Al Hobb Hayat

I blind bought both Al Hobb Hayat and Al Hobb al Abady. I've left a review for al Abady on its page if interested. Al Hobb Hayat means "Love is Life" in Arabic. It opens with a juicy mango and the citrus, mostly the tangerine. I get praline not long after and the spicy plum comes in with a bit of lily of the valley, cradled on some vanilla and leaving a musky trail. Even though it has praline and vanilla, it doesn't smell like a true gourmand. It has some warmth and smells a little tropical, probably from that delectable mango. This is a well-balanced, sweetish, fruity perfume that lasts quite a while, I get moderate to good longevity and sillage. I think this could be really versatile, worn year-round, day or night. Overall, this is a delightful, feminine perfume. I love it as well as Al Hobb al Abady. Really well-crafted.

Of course they always discontinue the best 😤

This is my first perfume from the Middle East and I have to say I am in love! Appropriately named, this scent is very sweet, but not too strong. I’m not normally a fan of sweet scents, but this one is just perfect. Al Hobb Hayat is a good choice for any time of day, but it really stands out on a brisk Autumn day. Isn’t overpowering when you first spray it, and the dry down is a lovely sweet scent that doesn’t get tiring. It’s not my favorite, but it’s definitely something I’d reach for first some days. I’m very pleased that this was my introduction to Middle Eastern perfumes!

Bought because I read it was similar to Zara Fruity, which actually is even though Al Hobb Hayat is more musky, but they are quite similar when I smell them from the bottle. On my skin, however Al Hobb Hayat has a much lighter smell and is much less persistent that the Zara one even though it is EDP. The bottle is really cute and it comes with a nice pendant which I honestly liked more than the perfume itself.

So beautiful scent, the only bad thing is poor longevity. So sad to hear it is discontinued :(