Kai Kai for women

The oil-base roll-on is fantastic. It's subtle and wears very close to the skin. I have had many compliments. I like to put it in my hair near the neck. However the longevity in non-existant and the sillage is too. I feel like I have to use a lot of it and the bottle is eensy weensy.

The alcohol based spray is different from the oil. Harsher and a little soapy. It's not awful, or anything, but it pales (or shrieks) in comparison to the oil. Give me 50 mls of the oil for that price and I'll be happy. Otherwise, go with hollycat's suggestion and get the Pacifica Pikake. Pikake is what makes this fragrance so Hawaii-licious.

Definitely a summer frag'. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT wear this in the winter. It's just wrong, as it makes people ache for summer.

I have a decant,not the oil one.
The reviews of the oil sounds wonderful.
The alcohol based one is to sweet for me and linear.
Not for me.

Good for you nopasho for speaking your mind! Too many perfumes are over hyped and overpriced and not worth even a fraction of what they cost. I've never smelled this particular perfume but certainly from what you've said it doesn't seem to be anything special at all. By the way, anyone who loves white flower scents might want to give S T Dupont's Blanc a try. It's really nice, the bottle is very unusual and eye catching and the price is very reasonable!

The famous 'Kai'! Very popular and bought by the bucket loads in the USA, not liked very much in Europe. Hmmm...
I know this objective review from Europe will be shot down by my American friends and it won't make me popular with the formidable Kai marketing machine, but an objective review from a European is maybe not bad as counterbalance. And if it can make people save some bucks in these hard times by bying an almost identical fragrance at half or less than that of the price, it is worth it. I received a sample today. I live in Europe, to be clear. First of all the facts behind the hype. This fragrance was conceived by Mrs Gaye Straza Rappaport and sold first in her 'exclusively upscale' (and no doubt 'excruciatingly expensive') 'women's boutique in chique Malibu', home to the stars and the super rich. It was picked up by some star one day and then because it was so exclusive and hard to find, the stars began telling about it during Emmy and Oscar parties. On the casting couch a producer always asked: 'Are you wearing 'Kai', honey?'. Savvy business woman Rappaport was quick to act. She knew the value of the 'celebrities like it'-tag by years of wheeling and dealing in Malibu, near Hollywood. So she swiftly sold her boutique in 1999 and cashed in. She went from frocks to frags. Well, better said: one frag. She lauched the 'exlusive' Kai for a broader audience and now lives from the money of her boutigue and her 'Kai'-line. Yes you read right: Miss Rappaport to this day has conceived just one ( that is '1' !!!)frag: Kai. So instead of creating some new ones she 'developped the line Kai'. That means there is now a Kai 'body loton', 'body butter', 'perfume oil', 'scented candles', 'fragrance body buffer' (whatever that is), 'body glow' (whatever that is)... 'Kai' is all about marketing and money, not about perfumery art and olfactory craftmanship. Because a lot of people want to mimic the stars, they bought and buy 'Kai' by the sinkloads. Of course, once the frag was available to the common folk, the stars moved on to the new 'exclusive' frag of the day: 'Child', 'Lollia', 'Tihota' etc.
So the million dollar question: how does this once exclusive frag really smells like. Simple: white flowers! To be precise: gardenia all the way. No top, middle of bottom just white fowers and gardenia. 'Kai' has only two listed notes: 'white flowers' and 'gardenia'. So nothing much to say about contrast, interaction between the notes development IMHO after wearing it on my skin for 1 hour when it is now fading very fast... On applying the 'Kai' on the skin you get Gardenia OD. A bazooka blast of gardenia. Like being pushed with your head in a bucket full of crushed gardenias's. It is like you stepped into a hothouse where gardenia's are raised and are in full bloom and your genial host mashes some gardenias in your face to be 'funny'. And it smells all the way like 'gardenia'. If you don't like gardenia, by all means avoid this Kai'. It maybe 'silky gardenia', 'dewy gardenia', 'fresh gardenia', 'creamy gardenia', 'wet gardenia', 'heavy gardenia', 'lush gardenia', 'natural gardenia', 'generic gardenia'... but this frag screams: 'Gardeniaaaahhh!!! And if you don't like gardenia, s*d off..!!!' It is true. The 'Gardina with a wiff of 'White flowers' reek to me as generic as the 'White flowers' in Elisabeths Taylors much maligned ... 'Gardenia', 'Passion', 'Diamonds and Emeralds'... Sorry, but that's what I smell on my skin.
There is really not much else to say about this gardenia-fest. It is a very, very linear gardenia frag. Gardeina first, last and forever, well about 1 to 2 hours top. It is very sweet, very cloying and makes me think about those über 'sweet fruity florals' that are so very popular in the USA. You can fill in the names yourself, girls. 'Kai' can be interchanged with a lot of drugstore gardenia frags. Do a blind test whereby you put 'Kai' and a few other gardenia-frags in neutral bottles and smell. Do you think you will take out the expensive Kai? Good luck.
I understand that a lot of people, because of the steep price want to force themselves to smell a lot more in it than there really is IMHO. But the notes are clear: 'Gardenia' and 'white flowers'. No contrast with fresh top and strong base, no deepness because of a sturdy base, not freshness because of an effervescent top... So this is a bottled white flower bouquet, be it body butter, body buffer or body glow. And oh yes eau de parfum.
If you want the same smell without the hype and much, much cheaper: buy the Elisabeth Taylors or 'Pure Désir de Gardenia' by Yves Rocher, 'Classic Gardenia' by Dana or a drugstore gardenia. It won't make much difference with that expensive 'Kai'.
Miss Rappaport is a very clever businesswoman, I give her that, but not a creative perfumer. One fragrance in a whole career. Her line is a wonder of marketing, but the frag is average. And in these times of economic hardship, there are plenty of much less expensive alternatives fragrances that smell just the same gardenia/white flower. Or even better. And it won't hurt your bank account so much. It will only make Miss Rappaport less rich. Not that she propably needs the money anymore. Well done Miss Rappaport: you realised the American dream. Too bad your only frag is so linear. But I guess you won't lie awake by that.

This review is mainly for the oil concentrate, not the alcohol based perfume. They smell different. Something musty about the alcohol based formulation.

My skin usually doesn't like "gardenia", it usually reads as overly sweet, or cloying due to the frequent use of heavy indolic jasmine sambac and tuberose used to mimic the scent of actual gardenia flowers. However, this particular scent reads on me as the silkiest, freshest, lushest, greenest, dewy-white gardenia flower garden I've ever tried. One of the most heady too. It's clean and linear, doesn't evolve. However it never becomes overly sweet, overly soapy, never turns sour on me either. Nor does this have a hideous plastic-synthetic undertone like many tropical florals on my skin. Happily, there is no hideous odor of rancid suntan lotion a la coconut or vanilla to ruin the freshness of this lovely green floral. If this works with your chemistry as it does with mine, you'll be in gardenia heaven.

I received a sample of Kai and had high hopes because I love gardenias, but there was a note in it that stop me to even finish my sample, I'm sorry for all Kai lovers, but I can't stand it.The only think I can say is must be the white flowers, I don't like it in my perfumes is too busy.

Gardenia and creamy magnolia, but not overly sweet. On oilier skin it tends to emit a honeysuckle note, on dry skin more creamy and soft. Simple, refined and elegant. Reasonable silage/longevity. A suitable fragrance for a lady of any age.

Lilac, jasmine, gardenia and white flowers come together to create a gentle, moist scent that gradually transforms into a fairly realistic, newly opened gardenia with little other adornment. The gardenia stays fresh and doesn’t go creamy as some do. Later there are hints of pink mimosa and maybe some tropical flowers, but they’re very subtle. Sillage is big, and longevity is an all-day affair. A lovely, long-lasting floral that's wearable by those who aren’t big on florals.

too loud white flowers, definitely not for me..there must be an age threshold for this perfume and it must be forbidden over 25..a girly girly flower bomb even though it softens with time..I feel gardenia only after at least an hour, before I smell overpowering narcissus, honeysuckle and jasmine..I don't like this on me or any other person as a perfume but strangely it is really Hawaii in a bottle, and I like this smell in Hawaii (reminded me of the first moment when I got off the plane straight to the apron at the big island's airport :))

The opening to Kai EDP is extraordinary; lush, heavy, wet and vibrant gardenia. And while it holds up its gardenia aroma quite well, I find that it becomes strident, sickly and artifical, similar to some scented toilet paper I used to favour. Gardenia is a tricky note for my skin and it is not working for me here.

In a related story, I shoved my wrist under my husband's nose for comment and he said "It smells terrible! Like fish!". After inquiring where he last had his nose (his ass maybe?) I said to him:

"Guess what it is called?"

"What?"

"Kai"

Evil laughing ensued. Kai is his mother-in-law's name.

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.

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...