Rouge Karkade

This is a huge departure from the rest of my collection and I love it. I don’t do “beast mode” or oud and so was surprised I liked this so much when given a chance to sample the entire line from this brand (they’re really good, btw!) It’s initially sweet and jammy on my skin and then over time develops into a soft smoky sweet oud. It really does smell like a sweet hibiscus tea on my skin, but just the sweet hibiscus part without the usual acidity of the tea. It’s massively strong and insanely long lasting - 1 spray on my torso in the morning lasted me the entire day. If you have this, please please go light on the sprays. I bought this last week but can’t wait to wear it more when is fall/winter again.

This is a softly sweet pomegranate oud with a smoky trail that’s pleasant but ultimately underwhelming. It feels unfinished... wearing flat and almost transparent despite its heavier notes. While additional maceration might help, that shouldn’t be necessary at this price point. Very soft projection and skin scent performance. It smells like the first few months of a cheaper Arab dupe fragrances - where you first get the strange, thin phase where something feels missing or like it wasn’t finished in the lab, but after sitting in a dark cupboard for a few months, it finally settles into what it was meant to be. That said, the bottle is elegant, the presentation is beautiful, and I always appreciate supporting brands based in Africa when I can.