KAYALI debuts in China on 15 October, available across over 300 Sephora locations and the retailer’s online channels.
China debut and retail strategy
The entry follows the brand’s recent expansion in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
With an eight-year partnership spanning over 30 countries and roughly 3,000 doors, KAYALI already has a solid retail foundation.
The company aims to rank among the top three fragrance brands on Sephora China. Xia Ding, Managing Director of Sephora Greater China, said the launch reflects Sephora’s ambitions to “continue shaping the future of beauty discovery in China”.
Jessica Hanson, Global President of the brand, described Chinese fragrance consumers as “among the most sophisticated and discerning in the world.” She added that the launch is a carefully prepared milestone.
Product rollout and consumer events
Initial availability will include seven signature scents such as Vanilla, Yum Boujee Marshmallow and Musk. Nine additional fragrances are scheduled for November, expanding the brand’s “scent-layering” options.
Founder and CEO Mona Kattan will host an intimate KAYALI Scent Lab in Shanghai, giving shoppers a first-hand look at the brand’s layering concept.
The brand will also feature the “art of layering” at the SEPHORiA Shanghai festival, where its fragrances will be on display.
“Chinese consumers are increasingly eager to explore fragrance in more personal and experiential ways,” Ding noted, highlighting Sephora’s role in connecting brands with local shoppers.
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Kattan emphasized community, saying that bringing the brand to a market where beauty lovers are “connected, curious and expressive” feels “incredibly special.”
A localized campaign titled “Sweet Overload, Joy Explode” will spotlight fragrance discovery and the founder’s Middle Eastern heritage.
To reach shoppers online, the brand will use China-based apps Rednote and WeChat as part of its community strategy.
Ten Sephora locations in major cities will host KAYALI Café experiences, beginning with the Shanghai NJW flagship in October. The concept has previously appeared in Dubai, New York, Miami, Mumbai, San Francisco and Paris.
Agnes Brissiaud, VP Global Merchandising Fragrance & Haircare at Sephora, said the brand is “We are bringing the brand’s DNA to life through education, layering, and personalization, in a way that truly speaks to Chinese fragrance customers.”
Marketing and community initiatives
Beyond perfume, the brand introduced a lip and body-care collection in August, adapting two Yum fragrances into creams and balms to extend the layering ritual.
The move follows KAYALI’s shift to independent operation after Huda Beauty sold its ownership to Kattan and growth-equity firm General Atlantic in 2025. Kattan remained CEO, with the investment intended to support new products and global expansion.
While the Chinese launch marks a significant step, the brand’s recent UK rollout offers a template for success. Earlier this year, KAYALI partnered with Space NK, opening online listings and 19 physical stores across cities such as Oxford Circus, Birmingham, Belfast and Liverpool.
Space NK introduced 24 KAYALI fragrances, led by Vanilla and Yum Boujee Marshmallow, mirroring the combined online-offline strategy planned for China.
