Here are six stories that have caught our attention.
Ahmed Al Maghribi Celebrates a Decade of Oud & Roses With Auric
Ten years after Oud & Roses became one of its defining fragrances, Ahmed Al Maghribi Perfumes has introduced Auric, a new interpretation of the composition that helped establish the Dubai house’s identity.
The fragrance takes its name from aurum, the Latin word for gold, and was presented at the Theatre of Digital Art in Madinat Jumeirah. The occasion also celebrated founder and master perfumer Kafeel Ahmed, whose work has helped bring the house’s approach to Arabian perfumery to an international audience.
Auric opens with orange, cardamom, pepper and saffron, with leather introducing a warmer dimension. At its heart, rose oil and the house’s signature rose accord meet immortelle absolute from the Balkans, heliotrope and orris. Vanilla, patchouli, musk, incense and oud complete the composition, bringing the familiar pairing of rose and oud into a new setting.
Presented as a 40 per cent concentration Extrait de Parfum, Auric draws on the complexity of traditional fragrance layering within a single composition. The 60ml fragrance is priced at AED 200.
Santa Maria Novella Turns to Incenso and Ambra
Florentine fragrance house Santa Maria Novella is turning its attention to two materials with a long history in perfumery, incense and amber, through Incenso and Ambra.
Incenso explores the smoky, resinous character of incense, a material closely associated with ceremonial traditions and fragrance practices across different cultures. Ambra takes a warmer direction, drawing on the richness of amber and the depth of golden resins.
Both compositions have a particular relevance to the Middle East, where incense, amber, oud and spices have been central to fragrance traditions for centuries. Through these two perfumes, Santa Maria Novella brings its Florentine approach to ingredients that have an equally important place in Arabian perfumery.
LOOTAH Perfumes Explores Two Sides of Oud
Emirati fragrance house LOOTAH Perfumes has added Desert Oud and Dolce Oud to its Oud Collection, approaching the material through two very different compositions.
Desert Oud draws inspiration from the Arabian landscape at dusk, beginning with nutmeg, clove and pink pepper. Dry amber introduces warmth before smoky incense and oud emerge, supported by earthy vetiver and ambergris. The composition takes its references from the desert’s changing colours and the atmosphere of the landscape as the day draws to a close.
Dolce Oud heads in a considerably sweeter direction. Inspired by the Italian idea of la dolce vita, it opens with strawberry, crisp apple, Italian bergamot and pink pepper before introducing an unusual ice cream accord. Caramel, jasmine and raspberry follow, while vanilla, oud, patchouli and leather give the fragrance its deeper character.
Both were composed in-house at LOOTAH, with each offering a different interpretation of an ingredient that has long been central to the brand’s identity. Desert Oud and Dolce Oud are available as 80ml Eaux de Parfum, priced at AED 595 each, through LOOTAH boutiques across the GCC and online.
Kenz ‘de’ Rasasi Revisits Eight Fragrance Collections
Rasasi’s extensive fragrance heritage has become the starting point for Kenz ‘de’ Rasasi, a contemporary luxury house conceived by Anis Abdul Razak, owner of Rasasi Perfumes and chairman of AAR Group.
The name translates to “The Treasures of Rasasi”, reflecting the decision to revisit selected compositions from the Dubai house’s archives. Rather than simply reproducing existing fragrances, Kenz ‘de’ Rasasi reworks their formulations, bottles, packaging and presentation while retaining their connection to the originals.
Eight collections made their debut at Beautyworld Middle East, including Beyond Hawas, Hawas Apex, Hawas Desire, La Yuqawam Terrabotanica, Daareej, Shuhra, Rimal and Tobacco. Each has been given a contemporary identity through custom bottle designs and new materials, with the aim of introducing Rasasi’s established fragrance portfolio to a younger international audience.
Bollywood actor Salman Khan joined Anis Abdul Razak for the official presentation in Dubai, marking a significant development for a family-owned fragrance business that has grown with the city’s perfume industry.
ARMAF Brings the Heat With Club de Nuit Intenso Fuego
Charred pineapple is among the more unexpected notes in ARMAF’s Club de Nuit Intenso Fuego, a fragrance that brings citrus, tropical fruit and warm woods into the house’s expanding Club de Nuit collection.
The composition begins with bright citrus before moving into the richer character of charred pineapple. A solar blossom accord introduces floral warmth at the heart, while cedarwood provides the base with its woody character. The contrast between the brighter opening and warmer notes gives Intenso Fuego its distinctive profile.
ARMAF translated that contrast into a flamenco-inspired performance at Beautyworld Middle East, where dancers, music and fire effects accompanied the fragrance’s presentation. The choreography followed the development of the composition, moving from its citrus opening through the floral heart and into the woods.
Intenso Fuego joins a collection that has become one of ARMAF’s most recognisable fragrance families, with the new addition taking its familiar intensity in a warmer direction.
Dior Revisits Dioressence With Francis Kurkdjian
Dior has turned to its fragrance archives for Dioriginals, a collection of 13 historic compositions restored under the direction of Francis Kurkdjian. Among them is Dioressence, the house’s first amber fragrance, originally created by perfumer Max Gavarry in 1979.
The project began with a closer examination of the original formulas, many of which had changed over the decades as ingredients, sourcing methods and regulations evolved. Kurkdjian worked to recover their original character while adapting the compositions to the requirements of contemporary perfumery.
Dioressence retains its spicy chypre character, with orange opening the fragrance before geranium, rose and jasmine emerge at the heart. Oakmoss, patchouli and benzoin give the base its depth, maintaining the balance of florals, woods and amber that defined the original.
The fragrance is presented in Dior’s historic Ovale bottle, first designed in 1948, with a rounded stopper, textured label and metallic ring engraved with the house’s CD monogram. The collection also includes Diorissimo, Diorella, Dune and Dolce Vita, bringing together compositions from different periods of Dior’s fragrance history.
