Hala

Hala by Lattafa Pride is a delicate yet evocative fragrance that invites you into a world of understated elegance. From the very first spray, a fine veil of incense greets the senses, soft and ethereal, creating an aura that feels both intimate and mysterious. The incense note is central to Hala’s identity, never overpowering but weaving a smoky thread through the composition, like the lingering memory of sacred rituals. As the fragrance develops, the interplay of nutmeg and pepper adds a warm, spicy vibrance. These spices are seamlessly blended, providing a subtle kick that balances the smoothness of the other accords. The labdanum brings a resinous richness, its slightly sweet and ambery facets enhancing the overall depth without dominating the composition. Cedarwood anchors the heart of Hala, contributing a dry, woody elegance that complements the powdery undertones. The powdery quality is soft and refined, lending the scent an air of sophistication. It’s this combination of smokiness and powder that makes Hala feel so unique—gentle yet distinctive, perfect for those who appreciate a nuanced, low-profile fragrance. Despite its charm, Hala’s longevity is modest, lasting around 4 hours with a gentle projection that sits close to the skin. This is a scent for quiet moments rather than grand entrances—a subtle companion rather than a bold statement. Hala is a beautifully balanced fragrance that celebrates the art of restraint. Its fine incense and powdery accord create a poetic and serene experience, ideal for those who prefer a soft-spoken elegance in their signature scent.

Both prior reviews are on point, but I had to chime in because it is criminal that this fragrance is so far under the radar. I bought this because it was supposedly a cedar bomb. It is much more than that. The nutmeg note is zingy and exotic, and paired with the pepper, it keeps this from becoming cloying. There is a good cedar dose, but the churchy incense note, combined with labdanum's leather, honey, plum and musk characteristics, is actually the most prominent aspect of this. These notes are on the dry side, the cedar is not of the pencil shavings variety, and the amber gives a smoothness and moderate sweetness to make this an true ensemble piece. I don't claim to be able to pick out every fragrance note for most fragrances, but every listed note can be perceived in this one. For those who feel that Lattafa is merely a clone house with no originality, they need to try this. If Amouage or Tom Ford put this out, people would be raving about it and happily justifying a $250 price tag. This has far exceeded my expectations. It just all works. The incense, leather, cedar and nutmeg make this a bit exotic, and it is far from a freshie/blue/gourmand, so this is not for those who like to keep things safe. You need to have some self-confidence to wear this. Having said that, this could work fine in an office setting, a formal setting, or outdoors, so it is fairly versatile. And I think that a woman of a certain bearing could rock this - someone like Lauren Bacall or Angelina Jolie. This would work best in cooler temperatures.

Nose Note #921 Comparing this to Full Incense side by side - the differences are obvious. But without comparison just by memory they do smell sort of similar. Not a close dupe anyway, if it is even a dupe. This opens up with a suble pickle note which I don't like. Full Incense to me is just perfection from beginning to the end. This one here is similarly giving me a finnish wood sauna vibe. The hot wood/lacquer accord is similar to Kohl / Black Lacquer, so if you like one you will love the other too. When the pickle from the opening dissapears I start to like it much more. This is more like a flanker to Full Incense, it won't work as a subsitution. They are only maybe 70% close. Unisex, but would suit men better. Longevity is definately worse than on Full Incense, noticeably and it's clear right from the start. Full Incense is bright all the way, Hala is mellow and sort of subdued all the way. Yeah, performance is rather poor. Such a terrible shame. This could have been amazing. Outstanding presentation, but this never buys me. 8/10, it's still really nice, but needs reapplication which I hate. As a cheap niche thing on it's own - worth it

First review on Fragrantica, thought I'd finally jump in starting with Hala because to me this is a hidden gem. Had this for two months now. Blind bought this after reading previous reviews, and what a successful blind buy this was. I'm a sucker for incense forward fragrances, woody resinous and slightly smoky, with a churchy vibe to them : this totally fits the bill. On my skin this is incense, cedar, pepper and nutmeg ; on the drier side, rather that warm, which is what I prefer ; pretty linear, which isn't a problem. I do wish it lasted longer, but for the price, one can certainly spray liberally to get a bit more oomph. Chiming in with previous reviewers : this does indeed belong in the CDG incense line, which I adore - Avignon being the closest imo. I also get the proximity with Montale Full Incense. For those who like this type of scents, this is a no brainer for the price, and totally blind-buy worthy. Stunning cheapie, 10/10

There's a tendency to look for what it resembles, and this is good for guiding those trying to avoid risky blind purchases. The reviews I prefer are descriptions of sensations, analogies, or memories a fragrance evokes. For those who frequented ancient churches, especially Orthodox ones, Hala evokes that sacred, woody atmosphere with, in my case, a predominance of incense rather than pepper. I don't see this fragrance as a place to receive compliments or for social occasions, but rather for personal enjoyment. Very few mass-market designer fragrances include these notes. I place it in the same category as Santi or Tellus from Liquides Imaginaires That said, Hala takes me to a place that transmits peace and reflection. Perfect for a fall afternoon or before going to sleep. The longevity on the skin is very good, and the price-performance ratio is excellent, as it's available for around $20.

Not much to add to the reviews that talk about the spa/meditative quality here, this is a highly wearable, smooth woody incense. The bottle is an atrocity, an absolute eyesore that supports my theory that the packaging really does influence your perception of a scent. My first few wearings were distracted and disengaged, I couldn’t really decide how I felt about this stuff and wanted to move on to something else, but after decanting a bit and wearing it while traveling, i think this juice is lovely. Easily fits in with CDG’s modern, lightweight incenses (I agree with the Blue Encens comparison in the PRMO above) or even as an incense entry into one of the designer houses’ private collection. Incredible Ugly Duckling Energy. Just put it in a less absurd bottle and you’ve got a classic for cedar and incense lovers.

I get wooden church vibe. Very prominent cedar, pepper and incense. Incense reminds me of this used in catholic churches. Good for meditation or other spiritual activities. Good quality. Not a easy blind buy, very unique scent. Performance is good, nothing mind-blowing but good enough. Remind me a little bit of Loewe 7 but that is a distant memory, didn't smell 7 for over a year. Versatility is rather restricted to special occasions, i wouldn't wear it to the office, on a date or other regular occasions. Could be a signature scent for some. It was hard friendship but i started to like it. 7.5/10 just got the scent itself, i believe it could be 10/10 if sometime like that kind of scent.

So clean! So holy! The opposite of sexy. Serious, orderly, structured resin. Vibrant pepper -> soothing cedar (absolutely not in a pencil shavings way) -> austere but clean, borderline sterile smoke. Performance still under observation, definitely not a beast but fairly competent. Might benefit from attar layering. Perfect for meditation and focusing. Bottle is a functional self defense weapon against vampires. Edit: after collecting a bit more knowledge about pure frankincense and its essential oil i must say this fragrance really does a good job at encapsulating the citrusy greenish natural aspect of the resin before you burn it. 8.7/10

Cedar and frankincense smellalikes, but not smoky, rather resins diffused in a wood hammam or temple. Or luxury spa. As everyone notes, Hala is airy and gives energy. It has pleasing vibrations and evokes the Indian subcontinent. It is cooly chic. I wouldn't have been surprised if this were a pricy niche fragrance. Here, priced under 30E, Hala is high value but probably neither a crowd pleaser nor a no brainer. It is not challenging, but it is surprising and unique. A prospect for collectors of picturesque and travelogue fragrances. I bet the can of bodyspray is a great room fragrance.

I found a 20ml sample on vinted for a few euros so I pulled the trigger. The opening smells like very realistic pepper and nutmeg with little touch of cedar wood. Its not sweet or fresh, just very dry and spicy. Its remined me sauna wibe. After some time, the scent transitions to realistic cedar with a light touch of amber and incense. It smells like typical eastern europe church and i love it. Performance is very good, sillage moderate. I can imagine some layering with a citrus or amber scents. For me its banger.

Presentation, scent profile, performance and price gave many perfume houses to utter shame. Hala fits well with rain. It's spicy with dry wood and incense in the end. Not a beast mode whatsoever on my skin. It projects for around 4 hours and stays barely 6 hours. But with this kind of scent profile, you don't need beast. It's not for everyone nor easy to pull off. Make sure you're ready with a deep woody scent like an antique cello in a dimmed opera hall. I can't stop sniffing up my arm, help!

This is for mature mans, like 40 or 50+ years old well dressed in suits. Conveys an image of absolute seriousness. There is not sweet on it. It also needs a lot of personality; it's not a perfume for everyone; it's a very different kind of fragrance. Get a decant before buying it, but you should know that most women won't like it; in fact, it attracts older women.

Pepper, nutmeg, incense. Loads of nutmeg. A darker, more intense version of CK's Secret Obsession. It's a beautiful smell, but more like something you want to smell (as opposed to something you want to smell like). Once the nutmeg dries off, it's like smelling a box of incense. This is what I expected Comme des Garcons Avignon to smell like.

A lovely scent. I was hoping for something similar in "vibes" to my favourite scent, Encre Noire A L'Extreme, but something that is still new and different, and I think it definitely delivered. For comparison, it's much less foresty and obviously more straightforward on the incense than that one

Niche smelling linear frankincense, no projection, short staying power, sits close to skin so far, but great for layering or atmosphere during your yoga/meditation/mindfullness soulful-something activities. Very noble, in style of Comme des Garsons incenses.

Definitely reminds me of shopping in a lumber yard. Fresh and woody. Very dry. Almost smells exactly like Haute Vie Ibiza for men. Minus the lemon balm. Well worth the price. The bottle could use a rework though.

Yes, I'm happy and proud of my trophy, my pride and joy. It's unique in my collection! And the scent lends itself to creativity, you can go in many directions with it. Let the big layering begin...

Vagely similar to Autumn Vibes by Maison Martin Margiela, only spicier and doesn't have quite the same depth or warmth. Slightly less sweet as well. Interesting scent.

I love it I like I want but didn't buy just because of poor performance

I like this a lot for the price. At first it is strongly incense and cedar. It’s a bit churchy or gothic though, but it’s relatively dry which I like. The incense note is somewhat light and fresh. As it dries down, some spice begins to show and it leans out some. Notes say nutmeg but to me it’s more like clove or allspice in a mulled wine. Comme des garçons black is similar somewhat, but that one is much thicker, sweeter, and far longer lasting with more black licorice intensity. The spice in cdg is also rather heavy sweet nutmeg which is starting to bug me lately, since I’ve named it. In hala there is a wine-like tart fruit note that shows itself in the late drydown and lightens this scent even more. I wasn’t impressed with the longevity but it goes through some nice changes. Fades to arms reach in an hour or two and is skin scent by 2-3 hrs. All in all interesting but the fruit and spice take it in a different direction than I was hoping for. Still a nice and unique scent.

This fragrance emits a scent reminiscent of the frankincense commonly found in Eastern Orthodox churches. Unlike a smoky aroma, it exudes a resinous quality that imparts a sense of cleanliness and airiness. However, I personally desired a denser composition with a touch more warmth to enhance its depth. Regarding performance, I found it to be average, but surprisingly, this characteristic seems to suit the fragrance well. It exudes an intimate quality, suggesting it's the type of scent one might wear primarily for personal enjoyment.

Hala smells like you're sitting in a burning forest just waiting for the flames to reach you. 😭 It's packed with smoky woods and incense—very dark, intense and atmospheric. Definitely a mood scent, not something everyone will enjoy or appreciate, but if you love heavy smoke, this one fully commits. 6/10

The bottle is definitely not my cup of tea. The scent needs few weeks of maturation. In the first spray it was a labdanum bomb to me. Once matured, it is a lovely meditative peppery, incensy and woody scent. Not a beast performance, not an atomic sillage.

I like it, but I don’t know how to describe this profile. It’s like they took the scent of a very high-quality fish smoked on some pleasantly smelled wood, and removed the fish smell itself, but not completely. That’s the impression I've got.

Very incensey fragrance, cedar forward, woody but also light and airy. All year round woody fragrance. But performance need to let it sit for while to make it project n last longer.

Very similar to Full Incense Montale. Woody-incensy type of scent

Someone mentioned that this smells similar to Le Labo Eucalyptus 20, I can see the similarities, but it wouldn't be redundant to own both. Eucalyptus 20 is more medicinal, herbaceous and green. Hala is drier, woodier, perhaps more masculine, for the lack of a better word. I get a more spa like feel with Eucalyptus 20. I get more church-like feel, more austere with Hala. I have both, but for only 40 dollars, this is a pretty good deal. That being said, I have to say it, the bottle design for this is horrendous. Looks like a butt plug combined with a douche nozzle.

This is the only offering from Lataffa I find tolerable. Most of what I have tried from this house has been loud, abrasive, synthetic and obnoxious. This is all of those things, but much less so than the others. It is a strong, dry, woody scent. It smells like an old cedar drawer at a church that was used for storing incense. I like the profile here, it just doesn't blend well, it isn't harmonious. For about $30 I shouldn't be complaining, but it is just eh.

Had this perfume for a couple years but decided to sell it. What i smell is freshly ground black pepper, dry wood and some incense. Performance is just average. It is a very dry scent. It is a bit similar to Bentley for men Absolute but more dry, much more dry and zero sweetness or smoothness. It is an interesting scent but just not for me.

Interesting fragrance, but not exactly to my taste. The packaging is weird and I don't like it. Decent deals and longevity. Men's winter fragrance. Overall rating 6/10

For all the Indians : This smells like Hawan Saamagri. It transports you into a meditative state, but not sure if I want to stay there for 6 hours! Very situational

Some people are saying its supposed to be a dupe of several other things but I believe this is meant to be a dupe of montale greyland (?) Ridiculous packaging aside this is a pretty great cheapie, and the only cheapie that has become one of my main frequently used fragrances. I mainly get the same exact same sawdust/woodchip accord from bentley absolute (and not just the same kind of note, it really smells like it carries the same exact inflections of that one), although i find that one a little too zingy and like this a bit more actually, it feels like the same exact note but rounded out a little better. Theres some accompanying incense, as someone who doesnt usually love incense it isnt too dominant and complements everything nicely. I also get like a solid piece of polished dark wood smell in the opening, accompanied by the same tingly medicinal mossy (not oakmossy) accord i get in encre noire a l’extreme, neither are that present in the drydown. But that sawdusty-ness feels like the star player, and i like it here- if thats not something you like it will probably be a determining factor in how you feel about this fragrance. It has a carpenter-like musk in a way that is a bit reminiscent of some peoples BO. But personally it is the kind of BO i am attracted to and find that the lightness of the performance complements this composition so as not to not feel overbearing. It reminds me of that tom ford quote about how great fragrance should smell a little bit like balls- to me the woodiness here has that human affectation that people either like or they dont. If you like a sawdust-y musk on a man you will probably like this, and if you dont then this wont be for you. Doesnt smell cheap or synthetic, smells niche and pretty naturalistic and has some sort of crisp quality that keeps me wanting to return to it- except on skin and i’ll get to that in a moment. Not super strong but for the price i dont mind and its also a scent profile that i dont think is necessarily flattered by being too present and projecting too much anyways as i said before. My only qualm is that on skin it takes on a badly barbershoppy soapy affectation in the drydown- i think other people will either feel like this balances out the more naturalistic elements to make it more mass appealing, or like me feel like it adds a synthetic accord that ruins the naturalistic appeal of this fragrance. I scrubbed it off (although i dont think it was “scrubber” levels of terrible, just basic and synthetic on skin) No sweetness but i think a slightly sweet ambery warmth or maybe even some kind of lactonic softness couldve complemented the dry sawdusty base well. But as is i really like this. A lot of more beloved mens fragrances use this sawdusty note- and its something i love in isolation but usually find it isnt balanced out correctly in most compositions or is employed as part of a scent in a way that overall comes off too cologney or something. For my tastes, this one just gets it right. I view it as more of a utilitarian scent than an experiential one for that reason. This doesnt take me on a journey, its just a musk that i enjoy smelling on a man (ofcourse a woman could pull this off too, but i personally would find it better suited to a man). I would find it very attractive to smell this on a guy on a date. And i enjoy smelling it on myself too. Maybe thats weird, but hey...im just a minion in a suit. And when you think about it, arent we all?

Hala is a bizarre curiosity from a distant land, and I know I'm not the target demographic here. Firstly, the packaging cannot be ignored. This perfume arrives inside a woodgrain metal egg, set upon a fluted silver-tone metal stem, like a wine glass, with another similar, silver-tone metal spindle rising up on top to serve as a cap, Already this is a contender for the strangest perfume bottle I own. Add to that, between the bottle and the box exists another completely unnecessary layer of packaging, ...consisting of a large, clear plastic, bell jar with a velvet-lined base! Artistry, folly, madness, or camp. That is for each spectator to decide for himself. I might be a bit more amused, if the stupid bell jar hadn't arrived with a crack in it. So voila, instant landfill. What about the fragrance? (Oh yes, I almost forgot) The opening is a blast of sharp, oily spices and resins (black pepper, nutmeg, etc). It does clear the sinuses! (...and reminds me that the UAE's chief export is still petroleum) However the brew does mellow down after that with smoky incenses, sharp cedar, and a strangely deep-toned sweetness, that might be an experimental take on amber. or something else entirely. This an acceptably intriguing incense fragrance. I'm cynical enough to not love it outright, but I'll consider it a friend. Can you imagine if Encre Noire a L'Extreme and Shaghaf Oud had an illegitimate child they gave up for adoption to be raised by an esoteric cult that worships The Great Cosmic Spindle-Egg beneath the Almighty (cracked) Plastic Dome of Heaven? No? I'm not sure I can either. ...but this is something like that. Edit: The deep drydown is actually the most important part of this. Spray it on a scarf or jacket and for the next week you'll feel like you're wearing medieval priestly robes. This truly is adjacent to the incense line from Comme de Garcons, the ones that come in those black cannisters.

I just got a 20ml sample of this, and first impression is love. Spice + pepper in the opening and immediately gets you in the "dry sauna" zone which I absolutely can't get enough of. Very faithful dry cedarwood, barely any sweetness (there is a scooch for balance), and a cold, dry incense. In the far dry down the cedar recedes a bit, and it's mostly lingering incense, and a dusty, slightly leathery labdanum. This could be a part of Comme Des Garcons incense line, or a niche blend. This is what I was hoping Azzaro Visit would be, but Hala is more natural, woodier, and less synthetic feeling. None of the musk and synthwood + sugar feeling. Calm, meditative, mature. I'll be getting a full bottle at the cheap price this goes for. The only negative is the bottle is tacky, as this deserves a more sustainable, subtle and less ostentatious package. Performance might be shy for those who like nuclear level scents, but longevity is strong, and sillage/projection is present but not in your face. 3-4 sprays to wrist and neck, and I get projection for 4-6 hours and present as a skin scent for 8+.

It opens with a blast of realistic black pepper that completely takes over, but the edges are surprisingly smooth and rounded. The nutmeg isn't very noticeable. It's a pretty linear scent, though once it reaches the mid, the pepper slowly softens into a gentle cedarwood incense note before settling into a slightly spicy, soft musky drydown. This isn't a beast-mode projector. It stays fairly close to the skin with moderate longevity, and on my clotch it completely gone after about 8-12hours(?) It's a pretty unique, niche-style scent. 8/10. Hoping they hire a better graphic designer. The bottle design is pretty unique, but the typography always looks tacky, and the logo is honestly quite ugly. *anyone saying Hala by Lattafa is an exact replica of Eucalyptus 20... it is NOT. They're completely different fragrances. They only share a touch of that dry, spicy, incense-like character in the middle. but... they're not interchangeable.

I bought this because I was curious about the amber and nutmeg notes. I've had the bottle for about 6 months now and I've given it to my partner to wear. I love this scent because it reminds me of trips to the lumber section of a hardware store combined with the smell of visiting a house being built in the forest. It has the richness of tree resins but a freshness of being outdoors all day. Also this scent lasts a day at the office and I can even smell it lingering on the skin once it hits midnight. There is some incense note that reminds me of burning wood but overall I find this a fresh, resinous scent. There is a slight sweetness that really comes out in the dry down and the pepper gives a slight spice. My partner has an oily skin type and this scent lasts much longer on him than green or citrus notes while still giving a light fresh scent that can be smelled from an arms distance.

I was looking for a cheap church-like incense perfume as i was not fully committed to paying like 100 euros on CDG Incense or Montale Full Incense, and this comes pretty close. I got it for 30 euros and that's pretty good for what you get. I haven't let this sit, but right off the bat it's pretty good. Smells like entering a church, a bit woody and just a bit floral. It won't perform well on skin, i can tell from the very first hour but it stays on clothes for quite long, as when i tested it at the store i had sprayed on my clothes and it stayed for at least 2 days. It won't project much but it's good for layering. I will be spraying on my clothes and then wear something like Mancera Aoud Vanille.. just to give an extra base layer of mystery.. i think it's great for all seasons if you want to add smokiness to your profile.

This is a surprisingly good scent. Main players are pepper and dry cedar. A little frankincense. This is not "full incense" alternative. Full incense is warm and resinous, Hala is dry and peppery, yes both contain incense, but they have a different scent profile. This is a better alternative to the discontinued Greyland by montale. It has a little similarity to Comme des Garcons black, and zara woods street. But the pepper in this one is moderate and smooth, while the cedar is shouting. Reminds you also of Bentley for men absolute. If you love the idea of peppered cedar and incense, don't go anywhere else, it's better than every frag I mentioned, I tried them all. I dont like the bottle, I had to move the juice to a simple minimalistic glass bottle. Loved it more. Give your self a good 10 to 12 sprays for a good bubble.

Call me crazy. I got a sniff and a blotter of Le Labo Benjoin 19 today in advance of its NY release. I loved it immediately. It reminded me of something...what? Hala. Yes, nice cheap Lattafa Hala. I figured I had to be wrong. An AI told me no way, Hala is sharp and dry (it isn't!), and B-19 is sweet. Well, I got home and sprayed a blotter of Hala to compare against my B-19 blotter. They are not identical...but I'm telling you: they are very very similar. B-19 has a little more tension? Something a little..tamarind-y? But pretty close cousins. Maybe Hala layered with a little something else might give the same effect. Someone here said Amber Paste by Kuumba Made. I have this, so maybe I will give it a whirl.

Just got this and was hoping it was gonna scratch my "expensive incense fragrance" itch. Eh.. not really but .... (The bottle looks like something from a Harry Potter movie - a prop made to look "old fashioned but in the future". It looks awful next to all my other bottles ) . I just got this so it will have to macerate for a while . And yes, nutmeg , cedar, spices ...... I'm just not fully getting an incense vibe. Not sure on projection and longevity -- but I'm sure it will be average to all other Lattafas . I'm going to keep the cap off and put it on top of my Christmas tree next season. GRADE: B minus (with hope it goes full on B plus.) This does feel "niche quality & price " as they say.

Just got a sample of this today. I've never had a fragrance so boldly and immediately announce a note. One spray screamed CEDAR! cedar and incense. I love it. I imagine it will even out a bit as it matures, we shall see. 6 weeks later, smells mostly the same. Beautiful smoky cedar on amber. I think I get anosmic to this one though. It's possible the longevity and projection just suck, but that has not been my experience with others in the lattafa pride line. Love the smell though, and out of all the perfumes I've shown my nephew he wanted a decant of this the most.

@jaf_ua describes the smell best, the opening comes across as fishy-smoky, it may be due to the black pepper and nutmeg bomb of an opening, but there is definitely something fishy in the top. Had to sell it because of this, the drydown is nice and reminds me slightly of montale full incense with the church vibe, but there is 100% an unintentional smoked fish accord subtly running through this fragrance.

Very churchy. Very cedary. I don't think I can pull it off on its own as a woman, but I got it for layering (alternating with myrrh & tonka for layering with Eillish for my main hot priest vibes combo). The bottle is horrible. I broke off the bottom silvery part immediately so it would fit in my drawer, and I'm thinking of transplating another cap to it.

Smells very much like Oud Grandeur by Avon, but less funeral lilly. It was a blind buy, but it’s a keeper for me. The bottle is over the top, though. It would be much nicer in a simple packaging

I smelled this at a local perfume store today. I instantly liked the scent. I pulled the trigger because it was an older batch with the plastic dome and I had to have it.

If you are a fan of Eucalyptus 20 by Le Labo, this is an exact replica (not by design, I'm sure) and at a fraction of the cost. Beautiful incense smell and long lasting.

Such a wonderful cold incense and labdanum scent that slowly turns to cedar shavings as it dries.

Literally smells like anointing oil,frankincense and myrrh

Smells like salty inscence, not wearable