Bella Hadid's New Orebella Perfume Is Vanilla for People Who Hate Overly Sweet

I love vanilla. I also completely understand why someone might hate vanilla.

There is a very fine line between smelling like soft, warm skin with a little sweetness and smelling like you have been trapped inside a cupcake shop since 2014.

Bella Hadid's new Orebella fragrance, “Vanilla's Touch,” is very deliberately aiming for the first one.

This Is Vanilla, But Barely

Created with perfumer Jérôme Epinette, “Vanilla's Touch” starts with sugar, marshmallow and sheer vanilla before moving into transparent florals and whipped cream.

Then it gets softer.

The drydown brings in soft woods, skin musk and white musk, giving the fragrance that clean, warm, close-to-the-body feeling Orebella is going for.

It is basically vanilla after someone turned the volume down.

Bella Wanted Her Skin to Smell Sweet

The idea behind the fragrance is surprisingly simple.

Hadid says she has always wanted to make a soft vanilla that adds “a little touch of sweetness” to the skin, rather than completely taking over the person wearing it.

And that distinction matters.

The current fragrance mood has moved increasingly toward perfumes that feel intimate: skin musks, sheer florals, creamy woods and scents that make someone smell good without announcing themselves from three rooms away.

“Vanilla's Touch” fits directly into that world.

A Very Bella Way to Smell Like Yourself

“Vanilla's Touch” launches October 2 for $39, joining Orebella's existing Body & Hair Perfume Mist lineup alongside “Gardenia's Whisper,” “Nectar Dew” and “Golden Brûlée.”

It is vegan and cruelty-free, and the formula is designed to work across both body and hair.

And honestly, I like the restraint.

Sometimes I want a perfume that walks into the room before I do.

Other times I just want someone to get close enough and think, wait, what smells so good?

This one is very clearly going for the second option.