Tharwah Gold

Out of all my MEs this is in my top 3. So many complements and I'm not wearing it to be complimented. Uber feminine, I'm an oversprayer for so many of my perfumes but any more than 5 will feel too much and it stays at that level for 7 or 8 hours and is still noticeable to my nose, the nose that loves to go nose blind to most of my perfumes pretty quickly, at the 10 hour mark. I worked a full 8 hour day and at the end of the day received compliments and I'm pretty sure that day I did four whole sprays one under my shirt, one between my two wrists, one on my shirt, and one on my neck. And it's not just that I love how I smell when I'm wearing this it's the way it makes me feel. I think it's the orange blossom and how it mixes with the Jasmine and vanilla that makes this literally addictive. I have 2 YSL Libre perfumes. One is vanille couture and the other one is le Parfum but this one is probably three times as strong and definitely in the same family. I can see why this rates better than Libre intense and I have no desire to buy Libre intense. I bought the other two just for the twist they had on this DNA because this DNA is obviously something I am wired to love! If you can be light handed this is an easy reach for office appropriate. This is sundress-worthy for summer and pant suit ready for the office in the winter. It would be delicious at a wedding and it would be fantastic on a date! This is probably my favorite Lattafa and it has probably two more that are pretty near it but wins because it is unbelievably impressive all the way around. It might not be the smoothest blend but I like that it's not super smooth and I know it will smooth out with age. And for all those people saying that this is somehow masculine I am blown away! I don't know a masculine man alive who would gravitate towards this for themselves. I do know some extremely manly men who gravitate towards this on a woman they like.... that's for sure! LOL

Just doing a back-of-the-hand test for now, and I'm guessing it will improve over time, but already I find Tharwah Gold so beautiful and strangely addictive that I can't stop huffing my own hand while I type this. It's not supposed to be a gourmand, but there's something about the way that the lavender and vanilla combine with the white florals to make it smell delicious but not overly sweet. Maybe it's a bit like a sweet citrus-garnished lavender chai, with lots and lots of vanilla and a dash of honey. As you sit sipping your exquisite beverage, you catch whiffs of orange blossom and jasmine wafting in from the veranda. What a gorgeous scent! And the Lattafa packaging is unimpeachable. Update: Wearing today, and my husband asked me if I was burning incense (I was not). Apparently Tharwah Gold smells of incense to him. I don't get that, but we all perceive scent differently, and I guess it's possible that the lavender and vetiver are creating a kind of smoky accord in combination. In truth, he doesn't seem to like my Middle Eastern perfumes very much in general, even the ones that don't fit the profile (e.g., prominent ouds--this has no oud note that I can detect). I get a nice soapy-smoky vanilla-lavender scent on the drydown. It's not really much like Mon Guerlain, but it also doesn't clash with it, in the event that some of the MG I was wearing yesterday is still perceptible on my skin or clothing. The bottle cracks me up. It's such high-quality--nice frosted glass with impressive metal and ceramic detailing--but the design reminds me of the late, lamented Parkmoor in St. Louis, a Midcentury Modern Flintstones-like gem that got demolished for a stupid and nondescript drive-through chain pharmacy. If I were in charge of the built environment (and perfume bottle design for that matter), you can bet there would be some changes made.

Now that I have Libre and Libre Intense, I see Tharwah as a cross between the two. Yes, it's not as beautifully blended, and the ingredients aren't quite as elevated, I'm guessing, but Tharwah improved hugely after a few months of maturation in the dark, and now I think I would have a difficult time distinguishing it from Libre Intense particularly (because it has vetiver in the base--not patchouli, but still darker and scratchier than the cedar base of Libre EDP). I won't call this a dupe because for all I know it existed first--moreover, this scent profile isn't exactly unheard of in the Middle East. I wouldn't say you should save your money and buy Tharwah instead of one of the Libre line (personally, I find them all different enough to rationalize having at lease small quantities of each), but if money is tight, I think Tharwah is a sensible alternative. I'd say 90% of the people who smell you will just think you smell really nice, and of those people who are familiar with the YSL perfumes, most of them will probably think you're wearing Libre in some form. At this point, given the number of flankers, it's likely to smell like one or more in combination. Come to think of it, this might be most like Libre Le Parfum, which is a lot like Libre Intense, except a bit spicier (with saffron). Tharwah has kumquat and lime, which none of the YSL perfumes have, but those don't smell radically different from the citruses used in the Libre perfumes. Regarding the relative coolness of the bottles, I'd say Tharwah and YSL are tied. Tharwah has more of that weird midcentury "atomic age" vibe, whereas the YSL bottle just looks badass-bling-elegant in a contemporary way.

I was looking for something similar to that bubblegum-orange blossom of Awaan Gold minus the patchouli-sandalwood-musk drydown that I go back and forth on. I love Awaan, and I get more compliments on it than any other perfume I've ever worn, but when I sweat a lot...I fear that on my clothing, those specific notes of the dry-down mixed with my BO is rather noxious. And lowkey...I think this is what I was looking for! Of course, this much more vanilla and has that hint of lavender, but the bubblegum-orange blossom is definitely there. Orange blossom drenched in this syrupy, thick vanilla. So delicious. I was a little nervous that the lavender would throw me off, but honestly, it is so light; I wouldn't worry about it. Awaan Gold is definitely a little stronger, but this also has decent performance. I can't tell you how similar it is to Libre Intense because I've never smelled it before, but there is that hint of bubblegum white floral in here that I also pick up in Fakhar, mixed with the orange blossom of Awaan. I've only wore it one day, but so far I really enjoy it! Have not yet tried it while working out, which is the ultimate litmus test for me...but if it mixes with my sweat without giving locker room, I will probably promote this to LOVE. Edit: LAYER THIS with Awaan Gold!!! Absolutely beautiful.

Tharwah Gold is probably the most underrated fragrance that I've encountered. I initially bought a 20 ml of a few of the Lattafa Pride Collection. I immediately knew that I had to have a full bottle after my first sniff. It was simply LOVE at first sniff! This is now my new signature scent and my favourite middle eastern fragrance. The fragrance opens with a soft lavender note similar to the one that is present in mon Guerlain! It is supported by the Jasmine as well as a hint of the orange blossom and the vanilla which is herbal like in nature but creamy at the same time, usually this creaminess is due to sandalwood, I'm actually surprised that it's not present in this fragrance ( if you have Al rehabs Delal, the vanilla is very similar to that fragrance, so I oftentimes layer the oil with Tharwah) Luckily the bergamot note is not really detectible as the fragrance is blended really well. Tharwah Gold is fairly linear, except that as it wears, the vanilla becomes the main player. I've never tried Libre before but if it's anything like this, I can see why it is so loved. I've had this fragrance for a few months now and the vanilla certainly projects more. It simply gets better with time! Truly a well blended masterpiece 😍