If you are looking for a Kayali Vanilla 28 dupe, here is the honest answer: Gloria does not make a perfume inspired by Vanilla 28, and nothing on this page is sold as one. What Gloria does make are vanilla perfumes that share part of its mood, the warm mix of vanilla, sugar, tonka and amber, from AED 90. Velvet comes nearest on the warm amber-vanilla side, Marshmallow on the sugary side, and SweetHalo is the softer, powdery choice.
Below you will find what Vanilla 28 actually smells like, a side-by-side table of Gloria's vanilla perfumes with the notes they share and the ways they differ, and which to wear in UAE heat.
What Kayali Vanilla 28 smells like
Vanilla | 28 was one of the four perfumes Kayali launched in November 2018. Kayali is the Dubai-based fragrance brand co-founded by Mona Kattan, named after the Arabic word for "my imagination", and the number in each name records how many rounds of formulation it took, so this one reached its final form on the 28th. Kayali credits the perfumer Gabriela Chelariu.
Kayali lists the notes as vanilla orchid and creamy jasmine at the top; a vanilla infusion, vanilla surabsolute and tonka in the heart; and brown sugar, musk, patchouli and amber woods at the base. The brand files it under warm and gourmand, and Sephora calls it a balanced, subtly spicy gourmand.
In plain terms, it smells of warm vanilla with brown sugar and tonka, grounded by amber woods and a little patchouli. The patchouli and woods give the sweetness an edge, which is why it reads warm and cosy rather than like sugar alone.
Two things are worth knowing before you buy. The colour can darken over time: the retail listing says it is made with natural ingredients and the colour may change. And in April 2026 a story that Kayali was replacing Vanilla 28 with a new "Vanilla 29" spread quickly; Mona Kattan then said it was an April Fools' joke and that Vanilla 28 is not being discontinued. Kayali's own site still lists it.
No Gloria dupe, so here is how we compared
Most Gloria perfumes are inspired by a named designer or niche scent, and Vanilla 28 is not on that list. Rather than call something a Vanilla 28 dupe when it is not, we compared published notes. Keep one thing in mind while reading the table: sharing a note is not sharing a perfume. Two scents can both list vanilla and tonka and still smell different because of what surrounds them.
If Vanilla 28 itself is what you love, buy it from Kayali or an authorised retailer. If you want Kayali's own take on a different vanilla, the brand has added others since 2018, such as Vanilla Royale Sugared Patchouli | 64 (2022) and Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar | 42 (2024). The Gloria perfumes below are for anyone who wants a warm vanilla mood at AED 90 to 120.
Gloria vanilla perfumes compared with Vanilla 28
| Gloria perfume | Price | Inspired by | Shares with Vanilla 28 | How it differs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velvet | AED 90 | Ani, Nishane | Vanilla, tonka bean, amber; caramel where Vanilla 28 has brown sugar | Bergamot and pink pepper open it; rose and iris make the heart powdery and floral |
| Marshmallow | AED 90 | Yum Boujee Marshmallow 81, Kayali | Vanilla orchid, tonka bean, musk, a sugared note | Marshmallow, coconut and caramel make it lighter and more like sweets; no amber or patchouli |
| Layla | AED 90 | Gloria original | Jasmine, vanilla, amber, musk | Pear, bergamot and orange blossom make it fresher and more floral; no sugar or tonka |
| SweetHalo | AED 90 | Vanilla Powder, Matière Première | Vanilla, musk | Coconut powder and palo santo wood; no sugar note, so it reads powdery and dry |
| Orchid Bloom | AED 90 | Flora Gorgeous Orchid, Gucci | Vanilla orchid | Ozonic notes make it airy; the most transparent vanilla here |
| Latte | AED 120 | Bianco Latte, Giardini di Toscana | Vanilla, tonka bean, musk | Almond milk, caramel and white chocolate make it milky and dessert-like |
| Tonka Royalty | AED 120 | Arabians Tonka, Montale | Tonka bean, vanilla, amber | Saffron, rose and oud make it an Arabian oud-amber, darker and heavier |
| Pure Mukhamaria | AED 90 | Gloria original | Vanilla, musk | A hair and body perfume oil, not a spray; simple vanilla and white musk |
Which vanilla alternative fits you
If you love Vanilla 28's warmth and want the nearest mood: Velvet, AED 90. Inspired by Nishane's Ani, it opens with bergamot and pink pepper, puts rose and iris in the heart and dries down to vanilla, tonka bean, amber and caramel. That base covers the vanilla, tonka and amber of Vanilla 28, with caramel where Kayali uses brown sugar. Skip it if you dislike powdery florals; rose and iris sit right in the middle.
If you want it sweeter and fluffier for daytime: Marshmallow, AED 90. Inspired by Kayali's own Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81, it opens with sugared marshmallow and bergamot, moves to vanilla orchid and coconut, and settles on tonka bean, caramel and musk. It shares Vanilla 28's vanilla orchid, tonka and musk but leans towards sweets rather than amber. Skip it if you want depth; there is no amber or patchouli to ground it.
If you want a vanilla that works at the office: Layla, AED 90. A Gloria original: bergamot and pear, then orange blossom and jasmine, then vanilla, amber and clean musk. It shares Vanilla 28's jasmine, vanilla, amber and musk, without the sugar. Skip it if you want vanilla to be the headline; here it is the base.
If you want something powdery and quiet: SweetHalo, AED 90. Inspired by Matière Première's Vanilla Powder: coconut powder, palo santo wood, Madagascar vanilla absolute and white musk. The Vanilla Powder page has the full comparison. Skip it if you want brown-sugar sweetness; SweetHalo is dry and soft by comparison.
If you want the lightest vanilla for summer days: Orchid Bloom, AED 90. Inspired by Gucci's Flora Gorgeous Orchid: warm vanilla cream first, then vanilla orchid, then ozonic notes that leave a cool, airy veil. Skip it if you want warmth and depth; it is the most transparent vanilla here.
If you want a dessert scent for cooler evenings: Latte, AED 120. Inspired by Giardini di Toscana's Bianco Latte: almond milk and bergamot, then vanilla, caramel and white chocolate, then musk and tonka bean. Skip it if milky notes feel heavy to you, especially in summer.
If you want vanilla with an Arabian oud edge for the majlis: Tonka Royalty, AED 120. Inspired by Montale's Arabians Tonka: saffron and bergamot, rose and oud, then tonka bean, vanilla and amber. Skip it if you do not wear oud; it is the darkest option here.
If you want vanilla on your hair or skin under an abaya: Pure Mukhamaria, AED 90. A hair and body perfume oil of warm vanilla and clean white musk that layers under any of the perfumes above. Skip it if you want a spray that fills a room; an oil sits closer to you.
The best vanilla perfume for UAE weather
Vanilla is a base note, so it is one of the last things left on your skin, and heat makes sweet notes feel stronger. The best vanilla perfume in the UAE therefore depends on the month and the hour more than on the bottle.
- June to September, daytime: the lightest options, Orchid Bloom, SweetHalo or Layla, sprayed on skin that stays covered.
- Air-conditioned offices: one or two sprays of Layla or Velvet.
- Evenings and the cooler months from November: Latte, Tonka Royalty or Velvet can take an extra spray.
- Weddings and Eid: Pure Mukhamaria on the hair with Velvet or Tonka Royalty on skin.
Keep vanilla perfumes out of a parked car and away from sunny windowsills. For more on wearing gourmand scents in this climate, see our sweet vanilla perfume guide, and for why "vanilla" on a label can mean different materials, read vanilla vs vanillin in perfume.
Where to buy it in the seven emirates
Gloria Naturals is sold only at glorianaturals.ae, not through resellers or marketplace listings, whether you live in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah. Every order ships from our own stock in Ajman and Sharjah, delivery is free with no minimum spend, and you can pay cash on delivery.
Questions people ask
Is there a Kayali Vanilla 28 dupe at Gloria?
No. Gloria has no perfume inspired by Vanilla 28. Velvet, Marshmallow, Layla and SweetHalo share parts of its mood, and the table above lists which notes overlap and how each one differs.
What does Kayali Vanilla 28 smell like?
Warm vanilla with brown sugar and tonka over amber woods, musk and a little patchouli, with vanilla orchid and creamy jasmine at the top. Kayali files it under warm and gourmand.
Is Kayali Vanilla 28 discontinued?
No. The "Vanilla 29" replacement story that spread in April 2026 was an April Fools' joke, according to founder Mona Kattan, who said Vanilla 28 is not being discontinued. It is still listed on Kayali's own site.
Why is my Vanilla 28 darker than my friend's bottle?
The retail listing explains that the perfume is made with natural ingredients and its colour may change or darken over time, so two bottles can look different.
Is Gloria Marshmallow a dupe of Kayali Yum Boujee Marshmallow 81?
Marshmallow is inspired by Yum Boujee Marshmallow | 81, Kayali's 2024 marshmallow perfume, and follows its sweet marshmallow direction with its own notes: sugared marshmallow, bergamot, vanilla orchid, coconut, tonka bean, caramel and musk. The Yum Boujee Marshmallow 81 page has the full comparison.
What is the best vanilla perfume for summer in the UAE?
A light one in small amounts: Orchid Bloom, SweetHalo or Layla, all AED 90. Save the richer vanillas, Latte and Tonka Royalty, for evenings and the cooler months.
Is vanilla perfume only for women?
No. Fragrantica lists Vanilla 28 for women and men, and several Gloria vanillas are unisex, including Velvet, SweetHalo, Latte and Tonka Royalty.
Ordering in the UAE
Every product on this page costs AED 90 or AED 120. Delivery is free on every order across all seven emirates, you can pay cash on delivery, and orders usually arrive in 1–3 days.
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Gloria Naturals