Tunisian Amber

It's rare to get exactly what you hope for, but in this case, I absolutely did. I read the reviews and expected precisely *this*, and I'm so stoked about it! I like Amber Musk from Nemat, but I wanted a spicier, tasty amber that doesn't project as intensely as my very favorite amber on earth - Olympic Amber (which, is an absolute force, and there are certain places/people that I truly cannot wear that around). I think this is officially my second favorite amber...ambers being my very favorite class of fragrances overall. So, this is a big deal. This is beautifully resinous. Truly. Definitely benzoin dominant...just how I like it. It has a really distinct sweet character, and I'm picking up on it, especially as it dries (benzoin is extremely durable and long lasting). Almost like a mint note...but softer and earthier. The spices are gorgeous. I smell clove most noticably, but I think there's some nutmeg. It's sweet, not cloying, and absolutely unisex because I think it's more of a "everybody" spiced affair. It sounds strange, but the texture is *chewy* to me and makes me think of molasses cookies! I keep catching whiffs and grinning stupidly to myself...because this is just awesome. Getting this for $10 is some sort of glitch in the matrix. It shouldn't be a real possibility...but here I am with it glowing off my wrists 🤎💫

A gorgeous fragrance. It's a great mix of simple and layered - reminiscent of a friend's warm kitchen with a loving yet fussy arabic-speaking mother who insists that you accept some fresh tea and sweets. You can't read the label, but you wish that you could so that you could find the treats again. The scent is long-lasting and fades consistently - like the aftertaste of delicious tea. Definitely one of my favorite scents - during the winter, I feel as though inhaling the scent on my wrist could almost keep me warm. I know I keep talking about tea, but it's genuinely like hot tea in front of a warm fire. Lovely musk scent - definitely unisex, but in my (biased) opinion it suits the type of gorgeous girl who spends her time engaging in academic pursuits. She has a cute wardrobe of warm and cozy-looking clothing, and she spends her free time curled up by the brick fireplace in her metropolitan flat, reading works by her favorite long-dead authors.

As I read the reviews, I am struck by how different each of them is. This seems to be the norm for fragrances, not just because of different preferences, but different skin chemistry and how our noses are wired. I absolutely loved this, which has a subtle sweetness that is much nearer to my idea of a true amber than you find in most fragrances, very close to the amber fragrance I used to use in an amber-myrrh-sandalwood cold-process soap I used to make. It is great by itself, but is perfect to wear under other scents to add depth. The sillage is near zero, but it has real lasting power. I wear it at night as a sleep aid, as I find the fragrance warm, soothing, and relaxing. At around $8 per tiny roller bottle, it is a bargain. (It has no alcohol to dilute it, so a little goes a long way.)

Tunisian Amber contains a big dose of noticeable patchouli which really comes out on the drydown. Yes, it’s not listed in the Fragrantica notes, but if notes told the whole story, reviews would be pointless. The amber itself smells natural and not too sweet with a little resinous spiciness and balsamic qualities. The patchouli also smells natural- Cooling to the amber’s heat. This Tunisian Amber is quite different from the Amber Paste also from Kuumba Made. Amber Paste has no patchouli and is all about the potent natural labdanum and other hot/sticky woody resins. Tunisian Amber is softer and earthier. I love both of them.

KM’s website also lists black tea as a note. Layered with their vanilla bean, this has a chai latte vibe to me. My husband likes it and says it smells like the Arab spice markets in the Middle East. It’s definitely strong, with good sillage for an oil, so just a little dab will do. I am not a patchouli fan and there is just a touch of that here, but not enough that it bothers me. I will keep trying it to see if it turns from a like to a love. Update: I still think this is nice, it's just not really my style- it's a little too spicy and too unisex. If that is more your vibe though, I would definitely recommend it.