly different direction, layer it over Glossier You. The ambrette in that formula amplifies Sunlit Vanilla’s musk in a way that makes the whole combination feel impossibly skin-like and intimate. It is understated in the best way and honestly my favorite of the three.
Bottom line: if you are a vanilla lover, Sunlit Vanilla was made for you and you already know you need it. If you are someone who typically avoids vanilla because you find it too sweet or too simple, this one might not change your mind. But for everyone in between, the coconut and amber give it just enough dimension to make it worth trying. Summer Fridays did not reinvent the fragrance wheel with their debut, but they made something wearable, cozy, and absolutely worth the $82.
The post ESScent Of The Week: Summer Fridays Bottled Its Cult-Favorite Lip Balm Scent Into A Perfume appeared first on Essence.
Author: Kimberly Wilson
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