SimplyAbuDhabi I

21 S IMPLY ABU DHABI ARABIAN SCENTS the ar oma The golden perfume shopping rule: There’s a certain checklist of purchases that every serious shopper must tick before leaving the city: a timeless watch, designer handbag, statement diamond or gold piece of bling and, of course, a few bottles of authentic Arabic perfume. The delicate golden handcrafted fragrance bottles are simply irresistible and will hold pride of place on your dressing room table. Plus, a pretty little bottle of perfume makes an impressive gift to take home for friends and family, so they too can sample an ‘essence’ of the sand lands. But before you get too carried away stocking up on your scents, there is one very important rule to remember when it comes to buying perfume in Abu Dhabi. Don’t be tricked into thinking that the souks (markets) always stock the most authentic perfumes. People commonly make the assumption that the market holders’ scented bottles are freshly handmade in a local’s front room but, unfortunately, you don’t always know what you’re buying or where it has come from. To be on the safe side, stick to the proper perfumery stores and malls. Otherwise you could quite easily be walking away with a concoction that isn’t too far away from sink water! Failing all else, just follow your nose. How it’s made: The original Arabian scent came from burning Oudh, a woody substance extracted from Auilaria and Gyrinops trees in the jungles of south-east Asia. Oudh is created when a fungal parasite infects the tree to produce an oily resin, which is then collected. Pure Oudh is much better than the distilled, less concentrated form, Dehn Oudh, and is definitely worth the higher price tag. Making ‘sense’ out of choosing the right ‘scent’: Unlike the floral French perfumes we’re used to, Arabic scents tend to all have a wood or musk undertone. But you’re certainly not limited on choice as there are hundreds of different variations with their own distinctive fragrances. Plus, many shops also allow you to mix up your own scent to compliment your individual taste. Personalised perfumes? Now we’re talking! There are essentially two types of perfume, Oudh and Bukhoor. Oudh has an earthy, woody tone and can be used by both men and women. Pure Oudh is burned so that its scent emanates into the air and penetrates your clothes. Bukhoor is a mixture of various different scents and usually looks like round pieces of coal about the size of your thumb. This sort of scent is used to burn in living spaces and is a must-have memento for bringing a bit of Middle Eastern luxury back to your home. Look out for Dehen Oud’s limited edition, Dehen Aload, which is one of the most distinguished fragrances currently on the market and is priced around £400. For service and quality you can trust, head to the Middle East’s premier fragrance house, Ajmal Perfumes, which has a boutique in the Baniyas district of Abu Dhabi. As a guideline, any bottles priced anything upwards of AED 600 (around £100) tend to provide a good, full-on, rich fragrance. Where to buy: Abu Dhabi Mall Located in the Tourist Club Area (TCA) on the 2nd Street, sector 1-94. Telephone: +971 2 645 4858. Marina Mall Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi . Approx 35km from Abu Dhabi airport. Telephone: +971 2 681 830 Fairmount Bab Al Bahr Located between Al Maqta and Mussafa bridges, 25km from Abu Dhabi airport Telephone +971 2 654 3333 Emirates Palace Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi. Telephone: +971 2 690 9000 Al Raha Mall Situated next to Al Raha Beach Hotel on the main Abu Dhabi service road. Telephone: +9712 5562229