Written by Kristina Kybartaite-Damule
My series of discoveries from TFWA Cannes 2026 begins with Commodity. I met the team in their presentation room for a look at what is coming next, and while some very exciting developments remain under embargo, there is already plenty to share – including smaller bottles and a new fragrance that brings together warm spices and condensed milk.
Images: Instagram / @kristinakii.scents
Commodity is introducing 30 ml bottles of its bestsellers, and I have to say, they look very cute in this smaller format. There is also a set of miniature 7.5 ml dabber bottles, which would make a lovely gift – or a tempting addition to your own collection if you have a weakness for miniatures.
The highlight of the meeting, however, was Spice.
It arrives in Commodity’s three Scent Spaces: Spice− (Personal), Spice (Expressive) and Spice+ (Bold). The concept gives wearers a choice in how closely a fragrance sits to the skin or how boldly it announces itself. I still find this a clever approach: how much space we want our perfume to occupy can be just as personal as the scent itself.
I took home Spice in the Expressive version, and it is the one I have been getting to know the best.
Spice draws on the early childhood of Commodity’s re-founder, Vicken Arslanian, and for him, this must be the most personal fragrance in the collection.
“Having grown up in an Armenian household in Kuwait, I was exposed to a unique combination of tastes, scents and environments,” he recalls.
His memories bring together dry heat, dusty landscapes, spice-filled family dinners and generously sweet desserts. Those contrasting sensations became the starting point for the perfume.
Spice smells very much as its name promises: warm, spicy and sweet.
The opening brings a blast of saffron, followed by an aromatic bustle that makes me feel as though I have stepped into a kitchen. I pick up impressions of nutmeg, clove and cardamom, all gathering around that initial saffron note. For a moment, the effect feels almost culinary.
Then the sweetness begins to emerge. Sugar and condensed milk soften the spices, giving the composition a creamy character. The transition is quick, but the spices keep their presence throughout.
That tension is what makes Spice interesting to me. It is undoubtedly a gourmand, with enough aromatic warmth and texture to keep me returning to my wrist. The sweetness feels generous without becoming sticky or tooth-aching, while the spices give it a lively edge.
Knowing about Arslanian’s sweet tooth, the direction makes sense. There is a clear connection between the spiced dishes and sugary desserts of his childhood and the way the perfume moves on skin.
As it settles, soft sandalwood and tonka bean give the fragrance depth, supporting its sweetness and making the whole composition feel rounder and more enveloping.
Spice was created by Christelle Laprade, the perfumer behind one of my other Commodity favorites, Milk, as well as the popular Milk Orchid. I feel that her work here gives the spicy opening a soft, comforting place to land.
For me, Spice feels well suited to chilly autumn days. It has the warmth I want when the temperature drops, with enough spice to make its sweetness interesting.