Kai by Kai

cinsot

As much as I should "love" Kai, it only scrapes in as a "like". I adore real gardenia and I could bathe in my favourite gardenia scents (MJ & 24F) Hey! I do!

I obviously appreciate the presence of a good jasmine note with my gardenia, my tastes gravitate towards more realistic and believable white floral notes.

The bouquet of white flowers supporting and eventually carrying the fleeting gardenia note in Kai smells foreign to my nose, akin to what I would expect a dusty bunch of artificial silk white roses and baby's breath to smell like after years of Aunt Edna painstakingly spraying them daily with (God forbid) Little Mary's Little Miss Blossom cologne (Little Mary is now twenty something and left home years ago BTW!).

Did I say Kai scraped in as a like? Hm-mm. Oh dear!

hollycat

With all the celebrity hype sorounding this perfume, I ordered my sample with great anticipation. This smells exactly like nail polish remover on me. Nothing appealing about it.

On a positive note, I was just at Whole Foods and tested Pacifica's Waikiki Pikake and was shocked at how much it smells like Kai except so much better. It smells more natural. At 9 bucks a bottle!

I implore you, if you intend to buy Kai give Pacifica's Pikake a try first. Youll save yourself a bundle.

jeanol

I love this probably because of the gardenia fragrance...I love gardenias and grow many in my garden. This is a perfume that grows on you; at first a pretty scent then after a while a warmth that cocoons you...very womanly!

eustacia42

Sorry, this one's not for me. I just can't get over the floral-ness of it all.

sherapop

It's official: I love gardenias! KAI perfume oil is a perfectly simple presentation of this gorgeous floral note. KAI goes on creamy and smooth, and stays that way, fading slowly with the passing of the day.

KAI is not an earthshattering human creation but rather a compelling demonstration of the aesthetic wonder and beauty of nature itself. Sometimes less is more!

Taliera

UPDATE: Both my mum and sister think this perfume smells like nail-polish remover (acetone). How *could* they?!!

Taliera

Finally, this has come through the mail, after waiting impatiently for 3 1/2 weeks (I live in Australia, but UPS sent it to Alaska!). The fragrance is heavenly, and despite the debarckle with shipping, I am so glad I bought it.

I love gardenia... It is my favourite flower (equal with osmanthus). IMO there is nothing better than Kai if you love gardenia. It is so natural and similar to the real flower; a real homage to nature. Contrary to some of these reviews, I don't smell Hawaii (although I admitt I've never been there); there might be the faintest hint of frangipani or honeysuckle, but nothing more.

When you first spray it there is quite a blast of gardenia and white flowers (though I don't really consider white flowers to be part of the composition, because they only feature in the first few minutes before it settles down). Soon it becomes more tamed and creamy. Later, as the composition matures, it turns more characteristically gardenia - at least what I consider to be characteristically gardenia. That is, a luscious, luxurious white flower, with intoxicating presence, sprinkled with rain and containing a hint of green.

I enjoy this fragrance more as it develops. You don't need to worry about sillage or staying power at all. It is very pungent and people in the room notice (but not in the way of it being offensive, rather the fragrance is doing what it should - being smelled by others!). It lasts and lasts. I find three sprays more than enough.

For anyone balking at the price, it depends where you get it. A lot of internet sites sell 50mL for $75 (NB: this is for the EDP, not the perfume oil). I grabbed a bottle for less, and they offered international shipping too!

The Perfume Critic

This is a gorgeous gardenia fragrance that is ideal for spring/summer. If you can get your hand on the Kai Linen/Room Spray, you will not be dissapointed. Beautiful :)

texasvogue

Definitely Hawaii in a bottle. Smells like a cross between Pikake and Plumeria. Lovely, I never get enough of this fragrance.
When you smell it all you think of is the islands.

SYDNEYGIRL

i dont get gardenia at all! i get frangipani and some sort of coconut-almost like reef tanning oil! definately smells like hawaii in a bottle..smells like an essential oil you could buy from an aromatherapy store. its nice but kind of light and oily. good for a trip to the beach i guess but not something i cant get enough of. i would recomment it for a young teen girl as its quite an innocent fragrance..hope this helps!

missk

Being a floral girl like myself, it is hard not to be enchanted by Kai. I know of many people that have been turned off by this fragrance's simple packaging and primary note of gardenia, but I urge people to not judge this fragrance before you try it. You are depriving yourself of something very special.

The gardenia in this perfume is very green and fresh. In no way has the gardenia been tampered with or made to smell overly sweet or synthetic. Kai is like wandering through a garden full of these wonderous flowers and inhaling their delicious aroma.

I particularly love how soft and creamy this scent becomes when it develops on my skin. Despite its strong floral notes, Kai never smells too mature or dated. On my skin, this scent is youthful, feminine and fresh.

The sillage is fantastic and the lasting power also great. My only gripe is with the price, which I find absolutely ridiculous. I understand that Kai is an exclusive and independant brand, however I believe that more sales would be made if the price was much lower.

Perhaps one day, if I'm rich, $100 for 10ml of Kai won't faze me and I will add this fragrance to my collection.

Jessmoberry

I expected a lot from Kai, and for the most part it delivered... but for some reason, I'm getting something "nutty" out of this. I can't figure out what in the world is bringing nuts to the table in this blend, but it's offbeat and pretty nonetheless.

Cherub573

This is lovely. Pretty straight up Gardenia, but it smells very fresh. Catching a whiff of this may have people wondering if there is a bouquet nearby. It was a bit too green upon initial application, but it turned more warm after a while. It has lasted a couple hours on me so far. I think it's a great Gardenia fragrance, but I prefer mine combined with other elements.

VioletLily

Comes on a touch strong at first, opening up as a very green, lush gardenia. I get the honeysuckle too. It's nice, but that greeness doesn't really attract me. When it dissipates, it smells like Monyette Paris to me. But I prefer (and love!) Monyette for it's creamy, slightly earthy, caress.

HeatherStarr2424

I had high hopes for Kai. I received a deluxe sample size and quickly tried it. Lovely - but only at first. The dry down on my skin was very ammonia-esque and stale. It smells lovely right from the bottle, but beware of it on your skin.

Taliera

Kai is the gardenia fragrance I have been searching for! Being very strong on the gardenia, it also contains jasmine, frangipani and exotic fruits. It was said that the designer created Kai to evoke the scents and sense of Hawai. To me it smells more like a row of gardenia bushes with freshly opened flowers and a sprinkling of rain...