Khaliji

As I live in Dubai, UAE, I have had more of a chance than most to see the Al Rehab fragrances in their local cultural setting. I am altogether aware that the vast majority of people who buy Al Rehab perfumes in the West will have had them supplied from online retailers, but I would like to share with you something about purchasing these fragrances here before I give my short review. For a start, buying an Al Rehab fragrance in Dubai will mean in all likelihood that you will need to visit the Perfume Souk area in the city near to the famous Gold Souk of Dubai. This is because Al Rehab is not stocked in any of the major or minor retail outlets and - unlike Rasasi, Arabian Oud, Swiss Arabian or the other local brands - does not have an outlet based in a mall. This also means that you will have to take a route through one of the older parts of the city, by the side of the Creek, along past the shops selling all sorts of knick-knacks, past the Asian cyclists carrying stacks of cardboard on the backs of bikes, past the East Africans trading with Afghans, past the shwarma and juice stalls, until you come to the Perfume Souk area. Here you find the Al Rehab shop at the end of a busy, crowded, furiously neon-lit street.... Now when you enter this shop, you will truly wonder how it is that some of these fragrances are so well recognised as being very credible dupes of some of the fragrances from the most admired houses internationally. Creed? Montale?.....Surely not. The Al Rehab shop is staffed by some very friendly elderly local Arab gentlemen. Very nice, and a Salaam Aleikum and a few words of Arabic goes a long way. But yet, the shop. My, my, my....More like a hardware store than a fragrance shop, it is not unusual for your total to be worked out on the back of an envelope and change to be plucked out of wooden drawer. Last time I went there I wondered if I could pick up a hammer and a box of masonry nails while I was at it!...Suffice to say that this is nothing like the image of sparkling, shiny Dubai portrayed around the world. Yet, there is charm in this as well - and most definitely value for money if this is a consideration at all. (As an aside, buying these 6 ml CPO vials costs me 4 UAE dirhams each, about $1.10, ie they are practically giving the stuff away.) So what are their fragrances actually like..... Khaliji is a fragrance that carries a lot of interest for me. Although it been commented that this is a simple fragrance, I find that there is much more to it if given enough time. The fact that it is often compared - rightly - to Rose 31 by Le Labo suggests that there is more to this than is obvious from its note breakdown. To me much of this will hinge on how you feel about cumin. But the real mastery evident here is the contradictory feel of cumin being shot through with a minty musk and lime combination which to my mind has very niche-like qualities. It is immensely alluring and like the best of such fragrances it walks a knife edge of contradiction. I would go so far as to say that even in the best unisex tradition of Arabian perfumery, this is one of the greatest such fragrances : it is unquestionably a fragrance both for a man and a woman. It will definitely keep you sniffing yourself, trying to figure it out. Al-Rehab Khaliji is a highly recommended fragrance from me and is clearly one of the better fragrances from this house. It deserves greater acclaim as a wonderful, long-lasting fragrance, perfect for a Spring evening, with a lot of individuality in its depths.

Beautiful fragrance smells like a mix of Eau d'Orange Verte Hermès and Cartier Declaration or better yet a cumin spiced lemon meringue pie that's been doused in menthol lit aflame until it melts into some sort of snow water opens with sharp citrus green florals the cumin and musk adds to its creamy base the spicy notes help to balance the gender bending in this one this edges on masculine to my nose but can be worn by a woman the cumin is hidden until the basenotes open and settle about few hours after applied I get no body odor smell as other reviews have stated it's actually one of the more western friendly scents from this house and for the price the quality is unbeatable this can easily be sold as a 100$ fragrance it's not a super complex profile you get a citrus powdery orange opening that slowly transitions once the middle notes start opening i get some bright green musk as the middle starts to settle the amber and green florals make there appearance unlike verte hermes this is more Oriental then Mediterranean once the base settles i get a beautiful green musky incense with little pops of powdery citrus the cumin is blended perfectly that it mixes with the spice notes which pulls the base to a strong masculine closing.. I wouldn't call this a masterpiece since it is very similar to hermes and cartier but for 3$ usd it can give niche houses a run for there money if you like citrus orientals this is a safe blind buy also can be worn as a winter scent due to its sharpness 9.2 / 10

There is something so utterly natural about so many of these Al-Rehabs. I know others call them synthetic, but I think it's because the carrier oils they use are less refined. To me, these are refreshing and realistic like Demeter, but they last SO long! I used the rollerball, and just a touch on my wrist. I have been craving green scents, and this hits it on the head. There's not a more refreshing scent you could use in the summer, I don't think. The opening is citrus and herbs. I could swear this has mint, or at least parsley in it! Unfortunately the notes listed keep us guessing. The lemongrass is dominant, but I think there's something more... I detect vetiver. That deep, bright, sparkly, Woody, cooling essence is unmistakable. I'm not a citrus lover, because citrus is so often synthetic. This is as if you picked a bergamot right off the tree and cut it open. Happily, this dries down to something softer, sweeter, and more refined. I love the balance the musk and sandalwood bring. And the orange breaks away from the tartness of the other citrus. This is definitely a score for hot weather. One to keep on me for freshening up. If it wasn't for the fact that I have a bunch of oil rollerballs, and might get several more, I'd pick up more of this one.

Surprisingly good, love it. Long lasting clean, citrus summer freshie... First am not exactly a citrus guy being fond of heavier notes but this is something I have come to love. There is a very noticeable cumin note - dry roasted, powdered cumin! Here the citrus is more of a lime / lemon kind rather than orange variety. This lime, lemon and cumin combines together to resemble two popular summer refreshing drinks in India. One is the “jaljeera” which is basically a blend of sugar, lime, dry roasted powdered cumin, salt, water and mint along with ice cubes. The other is “soda shikanji” where instead of water, whisky soda or any fizzy drink like Coke is used as the base to amp up the taste. Base has sweetened florals and white musks and helps prop up the citrus. Surprisingly long las lasting up-to 6 hrs or more and when applied on clothes lasts for 8-10 hours which is unbelievable for a citrus and oil.

Lots of good comments but none mention the woodiness of this, possibly because the pencil-type cedar, and the sandalwood, blend perfectly with the "clean" cumin to form the backbone accord. The lemongrass plus orange accord is a nice twist to the standard lemon/bergamot, and the interplay of the cumin/wood and citrus profiles is 80% of this one. There is definitely a minty element (enough to cool your skin and sinuses), black pepper, a decent hit of oakmoss, and an unlisted herbal element (sage? oregano?) that gives a savory vibe. I don't get The Dreamer, Pasha or Declaration at all from this. To my mind, it is its own fragrance, which is pretty dang impressive for an incredibly inexpensive attar.