ISLAND MILK WINS BEST MILK FRAGRANCE!😜

Hi ,

I recently read that there were over 6,000 fragrance releases in the past year. Six THOUSAND.

Imagine standing out in that crowd? And yet...here we are.

ISLAND MILK was just named Best Milk Fragrance of 2026​ by Byrdie Beauty.

A couple years ago I sat with my perfumers reviewing our lineup. I'd taken a leap on one fragrance in particular- a spicy, warm, balm-to-the-soul scent inspired by a tea my grandmother used to make for me. Cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, and ginger with condensed milk- warmed stovetop.

Feeling a little vulnerable, I ran to Sephora and sniffed a few of the milk fragrances, afraid I'd pushed it too far. To my nose, they felt cold. The milk I grew up with was never cold. It arrived warm, carried by loving, all-knowing hands that quietly placed a cup of tea in front of you before you even realized you needed it. ISLAND MILK is that fragrance. It opens with cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom and ginger before softening into cashew milk, brown sugar, tonka bean, and warm musk.

It's still spicy. On purpose. It's also the fragrance that moves people the most—including me. I wear it when I want to feel held. When the world feels a little colder than I'd like. It's the fragrance that stood out in the crowd of milky fragrances.

Here's what Byrdie had to say:

“The perfume world has lately been obsessed with a lactonic fragrance, but this adds a new layer to that obsession. Atop a creamy, milky base, notes of cinnamon, cashew, and brown sugar add a warm, spiced, and somewhat festive quality to this scent. But not in a ‘holiday candle’ way—more so like you’re in a Hallmark movie and sipping on a chai latte at a cozy neighborhood café with Norah Jones playing.” — Derek Deng, associate content editor

By the way, if you're curious about how this all goes down...editors don't tell you why they're requesting your fragrance. They simply ask for a sample. Then...silence.

Weeks later you get an email saying you've won and asking you to keep it under embargo until the awards are published.

So if you heard hollering from Brooklyn last week...

That was me.

xoxo,

Karen