When I heard that Summer Fridays was launching a fragrance, I immediately had a vision of what the scent would be. The brand’s Vanilla Lip Butter Balm (an Allure Best of Beauty winner) is both popular and delicious, so I had a gut feeling we were getting a tasty gourmand that’s sweet, cozy, and nostalgic. A few weeks ago, I visited The Sun Room, the brand’s NYC pop-up, to see if my predictions were right (spoiler: I was right on the money).
When I rounded the corner in SoHo, just steps away from New York’s Erewhon dupe, Happier Grocery, the first thing I saw was a vintage, caramel-colored Porsche parked outside—an immediate sign that I was both in the right place and onto something with my predictions. Entering the installation, the simple but cozy room was lined with beige curtains, which instantly warmed the space up against the austere, gray light streaming in from the windows.
Never a brand to slack on visuals, Summer Fridays set up a large table in the center of the room, with some of the scent note sources (like old school caramel chews) piled into adorable teacups. There were also plenty of bottles of perfume to sample, as well as a large bowl of—as I suspected—Lip Butter Balms in Vanilla. I knew they were sisters!
My First Scent Impressions
For me, spritzing the perfume for the first time immediately conjured up thoughts of vanilla ice cream and sunsets on the beach. It’s certainly a gourmand, but there’s a depth to it, especially when it settles into the nutty tonka and sticky amber base. There’s a natural quality to it, like you’ve spent the day wandering through bakeries and spice shops, hints of the aromas lingering on your skin. The solar quality to it (from the fresh bergamot and tropical coconut, if I had to guess) adds a rush of nostalgia to the whole composition, like this idyllic day happened months or years ago. You get caught in a sunbeam, and the whole sweet, hazy scene comes rushing back.
Final Thoughts
I crave storytelling from scent launches—especially in a market this crowded—and I’ll happily be adding this fragrance to my spring rotation for when I need a hit of golden hour. Sunlit Vanilla is available now at Sephora, Summer Fridays, and Revolve.