This Holiday Season, Your Aura Is Going to Smell Like Mochi Milk

The holiday season is the perfect time to experience kismet. Or actually, maybe the perfect time is a couple months before December? That way, the magic can happen and be translated to something tangible before gift giving is underway.

That’s how it worked for Emi Jay’s Julianne Goldmark and DedCool’s Carina Chaz this year, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.

“Julianne and I met one night in Malibu through a friend and immediately started talking all things business, Sephora, and our brands,” explains Chaz of the companies decision to collaborate on a holiday collection. “We were already fans of each other and it just clicked. We wanted to play in hair, they wanted to play with scent, so it felt super synergistic.”

In the collection, you’ll find an Aura Hair and Body Mist in the delightful DedCool Mochi Milk scent, plus pastel mochi-toned Big Effing Clips and an (indeed very giftable) gift set.

Ahead, the founders tell us everything there is to know about DedCool x Emi Jay, which you can get your hands on beginning Tuesday, October 6.

The Inspiration

Goldmark and her team have always loved the idea of creating their own take on holiday. Think something “sweet, nostalgic, and a little unexpected, with soft pastels and confection-inspired details” instead of the regular ol’ reds, greens, and metallics.

“Mochi Milk immediately felt like the perfect scent to build that world around. We’re huge fans of DedCool, and as our customers continue to fall in love with our Aura Hair and Body Mists, collaborating with such a beloved fragrance brand felt like such a natural fit,” she explains. “The scent gave us endless inspiration to create this dreamy little Mochi Milk holiday universe together.”

“Like all our collabs, it came down to making something that felt authentic to both brands,” adds Chaz. “Emi Jay is such an amazing brand, and this feels aligned with both of our consumers while still being fun and unexpected.”

The Mist

At the forefront of the collaboration is a special-edition Aura Hair and Body Mist in Dedcool’s ever-delicious Mochi Milk scent. (It’s no surprise that sweetie brand Emi Jay would pick the sweetest member of the Milk family to grace their famous formula—Mochi Milk features notes of peach nectar, marshmallow, sweetened rice milk, sandalwood, amber, and white musk.)

“I love that it’s so much more than just a fragrance. It’s super easy to throw in your bag and use on the go, and it’s formulated with aloe and glycerin to help nourish both your hair and body while leaving you smelling amazing,” explains Goldmark. “You’re getting fragrance, a little boost of hydration and that instant refresh all in one, it’s such an effortless everyday product… and of course it’s so exciting that it now comes in Mochi Milk.”

The Scent

According to Chaz, it “had to be Mochi Milk” for this product. While the decision to use it as the official scent of the collaboration was initially her idea, it also happens to be team Emi Jay’s favorite fragrance in the DedCool lineup.

“She felt like the sweetness and warmth of the scent was such a natural fit for the holidays,” says Goldmark. “It was one of those ideas that immediately felt right, both from a fragrance perspective and for the dreamy holiday world we wanted to create around it!”

“It’s one of our most-loved scents, and I think the sweet and cozy scent notes make it the perfect hair fragrance,” Chaz adds. “It has notes of peach nectar, fluffy marshmallows, and vanilla bean, which feels like comfort in a bottle.”

The Clips

Next up, there are the “Mochi Sky” edition Big Effing Clips, which come in the prettiest dusty pastel shades of pink, blue, and yellow.

As Goldmark explains, of course Emi Jay had to Mochi Milk-ify their iconic Big Effing Clip for the collaboration.

“We pulled in soft matte pastels inspired by powder-covered mochi desserts, with baby yellow, minty blue, and the perfect mochi pink. Then we added tiny star-shaped rhinestones as a little ode to the sparkliest season of the year,” she explains. “We wanted them to feel festive and special for the holidays, while still staying true to the dreamy pastel world we created for Mochi Milk.”

While the pink clip is available to purchase solo, the other two can only be found as part of a gift set with your Aura Mist and a limited-edition air freshener.

Why It Works

Emi Jay and DedCool were both born and raised in Los Angeles. Goldmark thinks “there’s a shared sense of playfulness and personality” that comes from that.

“Both brands also make products that feel special to discover, collect and gift... whether it’s a scent you become obsessed with or a hair accessory you know someone will love,” she explains. “Bringing the two together for the holidays felt like such a natural marriage, especially during a season that’s all about finding those perfect little presents for people you love!”

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How These Brands Holiday

When chatting holiday goodies with cool brand founders, it’s important to get some intel on their favorite seasonal looks/styles. Goldmark loves “a playful, all-clipped-up look with a few textured pieces left out in the front.”

“It feels fun and a little unexpected for the holidays, but still refined and chic—especially with a sparkly clip to dress it up and Angelstick to tame the bun,” she says. Add a spritz of Mochi Milk and you’re set for all the festivities.

Our Review

“Aura Mist is one of my favorite hair products—I keep it on my desk for the perfect after work refresh. Not only does it make my hair smell amazing, it also smooths any frizz that might have developed during the day and gives my waves a little re-shape. I love the original light musk and amber scent, but find the Toasted Sugar way too sweet, so I was worried I’d have the same reaction to Mochi Milk. However, it adds just the perfect hint of sweetness to my hair, and feels more creamy and delicate than a cloying vanilla. Plus, that pastel packaging is just too cute. I’ll certainly be swapping it out for the OG during the holiday season.” —Bella Cacciatore, senior news editor

You can shop the DedCool x Emi Jay Gift Set In Yellow Mochi Sky ($59) at Sephora beginning Tuesday, October 6. The Big Effing Clip in Pink Mochi Sky ($24) will be available at Sephora and emijay.com, and the DedCool x Emi Jay Gift Set In Mint Mochi Sky will be available at dedcool.com.