This Perfume Makes Me Instantly Feel Cooler Every Time I Wear It
Plenty of fragrances are long-lasting, but this formula goes way beyond that.
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty
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January is all about reinvention, so I’m thrilled to stumble on a fragrance so early in the year that allows me to reinvent myself with every spritz.
Meet Kayali’s Freedom Musk Santal 34 Eau de Parfum, a richly layered, spicy, slightly citrusy musk that’s dominated my month so far.
Kayali Freedom Musk Santal 34
In December, I waxed poetic about Ellis Brooklyn’s Vanilla Man as the spicy, rummy vanilla scent to gift your favorite person (yourself included). In fall, I wrote about the spooky, resinous mystery of Häxan’s Heretic, a smell that continues to spark interest whenever I wear it.
This month, I feel like a new person—at least, as far as fragrance is concerned. I’ve been blown away by the musky goodness of Freedom Musk Santal 34, a scent from beauty mogul Mona Kattan’s brand, Kayali.
Sure, the name “Freedom” rings a bit odd in 2026. Name aside, however, this fragrance really does unburden me from the constraints of who I thought I once was—a musk hater.
I’m not the only one wowed by Freedom Musk Santal 34, which you can nab for $150 at Sephora. TikTok user @lushoctober, too, found herself pleasantly surprised by this musky aroma. In a video dedicated to the scent, she says, “This is not really in my wheelhouse. I’m a true gourmand girly, but I sprayed this on, and I could smell it the next day.”
Freedom Musk Santal 34, Note by Note
This scent kicks off with top notes of bergamot, sparkling pink pepper, and mandarin. I usually don’t love pink pepper because I think it sometimes gives fragrances a bit of “bite” that I find translates harshly on my skin. In this formula, that note doesn’t bother me at all; instead, it smells bright and fresh.
Middle notes of sweet freesia, soft lily, and lavender settle throughout the day, giving the perfume a slightly calming effect. I pick up on the lavender much more in my skin than I do with the other middle notes, and it works really well to balance out the musk here and keep things fresh and not too heavy.
Finally, base notes of candied amber, musk, santal (sandalwood), and vetiver give the fragrance a warm, long-lasting body that follows you throughout the day.
Kayali Freedom Musk Santal 34
Sephora
The longevity of this perfume is truly impressive. Not only does it last long enough for me to actually appreciate the evolving notes, but it also allows the narcissist in me to feel like my mere presence—and the small, tasteful, perfumed cloud that wafts in with me—is enough to make a room more glamorous.
The Final Word
Don’t just take my nose for it, though. At my monthly perfume show-and-tell with my best friend, she also picked out the Freedom Musk Santal 34 as her favorite out of many, many other strong contenders. She said it smelled like “your skin but better,” a popular descriptor for musks that smell clean and not artificial.
The only thing I’ve found this fragrance comes close to is Parfums de Marly’s Valaya, which is also a citrusy musk. However, comparing a spritz of Freedom Santal 34 to a spritz of Valaya, I find that Kayali smells more amber than Valaya. Right now, given the temperature outside, I prefer the warmer, cozier Kayali fragrance.
If you, too, are looking for a unique take on musk or a fragrance to change your mind about this olfactory staple, pick up Kayali’s Freedom Musk Santal 34.
If you’re willing to take my word for it and invest in a full bottle, it’s available at Sephora in a 100 mL format for $150. Prefer to dip your toes in before taking a perfume plunge? The brand makes trial-friendly sizes, too, including a 10 mL tube for $29 and a 50 mL mini bottle for $32.