Velvet Vendetta by Sarah Baker: Vanilla Like Never Before
Written by Kristina Kybartaite-Damule
The house of Sarah Baker has always been about storytelling through scent – unapologetically bold, decadent, and slightly mischievous. Her newest launch, Velvet Vendetta, is no exception.
Photo credit: Instagram / @kristinakii.scents
Created by Margaux Le Paih-Guérin, Velvet Vendetta is a perfume that twists the idea of vanilla in an unexpected way. It plays with contrasts, from velvety soft vanilla to the dark touch of gunsmoke.
From the first spray, it’s clear this is no ordinary vanilla. Gunsmoke and pink pepper lend the composition an unexpected tension – a hint of heat over something soft and plush. The vanilla rises almost immediately, but it’s a dangerous kind, more dark and smoky than gourmand. Nutmeg and dried fruits lend warmth and texture, giving the scent a feel, like running your hand over velvet against the grain.
As it develops, the Bourbon vanilla comes more and more to the forefront, tinted with an almost savory black olive nuance that keeps the sweetness in check. It’s this interplay between comfort and conflict that makes the fragrance so magnetic. You catch whiffs of something familiar, the next moment it’s already something thrillingly foreign.
The drydown is about vanilla, hidden in shadow and smoke. It is surrounded by tobacco and resins – it’s velvety but still wild, warm but still has that noir feeling. It’s rich and enveloping, but never too heavy – the kind of scent that moves like a smoke across skin in a slow-motion shot.
What makes Velvet Vendetta so fascinating is its sense of movement – it evolves like a story on the skin. One moment it’s sweet and soft, the next it’s sharp, mysterious, and a little bit dangerous. Margaux Le Paih-Guérin manages to capture the duality of velvet itself: the caress and the burn, the comfort and the threat. The fragrance plays with texture as much as aroma.
The perfumes from Sarah Baker are never shy – they provoke thought and often feel like characters from an untold film. Velvet Vendetta continues that narrative.
It’s rare to find a vanilla fragrance that feels genuinely new, but Velvet Vendetta manages exactly that. It doesn’t try to please – it seduces, challenges, and surprises. This is vanilla with grit, glamour, and just enough danger to keep you coming back for more.
[PR bottle, opinion my own]