Hayal

Hayal haunted me. It still haunts me. I knew from the moment I smelled this glorious scent, that it had to be mine. This is one fragrance that has pushed me beyond my knowledge of perfume exploration. What is this scent that makes me think I am from the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt? How can a fragrance be so well crafted that I feel like a completely different person born in a different time. This feels like what Queen Nefertiti wore to rule the Kingdom of Egypt, as Pharaoh. Yes! This fragrance feels like the Sun is bathing you with gold, while you lay on a bed of fresh, exotic Jasmine. And as the Jasmine slowly crushes under the fragment of your skin, the intoxicating scent of the flowers melts from the heat of the sun (+ the warmth of your skin), then permeates into the air, causing you to gasp...for joy while it takes your breathe away. My Lord! It is Sensual. It’s Heavenly. It’s an Aphrodisiac. Words are not enough to describe the MASTERPIECE that is Hayal. I’m stunned! But it still progresses, and I smell a delicious rice-like note, from the Jasmine. It’s not decadent, more like a fresh, aromatic, accord. Wow! This is insanely beautiful. Are these tears rolling down my eyes? I’m in love with this enchanting fragrance 🥹. With Hayal, you only need a few sprays to command the room. It lasts all day and I promise that you will be the center of attention. To experience this fragrance you have to be open to “different”. Hayal is different. And the bottle? I haven’t seen a more intricately designed and insanely beautiful bottle this year. This is a yes over yes for me. I count myself lucky to have this piece of art. Yes. It’s art. And officially at the top of my list for my best fragrance find of 2023.

This is smooth and creamy and sweet while remaining non-gourmand. Its white flowers, but it is NOT a floral fragrance in my opinion. I saw in the "this reminds me of" section someone put out that it smells like Sweet Celestials by Strangers Parfumerie and that is a very good comparison. they are both a bit nutty and the rice note is there in both. I find the rice in Sweet Celestials to be too sweet, and there is a green note in it that along with the sweetness it becomes sticky for me most days. Hayal on the other hand is creamier, milkier, and the sweetness is lower down in a more toasted warm kind of way. I love the vanilla with the nutty ricey warmth and I think it suits my chemistry more than Sweet Celestials did. I also think there is a comparison to be drawn to Gioiosa by Profumum Roma - in the creamy vanilla-y toasted-ness. Hayal more toasted than Gioiosa but they are definitely in the same world. Both are expensive too - you really notice the richness and velvety smoothness of them both. Overall, I think that Hayal is the nicest "rice" scent that I've ever smelled -and, I don't even think its meant to be a 'rice" scent at all! I naturally love all the notes that are officially listed in it - the white flowers, the vanilla, amber, tonka bean - all of it! Its right up my alley. I'm a fan. The only thing that might take a point off, is the ultra red colour of the juice. This fragrance is going to stain anything and everything it gets on. so... be mindful of that.

When I first smelled this, I was immediately struck by the intensity of it. It was stunning indolic jasmine, very different from anything I'd smelled, but I didn't quite know whether this was something I'd actually wear (do I want to smell like a rice pudding?). It somehow reminded me of my childhood growing up in China and elicited a kind of emotional response I didn't know a perfume was capable of doing. I was sniffing at my wrist ALL day when I first applied. The second time I smelled it at the store, I instantly knew it had to be mine. It can be quite heavy for the first hour, and became a bit more wearable in the drydown. I got lots of compliments on my first day wearing it. Now it has become one of my favorites. I get so happy just looking at the stunning bottle and sniffing at the nozzle without actually applying it.

If you like scents with notes of rice, you will be pleasantly surprised by this perfume. Even though rice is not listed here as a note, this smells like JASMINE RICE with candied floral background. It's intoxicating and very interesting. During the mid part of this, it smells slightly minty. The first time I tried it, I did detect a faint whiff of mothball on the dry down, probably due to the jasmine interacting with another scent I had on that day. I haven't smelled that in subsequent days of wearing it. It's such a unique scent, I just had to splurge on the full bottle after I finished my sample. It's expensive but you're not going to find anything else that smells like this.

This is an incredibly precious jasmine with creamy rice scent, with great longevity and beautiful presentation, but BEWARE: she is a total beast and a little goes a long way. The first time I tried it, I was overwhelmed and put off by the heavy/thick opening, and it was about an hour before I could start enjoying the softer dry down. Now I know that the trick (for me) is to use just one mini spray. Lasts all day and is just the most gorgeous creamy jasmine rice ever. Still pretty thick, like when you're wearing essential oils, but not indolic or cloying. Needless to say, my beautiful little bottle will last me a good while!

LOVE THIS. I dont smell rice at all. To me it smells like stepping into a greenhouse with fresh moist black dirt being mixed, and flowers and ferns being showered with a cool light mist. It doesn’t smell too green or too floral as it is probably balanced out by the amber and tonka. I can see how someone might think it’s a scent for very “mature” people but I think anyone could wear it. It’s summer garden rather than beach. I wish I could bathe in this stuff.

I've just found my new signature scent! This is the most beautiful milky jasmine with a big toasted rice note that is just scrumptious! I can't stop smelling myself!!!! The notes are listed on Katana website as : Top note Lily of the Valley; middle notes are Jasmine Sambac and White Flowers; base notes are Vanilla, Tonka Bean and Amber (but for some reason they left out the most imortant note - rice!!) Overall rating 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Sillage 9/10

Hayal literally has my eyes rolling to the back of my head. This is such a unique play on jasmine. I haven’t come across anything quite like it, and don’t believe I ever will again. Up close it smells just like arroz con leche, but an arms length away you get the most incredible sweet, milky, jasmine sillage. The finally dry down is a dense creamy jasmine that rivals any niche/luxury house. 10/10’s all around- Bravaaa Katana!!

Absolutely scrumptious! Rice pudding (I make it all the time in the winter) and indolic jasmine. I didn't check the reviews for this when I first smelled it. So it is cool to see others got the same thing. I said to my husband this smells like my rice pudding and indolic jasmine. He smelled it and agreed. I really love this. For me this is a fabulous gourmand treat of a perfume.

Deep, thick, milky, complex jasmine... perfectly mixed with vanilla and tonka. Sweet, rich and and intoxicating. Best jasmine centric perfume I ever tried.

This is beast mode, I wore this on a night out and kept getting whiffs of it all night - around 4-5 hours of wear it was going strong! It opens smelling like a nail shop- loud + pure nail polish. I know this could repel many but it blossomed into an incredibly realistic Jasmin rice. Very very similar dry down to Blanche bete / her confession so I can see why people make the comparison. It is very heavy so I’m not sure I would wear this in the hot weather but everyone around me said it smells warm and complimentary to my skin. I think this can be unisex for white floral enthusiasts.

Whether it is intentional, this fragrance has a very prominent rice accord, like letting the steam of a freshly cooked pot of rice carry the scent of a layer of jasmine laid atop. It's light yet opaque, interesting, and very pleasant.

The sweet rice pudding in the opening is fabulous. I spent a few days testing this trying to stretch out that open, but unfortunately it’s fleeting and the rest is generic; especially considering the asking price. It absolutely could just be my chemistry, but the projection and longevity on my skin for this is abysmal. I actually prefer skin scents; but after about 15 minutes this disappears outside of about an inch from my skin. It’s decent on clothing, but that’s not how I prefer to wear my fragrance. Plus, after about an hour that gorgeous jasmine rice pudding fades into a generic vanilla-toffee-lira-esque fragrance which I’m super not crazy about. And even that’s gone on skin after around 4 hours. The marketing etc for this is a bit off too? Honestly I’d rather not pay for marketing, but if you’re charging $280 per 50ml it seems strange that no one seems to have noticed the rice note in any of the ad copy? There are literally hundreds of (better) sweet white florals out there...the rice is the only thing setting this apart. Also, I realize it’s largely BS but I feel like in this price range, especially if you’re an unknown perfumer, I expect you to try to sell me some etc crap about “rarest oud and the distilled blood of unsuspecting peasants aged 25 years in crystal barrels” to at least excuse your pricing?? I feel somewhat disappointed no one even bothered here. So, I’m not sure what you’re paying for in this one. The vanilla-tonka dry down actually even has an element of that indie waxy-chap-stick-vanillin-type scent. I guess you’re paying for the bottle then? There are countless better things to spend $280 on.

Corn silk tea. Cherry cough syrup. Sadly no creaminess or jasmine to my nose.

This fragrance is amazing! My favorite jasmine scent ever. It’s probably going to get hyped up soon and rightfully so but I’ve had this in my collection for awhile now so I’m very familiar with it’s beauty. That delicious rice note accompanying the jasmine is so so good. It has a freshness about it too that makes it feel clean while also having gourmand qualities. I bought it in the winter and fell in love with it. It performed well in the cold and even now in the high summer heat, humidity and all, it really shines and leaves a delicious trail. People will definitely ask what you’re wearing. Excellent quality and I can’t get enough of it.

Hayal rehabilitated the jasmine PTSD I'd acquired from years of the thin, synthetic jasmine found in designer scents. This is an irresistible bouquet of blooming, full-bodied white flowers. I'm personally glad it doesn't smell like rice pudding (Arielle's Sunday or Sorce's Nothing Burns), because those scents tend to get a little too savory for me.

This is really nice! I am not a fan of Jasmine or white florals and they are very prominent in this fragrance! That being said, this is a sweet and creamy Jasmine and it TRULY IS BEASTMODE! I think if you’re a Jasmine lover it’s full bottle worthy. It is a well blended unique scent

I wish I got the rice pudding note. Pretty much all I smelled on my skin was indolic jasmine/moth ball smell. Eventually it was just too much and I had to scrub.