Sarah Baker Year XOXO Review: Notes, Story & the Vanilla Trilogy
The year is 2126. Nevada is a ghost town. Under a small shack, one last apple tree still grows.
Sarah Baker Year XOXO is a 2026 Extrait de Parfum by perfumer Margaux Le Paih Guérin and the final chapter of the brand's Vanilla Trilogy. It pairs crisp green apple, airy ozone and soft musk with cashmere woods and Madagascan vanilla, for a clean, weightless take on vanilla. The 100ml is $295.
What is Sarah Baker Year XOXO?
Year XOXO is a unisex Extrait de Parfum from Sarah Baker Perfumes, released worldwide on October 5, 2026. The brand's tagline for it is "The return of lost paradise." It is the last of three vanilla fragrances that tell one story across time, and the one set furthest in the future.
The story behind Year XOXO
The Vanilla Trilogy is a "perfume Western" set in a single fictional place at three points in time. Velvet Vendetta is the past, a Nevada saloon. Va Va Vanilla is the present, a strip club. Year XOXO is the future.
In that future, the town of Belmont, Nevada, is a dead ghost town after climate collapse. Beneath a small shack is a hidden paradise of gardens, orchards and vanilla vines that work as living technology, where survivors keep books and knowledge alive. A scientist named Eve tends the last apple tree, which doubles as an organic time machine. The symbolism is deliberate: Eve, the forbidden fruit, paradise.
Because nobody knows what the future smells like, the team narrowed the formula to three versions and let people vote at Esxence in Milan and ScentFest in San Francisco. The winning version, known as Mod 2, became Year XOXO. A darker, leathery, metallic alternative lost, as it felt like the wrong vision of the future.
Crispy, ozonic, clouds. Weightless love on a molecular level.
Year XOXO fragrance notes
- Top: Green apple, soft musks, ozone
- Heart: Paperback books, warm skin, white paint wash
- Base: Cashmere wood, fluffy clouds effect, Forbidden vanilla
Main accords: ozonic, musky, powdery, vanilla, fruity, with fresh, sweet and green facets.
The vanilla is natural Madagascan vanilla, called Forbidden Vanilla in the story, blended with synthetic materials to build the airy, futuristic textures.
How does Year XOXO smell?
It opens with tart green apple over a rush of clean, ozonic air and soft musk. As it develops, the vanilla becomes more present, supported by smooth cashmere woods, warm skin and a faint paperback-book nostalgia. It is the sweetest of the three trilogy scents, but it is not a dessert. The perfumer calls it an "anti-gourmand vanilla," which makes it a good candidate for people who normally find sweet fragrances too heavy.
The Vanilla Trilogy: how do the three compare?
| Velvet Vendetta | Va Va Vanilla | Year XOXO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | The past: a Nevada saloon | The present: a strip club | The future: the year 2126 |
| Character | Dark, smoky, boozy, spicy | Glamorous, boozy gourmand | Airy, clean, ozonic, musky |
| Key notes | Whisky, tobacco, smoke, nutmeg, pink pepper | Rum, coffee, cherry, leather, saffron | Green apple, ozone, cashmere wood, vanilla |
| Best for | Fall and winter evenings | Date night | Day or date night, spring and fall |
Who is Year XOXO for?
It suits anyone who wants vanilla without the sugar: people who like fresh, musky, skin-close scents and find classic gourmands cloying. It reads as unisex and works in daytime as well as on a date. If you want the opposite mood, smoky and boozy, the earlier trilogy entries are the better pick.
Packaging
Year XOXO is presented in a white box with a black interior that holds the bottle. The brand also offers the three trilogy scents together as a set of three 30ml Extraits.
Where to buy Sarah Baker Year XOXO
La Jetée Perfumery is an authorized Sarah Baker retailer. Shop Year XOXO Extrait de Parfum 100ml ($295) online with free shipping over $150, or visit us in Orlando, Nashville or Las Vegas. Want to try before you commit? A 2ml sample is available on the product page. Browse the rest of the trilogy with Velvet Vendetta and Va Va Vanilla, or see all Sarah Baker fragrances.
Frequently asked questions
Who made Sarah Baker Year XOXO?
Perfumer Margaux Le Paih Guérin created it for Sarah Baker Perfumes.
What does Year XOXO smell like?
Green apple, ozone and soft musk over cashmere woods and Madagascan vanilla, with a light paperback-book and warm-skin touch.
Is Year XOXO a gourmand?
Not really. It is the sweetest of the Vanilla Trilogy, but the perfumer calls it an anti-gourmand vanilla: clean and airy rather than dessert-like.
Is Year XOXO unisex?
Yes, it is marketed for women and men.
What is the Vanilla Trilogy?
Three Sarah Baker fragrances set in one place at different times: Velvet Vendetta (past), Va Va Vanilla (present) and Year XOXO (future).
When was Year XOXO released?
October 5, 2026.
How much does Year XOXO cost?
$295 for the 100ml Extrait de Parfum at La Jetée Perfumery.