Kama Carnal by Ataratma: A Quiet Hit of Joy

Written by Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

Last September, a new perfume brand quietly appeared on the London scene: Ataratma. The name itself means “the essence of the self,” and that already tells you a lot about what they aim to do. The brand is built around the idea that scent can support emotional balance. It draws inspiration from ancient South Asian healing practices, especially Ayurveda, and blends them with modern neuroscience to create fragrances that speak not only to the nose, but also to the mind and mood.

Photo credit: Instagram / @kristinakii.scents

Ataratma was founded by people with a solid background in the industry, who believe perfume is more than a beauty product. Naturally, I was curious. When the brand offered to send me a discovery kit, I said yes instantly. And honestly, it doesn’t happen often that I connect with a fragrance right away. Here, two of them caught me immediately: Tonka Bala and Kama Carnal. Today, I want to talk about the latter – because it has that special ability to put me in a better mood in seconds.

Kama Carnal was created by perfumer Nelly Hachem-Ruiz, known for her bright, expressive style. And this scent? It’s joyful, sensual, and very easy to enjoy without being simplistic. It opens with a burst of coconut water and ylang-ylang, giving it a tropical aura. But forget about the typical “pina-colada” fragrances – the ones that are fun for summer holidays, but that you rarely reach for once the vacation is over. Kama Carnal feels different. More polished, more confident, more grown up.

The magic comes from the way the luminous florals wrap around the tropical notes. Neroli gives a soft, creamy freshness. The sweetness doesn’t come from sugary fruitiness, like often in tropical perfumes, but from the floral touch of jasmine. It feels sunlit, warm, and a little flirtatious – like the moment when the heat of the day starts melting into evening and the air becomes thicker, more radiant, more inviting.

Every time I spray it, I get this instant “smile effect.” It reminds me of late afternoons by the sea, of warm skin, salty hair, and that slightly tipsy joy after a long summer day. It feels like a mood booster in a bottle – the kind of perfume you wear when you want to bring light back into a dull day.

But it’s not just brightness. Once it settles on the skin, the fragrance becomes deeper and more intimate. The base has a warm, comforting vanillic amber quality, with a generous amount of benzoin adding a soft, resinous sweetness. This part makes the perfume feel grounding and almost meditative, which fits perfectly with the brand’s philosophy.

To me, Kama Carnal is very inviting. It’s tropical but sophisticated, playful but elegant, bright but still sensual. A true “feel-good” fragrance that doesn’t rely on clichés.

As Ataratma’s first collection hits the market, it’s exciting to see a brand trying to merge emotional well-being with modern perfumery in a way that doesn’t feel forced. If Kama Carnal is any indication of what they plan to do next, I’ll be watching them very closely.

[Kindly gifted for a review, opinions my own]