Dehn Amber

I ordered this hoping for a rich amber. Not having much experience with oud, I knew that this couldn't be the very finest for the price ($6.50); still it was pretty harsh. Strong, medicinal wood scent with just a whisp of amber. I happen to take valerian for insomnia and it smells like dirty socks to me: happily I get no valerian in this but it still isn't a yummy scent at all. I get less earthy and more wood with time, but it still is not something I would wear by itself. But oh boy! Try layering this with Al Rehab Choco Musk and it transforms into something divine. I heartily agree with NebelGeist that this scent layers very well; oddly enough I hadn't read the review before I layered the two Al Rehabs, my bottle of Choco Musk just happened to be on the counter. I can't wait to try layering it with other scents, I suspect that the Al Rehabs are really meant to layer. So I was also very happy my money wasn't wasted, next I'm going to layer it with Al Rehab Soft to see if I can redeem that obnoxious one as well.

This is a fragrance oil I wholeheartedly love and have very little idea how to review! But I'll try... To start off, Dehn Amber (meaning richest, finest amber?) is almost as much about oud as it is amber. Meaning that western amber lovers ought probably to look elsewhere. The 'gasoline' aura here will surprise you. To me it smells vaguely of rubber tires and hardware stores, I kid you not. And I LOVE it! The amber rounds it out and keeps it gorgeously unisex. That touch of amber sweetness rescues it from merely masculine territory. Though I understand that many will consider this amber neither feminine nor wearable! It's an acquired taste. Bottom Line: If you've never been a fan of oud then give Dehn Amber a pass, but if you're exploring budget ouds with enthusiasm, DO give Al Rehab's take on amber a go. To me, it's a marvelous bargain!

@Bob Marley: seriously?!? The boxes from my Al Rehab oils list one ingredient: "concentrated perfume oil". On the other hand the box from my Lanvin Avant Garde (on your have list), for example, lists the following: SD alcohol 39-C, parfum, water, limonene, butylphenyl methylpropional, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, coumarin, linalool, ethylhexyl salicylate, alpha-isomethyl ionone, benzyl benzoate, cytral and geraniol". If you wear Avant Garde I hardly think you have anything to worry about with Al Rehab's "concentrated perfume oil".