Oud, Amber and Where to Start with Fragrance
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If designer bottles have priced you out, the Middle Eastern houses are the answer. Lattafa, Armaf, Ard Al Zaafaran and Maison Alhambra put out fragrances with real projection at a fraction of the price. Here is how to navigate the shelf.
The families
- Oriental / amber — warm, sweet, spicy. Cinnamon, vanilla, amber, dates. Cold-weather territory and the backbone of most of this shelf.
- Oud — a resinous, smoky wood. Divisive and unmistakable. Usually cut with rose to soften it.
- Woody — cedar, sandalwood, vetiver. Dry and grown-up, works year round.
- Fresh / aquatic — citrus, mint, marine notes. The summer option and the safest bet for an office.
- Floral — rose, jasmine, orange blossom. Not just for women, and rose in particular sits beautifully next to oud.
Three to start with
Lattafa Khamrah — cinnamon, dates and warm spice. The one people stop you about. Sweet and boozy, and the bottle looks like it cost triple.
Armaf Club de Nuit Intense — lemon, pineapple and smoky birch. The reason half the people who wear Armaf found the brand at all.
Lattafa Asad — black pepper, tobacco and pineapple over coffee and patchouli. The one that made people take the house seriously.
Making it last
Spray onto skin, not clothes, and hit pulse points — neck, wrists, chest. Do not rub your wrists together; it crushes the top notes. Moisturised skin holds fragrance far longer than dry skin.