DXB

Maison Asrar DXB – A Hidden Gem This was love at first sniff. The quality and craftsmanship are outstanding for the price point. It opens with a bright, realistic blend of orange citrus and a subtle kick of ginger, all wrapped in a soft, clean musk. The composition leans very natural—there’s nothing harsh or synthetic about it. Surprisingly, it doesn’t carry the typical Middle Eastern fragrance DNA—no oud, no incense, nothing smoky or overly bold. Just a fresh, smooth, and easygoing scent. The ginger note is noticeable at the top but fades quickly within the first 30 seconds. I haven’t smelled the original, so I can’t compare, but Maison Asrar definitely has something special here. Scent: 9.8/10 Longevity: 7/10 Projection: 7/10

Maison Asar DXB is a surprisingly good ultra-budget clone of LV Afternoon Swim, but it definitely gives off that "not quite there" feeling. It captures the overall vibe perfectly in the opening with a very similar bright, citrusy blast, and for the price, it's honestly a steal. However, if your nose is used to higher-quality blends, you'll easily spot the difference. It lacks the juicy, hyper-realistic depth of the original LV, and the dry down feels a bit linear and slightly synthetic by comparison. Overall, it's a fantastic, cheap dumb-reach for hot summer days, just don't expect the exact same magic as the original.

This is a decent alternative to AS and honestly smells really good but there are a few drawbacks. When I first got it, there was this very unpleasant cilantro note but after 3-4 wears and a week of maceration it is completely gone. The people in these reviews likely didn’t give it some time for testing. Although I think it’s good, the original is still a league above it just because of the quality and refinement of the scent. This one does last longer though and has about the same projection. It just smells like an extremely smooth citrus fragrance with a watery smell to it which I love.

Got this because I was intrigued by LV's Afternoon Swim, but didn't want to pay LV prices only to get weak performance and longevity. Initially, this gave a cilantro scent up close and I was VERY disappointed, so I just started spraying it on my back and legs, because the juicy orange scent projects further than the perceived cilantro and was always very nice. I don't know if a month's time made the difference, or if I have just gotten used to it, but the cilantro smell I initially picked up is gone and now it's just one of my easiest reaches for the summer.

I was looking for a good afternoon swim alternative, then someone recommended this. I would say the scent profile is 85-90% similar especially the dry down and possibly better performance than the original which is a positive looking at the price. Bottle feels heavy which is a plus as i bought it as a gift for husband's bday. He wears it quite a lot. I don't think he realizes that the bottle looks like the frame of Dubai. He should do as he commutes daily to Dubai from Sharjah 😂😂