Arabic perfume samples with incense

Incense is on record for 27 of the Arabic perfume samples. This guide walks through 8 of them using only what is on record: names, concentrations, note lists and tags. Read it as a map, not as a top list.

The selection

Bujairami The Aftermath

Bujairami The Aftermath is filed as a Parfum from Bujairami; the note list on record reads Bergamot, Spices, Leather, Incense, Oud, Amber and Patchouli. By family it is filed as citrus, oriental and woody. Season on record: autumn, summer and winter. Give it time to settle before you judge it.

Bujairami Hectic

Bujairami Hectic, an Eau de Parfum from Bujairami, has Citron, Calabrian Bergamot, Sicilian Orange, Nigerian Ginger, Ceylon Cinnamon, Tunisian Neroli and others on record. Its family tags read citrus, oriental and woody. Season on record: spring and summer. Warm skin and cool skin can bring out different sides, so try both if you can.

Bujairami Mad Love

Bujairami Mad Love is an Extrait de Parfum by Bujairami. The notes on record are Raspberry, Saffron, Geranium, Rose, Birch Wood, Suede Leather and others. It is tagged oriental and woody. It is listed for autumn and winter. Clothes hold a scent differently from skin, which makes a scarf or sleeve a useful second test.

Ahmed Al Maghribi Summer Oud

Ahmed Al Maghribi Summer Oud is filed as an Eau de Parfum from Ahmed Al Maghribi; the note list on record reads Saffron, Rose, Incense, Oud, Amber, Leather and others. By family it is filed as floral, oriental and woody. It is listed for autumn and winter. Wear it on more than one day before you make up your mind.

Rayhaan Tiger

Rayhaan Tiger, an Eau de Parfum from Rayhaan, has Nutmeg, Clove, Lemon, Milk, Rose, Davana and others on record. Its family tags read floral, oriental and woody. For season the tags say autumn and winter. Write down what you notice after a few minutes and again after lunch, and you will see how it moves.

Pendora Scents Corazon Bourbon

From Pendora Scents comes Pendora Scents Corazon Bourbon, a Parfum. On paper it lists Black Pepper, Pink Pepper, Saffron, Olibanum, Resins, Vanilla and others. It is tagged amber, oriental and woody. Season on record: autumn and winter. One wearing shows a mood, several wearings show the perfume.

Rasasi Hawas London

From Rasasi comes Rasasi Hawas London, an Eau de Parfum. On paper it lists Pink Pepper, Saffron, Pear, Incense, Rose, White Flowers and others. The scent families on record: floral, oriental and woody. The listing names autumn and winter as its season. A paper strip shows the outline, skin shows the detail.

Rayhaan Vantage

Rayhaan Vantage, an Eau de Parfum from Rayhaan, has Bergamot, Juniper, Frankincense, Myrrh, Cardamom, Pink Pepper and others on record. Its family tags read citrus, gourmand, oriental and woody. The listing names autumn, summer and winter as its season. Smell it right after applying and again later in the day, because the first minutes rarely tell the whole story.

Also in this selection: Faan Qasida Bakhour, Arabiyat Prestige Ramad Oriental, Niche Emarati Al Dana, Rayhaan Obsidian, Arabiyat Prestige Mouda High End, Ibraheem Al Qurashi Diamond Incense, Ibraheem Al Qurashi Diamond Aqua, Pendora Scents Charuto Regal Reserve, French Avenue Aromatix Teas Me, Zimaya Mazaaj Infused.

How to test them

Try it once at home and once outdoors, since air and temperature change the impression. Use it the way you would use a full bottle, on a normal day. Apply one or two sprays to clean skin, without other scented products nearby. Test it on skin and not only on paper.

The small size, 2, 5 or 10 ml, is meant for exactly that: a few honest wearings before anything bigger. Give every sample its own day, and come back to the one you keep thinking about. A decant gives you time with it, which a quick spray on a paper strip never does.

Where to go next

• Incense samples
• Arabic samples
• all samples
• all brands
• sample sets
• frequently asked questions
• how to use a sample vial
• decant, tester or sample
• how to build a sample set

Questions

How were these samples chosen?

By the tags and note lists on record for each perfume. Nothing was added from memory, the order is not a ranking, and perfumes without recorded notes are described without notes.

How many samples should I try at once?

Two or three is a good number. Wear one per day, on clean skin, and write down what you notice in the morning and in the evening before you move to the next.

Why do some perfumes show no notes?

Because we only print notes we can trace to a source. Where no note list is on record, the page says so and leaves the judging to your own skin.