Gateau de Carnavale

Kyse Perfumes’ 2018 release, Gateau de Carnavale is a scent with official notes of funnel cake, vanilla latte , toasted brown sugar, and apricot, though I don’t get apricot specifically (which is fortunate, as I’m usually not a fan) but rather a general faint fruitiness far in the background. As with many of perfumer/owner Terri Bozzo’s creations, GDC is a nod to big gourmand fans like myself that don’t mind—rather, prefer—smelling like dessert. It’s bready sweet and simply delectable, with the vanilla latte being a subtle acknowledgment of the vanilla with perhaps the tiniest bit of coffee in the background , along with some vague hint of fruit. It’s primary sweet sugary bread, though. As far as uniqueness, it’s a nice departure from some of the other creations, perhaps only somewhat close to Fichi e Panna in terms of the breadiness, but I like that GDC is dominated by the sweet bread, rather than vanilla. Performance-wise, it does very well on my skin, a few small 3ml sample sprays creating a nice cloud for some hours. As with most of the Kyse line, the pricing for Gateau de Carnavale is fantastic, $80 / $54 / $34 / $23 for 100ml / 60ml / 30ml / 15ml, respectively. As always, I recommend checking out the Kyse website and ordering some very reasonably-priced samples, particularly if you dig gourmands. A very nice creation that’s now on the list. 8 out of 10

An instant love! (Literally, I applied from the sample vial, sniffed my wrist, and "oh yum!" came out of my mouth without even consiously realizing I was saying it out loud. My 7 year old came running wondering what he was missing out on.) Now I am a big fan of pretty literal, straightforward, gourmand scents, but I also don't like them too cloyingly sweet. Homemade baked goods, yes. Syrupy soft drinks and store bought frosting, no. This one is the perfect sweet level. Incredibly cozy and warm, with a really wonderful toasted grain quality, I am obsessed with grain notes! It actually reminds me a bit of Armani Sensi with that toasty grain note mixed with a warm-sweet vanilla with just a touch of a light fruit to brighten the top notes (I do get the apricot, but only right at first. It fades away completely within 30 minutes). Not a smell alike per se, but a close cousin. I will absolutely be upgrading my sample to a bottle!

This is my SOTD. It smells similar to elephant ears from the carnival, but when the sweetness seems that it may come on strong, it just stops. Perfect! This is truly unisex, and great for Miami because it isn't overbearing, overly sweet or a monster projector. If you live in a warmer climate, don't be afraid to try this one out. Kyse Perfumes also offers 1ml and 3ml sample for peanuts. One of the houses I tell gourmand lovers to check out. All of the fragrances by Kyse seem to be of extremely high quality. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ BTW, the fragrance smells a lot more special than elephant ears, but this is the best way I could describe it.

My favorite Kyse fragrance. The runner-ups are Fumee Vanille and Delizia di Marshmallow. Carnavale is so amazing. It’s delicious. It’s chewy yet not sickeningly sweet. Strong yet airy. This will permanently be in my collection and if it ever gets discontinued, I will stock up. Best part about Terri’s fragrances are the sillage and longevity. How does one single person make higher quality fragrances than designer brands that have money at their disposal?! Crazy.. But I’m glad for it. Get yourself a sample set if you’re new to Kyse!

Let me tell you this, one of my all time favorite treats is funnel fries dipped in strawberry sauce, so obviously I had to sample it right away. I'm just blown away by the realistic scent of a funnel cake with a little fruitiness in the back, I love this! It sits close to my skin but I put this on after a shower with lots of moisturizer and the scent really shines! So I think this in a summer night is going to be heavenly because combined with your body heat is going to bomb!