I own hundreds of bottles of perfume (it's my job, okay?!?!). From expensive perfumes that cost a quarter of my rent to viral TikTok scents like Baccarat Rouge 540 to the underground niche brands beauty editors love, I've sniffed and tested basically everything under the sun. But color-me-shocked when I added the Kylie Jenner Cosmic perfume to my collection, and suddenly, it quickly became my most-complimented perfume.
Not that I doubted Miss Jenner (Kylie Cosmetics makes my go-to powder foundation rn and one of the best skin tints for oily skin), but I tend to be quite hard-to-please in the fragrance arena. But I started seeing countless positive reviews for her original perfume, followed by hella excitement when she announced the extension with Cosmic 2.0. Plus, I absolutely loved KKW Fragrances back in the day, so having a solid nose for what makes the best perfume may just run in the family, I thought. So, the testing began.
Kylie Jenner Fragrances Cosmic Eau de Parfum
Kylie Jenner Fragrances Cosmic 2.0 Eau de Parfum
What does Kylie Jenner's Cosmic perfume smell like?
Key notes of Cosmic: Star jasmine, blood orange, red peony, amber, musk, vanilla, cedar
Sorry, Club Chalamet, but this is exactly what I imagine wafting in the air when Kylie and Timothée went on that cute picnic date early in their 'ship. At first sniff, it's powdery and musky—a soft floral, thanks to the jasmine in the top notes of the perfume. It's very traditionally feminine and fresh in the opening. But as it dries down, I get some of the warmth from amber, vanilla, and cedar—a touch of sweetness with a grounding element of woods make this a purely fresh floral, not a sweet perfume, by any means.
What does Kylie Jenner's Cosmic 2.0 perfume smell like?
Key notes of Cosmic 2.0: Pear, pink pepper, vanilla orchid, lavender, amber, sandalwood
Cosmic 2.0, on the other hand, is Kylie's take on a sweeter scent. It still isn't a traditional sticky, foodie gourmand, necessarily, although the vanilla orchid is definitely super prevalent. The most apparent note, IMO, is the pink pepper—it gives this a salty, spicy edge. In all, this scent is extremely nostalgic to me. Like a hairspray or body mist from my youth that I thought I'd long forgotten—the pear, lavender, and amber notes really blend together and smell juicy and warm. If Cosmic smells like spring, this smells like summer.
Does Cosmic by Kylie Jenner last long?
Both Cosmic and Cosmic 2.0 have lasted more than eight hours on my skin, and even longer on my clothes, per all my testing over the last two months. I can spritz this on in the morning at the office, and I still can catch a whiff of it on myself at dinner nearly 10 hours later. And when I sprayed it on my jacket, it stuck for days. Okayyyy, Kylie!
My review:
At first sniff, I found Cosmic quite basic. But that doesn't mean I didn't love it! It just didn't have the unique edge of so many of the other perfumes I've added to my collection. Rather, it felt simple. Like the white T-shirt of perfumes. But as I kept wearing it, and people continuously asked what perfume I was wearing because I smelled so good, I realized that maybe the uncomplicated combination of notes was exactly what I needed.
Before I left the office for a work dinner, I coated myself in three spritzes of Cosmic across my neck and chest, plus one dab on my wrist. I wanted to see how this would project on my skin as well as on my clothes. As I walked into my event, I immediately was hit with compliments. "You smell so good," "What perfume are you wearing?" "Wait, what perfume is that??" My colleagues were equally as surprised when I proudly announced my scent was a result of Kylie Jenner's debut fragrance. Hours later, as I stumbled into my Uber exhausted from the day, my driver even said I smelled nice. That's when ya know.
Quickly, Cosmic became my go-to perfume when I wanted to smell good without having to overthink things. It's not dull or boring; rather, it's unassuming and fresh. I don't have to worry that whoever's next to me in the office will start choking over how strong it is, nor do I need to stash it in my bag to reapply throughout the night.
I feel similarly when it comes to Cosmic 2.0—it's not too heavy or intense—but it definitely feels like the nighttime version. It's just a touch bolder and might feel a bit too sexy for a casual day at the office, but it's quiet enough that I could wear it on a dinner date without totally overtaking the vibe. I love the slight sweetness (I only wear sweet perfumes on dates now, btw), but really appreciate how it's paired with a lil spice too. The longevity and sillage are equally effective for me, which is really impressive for a perfume under $100.
Cosmo HQ reviews:
But could it just be me? I polled our office to get their takes too, and most everyone agreed. "This is what I picture Kylie smells like," says beauty director Lauren Balsamo. Here's the thing: Balsamo's been a beauty editor for more than 10 years, so she's extremely selective about the scents she'll spray on herself. When she sniffed this out of the bottle, she didn't gawk or crinkle her nose like usual (I ask her to smell a lot of scents, tbf). Instead, she said she actually liked it—extremely high praise. She loved how soft and fresh the O.G. scent is, but found the 2.0 version a bit too sweet for her usual tastes.
Around the Cosmo office, reviews were mixed. Some loved how fresh and lightly sweet the original Cosmic scent was, while others preferred the more subdued woodiness in Cosmic 2.0. Social media strategist Corinne Bickell picked up a saltiness inside Cosmic 2.0, which likely is coming from the spicy pink pepper. Meanwhile, social media and growth editor Joanna Marquina caught the floral middle notes as she kept sniffing. Cosmic 2.0 also smelled like something from their childhoods too—so we basically all need to go on a journey to figure out what the heck it is that we're remembering.
Final verdict:
If you like noncomplex scents that just smell good, you'll probably be a huge fan of Kylie Jenner's Cosmic and Cosmic 2.0. Are they the most fancy, sophisticated, unique perfumes I've ever smelled? No, but not everyone needs that!! I love how simplistic yet yummy these smell, whether I want a fresh floral or a warm sweet scent. Oh, and they're pretty affordable, available to sniff IRL at Ulta (or, if you're like me, easily returnable if you buy both and gotta decide which to keep, lol), and last a full day on my skin. Thank you, King Kylie. 👑
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with six years of experience researching, writing, and editing fragrance stories that range from solid perfumes to perfume trends. She regularly tests and analyzes fragrances while working with the industry’s top perfumers to assess new formulas and brands.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
