Somewhere around 2023, a perfume started appearing in everyone's feed. It was pale green, it promised to smell like pistachio ice cream, and the woman behind it had built an empire on knowing exactly what would go viral. Kayali Pistachio Gelato became one of the most hyped fragrance launches in recent memory, the dessert-in-a-bottle that a generation of younger buyers simply had to have.
The woman behind it is worth knowing about.
The beauty mogul who bet on imagination
Kayali was launched in 2018 by Mona Kattan, the co-founder and global president of the beauty juggernaut Huda Beauty. The name means my imagination in Arabic, and the brand was built on Kattan's personal obsession: fragrance layering, the art of combining two or more scents into something uniquely your own. The numbers in the names, the 33 here, are part of that layering language. Kayali arrived just as the gourmand boom was taking off, and few people read a trend before it happens quite like Mona Kattan.
Thirty-three attempts at a pistachio
Pistachio Gelato was released in 2023, composed by the father-and-son perfumers Olivier and Sébastien Cresp, and the 33 in its name refers to the thirty-three rounds of reformulation it took to get the balance right. The aim was an edible pistachio dessert that did not turn sickly, and they got there by surrounding the nutty pistachio and roasted hazelnut with whipped cream, salted caramel and a wisp of jasmine, grounded in vanilla and soft woods. It is gourmand perfumery at its most unapologetic.
What it actually smells like
Very much like pistachio gelato, which is the whole point. Creamy, nutty and sweet, with a salted-caramel edge that stops it being one-dimensional and a hint of jasmine keeping it from being a pure foodie scent. The base is warm vanilla and soft woods. It is rich, comforting and moreish, leans gently feminine but is enjoyed widely, and it is at its best in cooler weather. It lasts well for a sweet gourmand.
The £145 question
A bottle of Pistachio Gelato sits around £145 in the UK. For the money you get one of the most hyped gourmands of recent years and a genuinely well-made dessert scent. The catch is the spend and the ubiquity: it sold so well that its pistachio-cream signature is now very widely recognised among younger fragrance fans.
Which is the reason an alternative market exists. People love the creamy pistachio comfort of this one without wanting to pay £145, or to smell identical to everyone else who jumped on the hype.
Pistachio Gelato: the 35% interpretation
This is where we come in, and we will be straight about what we are. Our Pistachio Gelato is Aromara's interpretation of that dessert character, not a counterfeit and not a Kayali product. It carries no branding and makes no claim to be the original. It chases the part that matters: the pistachio and hazelnut opening, the whipped cream, salted caramel and jasmine heart, and the warm vanilla, musk and sandalwood base.
The difference is in two numbers. Ours is built at 35% extrait concentration, roughly double a standard eau de parfum, so the cream and nuts hold for seven hours or more rather than fading by lunch. And it costs £4.99 for a 5ml to test it properly, against £145 for the original. We guarantee the wear time in writing, with 60 days to send it back for a full refund if it does not last.
Our guide to extrait de parfum explains why concentration matters, and the strongest perfume dupes in the UK shows where our range sits. If you love a creamy gourmand, the story behind La Vie Est Belle is a natural next read, and our milky Bianco is another to try.
Try Pistachio Gelato from £4.99
Frequently asked questions
Who created Kayali Pistachio Gelato?
It was composed by the perfumers Olivier and Sébastien Cresp and released in 2023 by Kayali, the house founded by Mona Kattan. The 33 in its name refers to the 33 rounds of reformulation behind it.
What does Pistachio Gelato smell like?
A creamy pistachio dessert: pistachio and roasted hazelnut with whipped cream and salted caramel, a touch of jasmine, and a warm base of vanilla and soft woods.
Is Aromara's Pistachio Gelato the same as Kayali?
No. It is an independent composition inspired by the same character, built at 35% extrait for longevity and sold at a fraction of the price. It is not affiliated with Kayali.
Aromara is an independent UK fragrance house. Our fragrances are original compositions inspired by the character of well-known designer scents. We are not affiliated with Kayali, and all trademarks belong to their respective owners. Every Aromara fragrance is made in the UK at 35% extrait concentration, with a 7+ hour longevity guarantee and a 60-day money-back promise.