In the landscape of the fragrant Arabian world lies an oasis of olfactory delight. These homegrown GCC fragrance brands are crafting concoctions that evoke the essence of the region’s rich culture, heritage and landscapes. From rich notes like oud and frankincense, this region has a unique palette of notes that brands love to harness and share with the world.
As we discover the fragrant traditions of the region, we uncover a kaleidoscope of aromas that engage the senses, and either create new memories or transport us to nostalgic ones. These brands are not only crafting and developing perfumes, they are composing symphonies of scents that capture the essence of the GCC. So, let’s dive into GRAZIA’s guide on the scent-sational homegrown brands that unlock the treasures of Arabia.
Arcadia
Founded in 2018, this niche fragrance brand aims to capture memories through its scents, and allows you to relive them. Amna Al Habtoor created Arcadia in the UAE, specialising in curating a harmony of scents, through complex fragrance profiles and using the essence of aromas to create or reminisce memories. The brand is also known for its cruelty-free and chemical-free formulas.
Ghawali
Ghawali is able to mould oriental notes into a modern and luxury experience. The brand is proud of their heritage, and traditions and harnesses its admiration of the art of scent of the GCC. Since 2016 the brand has been using their traditions to develop something modern in order to preserve and share their heritage.
ANFAS
Asim Al Qassim is the first certified Emirati Perfumer. He has created a brand that continuously utilises premium and natural ingredients to craft distinctive aroma combinations, thus creating unparalleled elegance. Every scent has a unique story that embodies luxury and sophistication.
Kayali
In 2018, fragrance lover and Dubai-based entrepreneur Mona Kattan created her own line of fragrance inspired by her passion for them. Deriving from the phrase “my imagination” in Arabic, Kayali seeks to share the idea of layering fragrances to what suits your individual taste, by creating something more unique and complex.
The fragrance kitchen
The Kuwaiti homegrown brand, The Fragrance Kitchen was established by Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah. Harnessing the expertise of French perfumers with traditional Middle Eastern ingredients to create a line of fragrances that capture the sentimental value of scents. Familiar and nostalgic notes that are stirred with niche ingredients to allow you to have an unforgettable and unique smell.
Hind Al Oud
The sophisticated scents of Hind Al Oud combines the timeless allure of the heritage Arab note with a luxury aesthetic. The Emirati brand, which is well known for its concentrated oils, fragrances, and alluring oriental smells. The brand has been created to represent refined authenticity when it comes to ingredients that are inspired by culture and traditions. If you are looking for rich and complex aromas with deeply rooted heritage, this homegrown brand might just be what you’re looking for.
Oman luxury
Oman Luxury strives to capture the essence of beauty, heritage, novelty and elegance all in a bottle. This Omani brand is motivated by its rich heritage to produce a line that captures the beauty of their home. Capturing centuries of fragrant discoveries in order to create a unique profile of notes, suitable for global audiences.
Amouage
Amouage is an iconic Omani brand familiar amongst all fragrance fanatics. It has been able to share the treasures of Omani and Middle Eastern ingredients with the world, in a beautiful and contemporary way.
OJAR
Sheikha Hind Bahwan, a well known Omani figure and businesswoman, developed OJAR out of a passion for fragrance. She has harnessed her passion in order to honour Oman’s rich tradition and culture. OJAR is derived from the name HOJARI, which is known as the world’s highest quality of Frankincense, that is collected from the Dhofar highlands in Southern Oman. Frankincense is among the primary elements in the OJAR collection.
Swiss Arabian
The UAE’s first perfume company, Swiss Arabian, was founded in 1974 as a result of Mr. Hussein Adam Ali’s passion for perfumery. Swiss Arabian is a brand that was established on the idea of duality and boldly celebrates the place where two worlds come together.
Majan
Inspired by its home of Oman and its treasures of frankincense, Majan is also proud of their heritage and traditions. It formulates harmonious blends of ingredients to create a spritz with notes such as saffron, bergamot, sandalwood and many more.
