In recent years, the growing fascination with Middle Eastern perfumes has driven not only new olfactory trends but also the rise of local brands – some with a long tradition and others as young companies – aiming to blend the heritage of rich oriental perfumery with the savoir-faire of Western fragrances.
Why have Middle Eastern fragrances captivated the senses of the West?
According to perfumer Jérôme di Marino of Mane, Western consumers are increasingly drawn to more concentrated premium fragrances (intense, elixir, and extrait). "With fragrance prices on the rise, consumers are now looking for perfumes that justify their investment in a luxury product: it must be powerful, long-lasting, and original," explains Di Marino.
"Oriental perfumes are the finishing touch that we can use to create our own olfactory imprint," says Ana Gómez, a perfumer at Iberchem. We are in an era where people want to "feel special, unique, stand out, empower themselves…".
Although Western consumers are not accustomed to the intensity that characterises Middle Eastern scents - with local particularities, the region encompasses what is known as the MENA region, the Middle East and North Africa - the magic of alchemy has worked the unimaginable: it has made them fall in love even with the most concentrated compositions, such as Amouage's Attars. This format, a 100% pure fragrance oil, has become one of the best-sellers of this niche Omani perfume brand. Interestingly, their main market is not their own region, but the United States.
A centuries-old tradition: perfume as part of culture
For Western consumers, Middle Eastern perfumes offer a unique sensory experience that stands out from the options flooding the European and American markets.
This type of perfumery boasts an ancient history, centered on creating scents that go far beyond being mere fashion accessories. In Middle Eastern culture, perfumes play a ceremonial and spiritual role. From oud – an aromatic resin extracted from agarwood, prized for its deep, warm fragrance – to amber, musk, and other natural ingredients like rose, saffron, and neroli, Middle Eastern perfumes have been an integral part of beauty rituals, religious traditions, and daily life for centuries.
In an era when consumers are more interested in fragrance than ever before, the intense and long-lasting scents from the Middle East offer an exceptional sensory experience. They also introduce a different way of enjoying perfume, encouraging application on clothing, skin, and hair, and inviting the practice of layering.
For Western consumers, Middle Eastern perfumes provide a unique and different different sensory journey.
Olfactory exclusivity
Many of the ingredients used in Middle Eastern perfumery are known for their high cost, due to their rarity and labor-intensive extraction process. One example is oud, known as agarwood or "black gold", one of the most expensive raw materials for making perfumes. To give you an idea of its limited production, one kilogram of oud wood yields only a milliliter of resin. This ingredient adds a depth and intensity to fragrances that is difficult to achieve with other materials.
Oud wood is a signature ingredient of Ajmal, a brand from the United Arab Emirates, which imports over 40 tons of this wood annually. As an expert in the field, the brand highlights that oud comes in various nuances: smoky, earthy, and fruity.
However, it's not just through Middle Eastern brands that we've come to know oud. Western brands have also started incorporating this ingredient into their fragrances, achieving great success. Examples include Oud Wood by Tom Ford (2007), Oud Immortel by Byredo (2010), and Oud by Maison Francis Kurkdjian (2012), to name just a few.
Although the initial goal of using these ingredients was to introduce Western brands to the Middle East, the strategy has also enriched the palette of raw materials available in Europe and the United States.
Adding to this is the influence of social media platforms like TikTok, where young people from around the world share their passion for unique fragrances that help them express their individuality and break free from gender labels. In this way, these platforms have boosted the visibility of Middle Eastern perfumery, as noted by Jérôme di Marino.
From the fusion of Moroccan heritage and Parisian style comes Mezel. Founded by Sophia Gyé-Jacquot, this niche perfume brand collaborates with Mane perfumers Jerôme di Marino, Mathilde Bijaoui and Julie Massé (of the Mane fragrance company), who work with high-quality Moroccan-inspired ingredients reimagined through a contemporary Western lens.
One of the challenges the perfumers faced in creating Mezel's fragrances was finding the right balance between Moroccan heritage and French sophistication. "Our goal was to avoid an olfactory cliché of Morocco," explains Di Marino. The three perfumers involved in the process developed a musky accord as the olfactory signature of the entire collection, creating a "Moroccan musk".
For Café Défendu, Di Marino explores the addictive aroma of coffee, blended with the bitter and aromatic notes of cannabis. "The oriental influence is reflected in the vibrant and smoky woody base, crafted with three qualities of vetiver," notes the perfumer.
Mathilde Bijaoui says that the fragrance Néroli Cuivré is inspired by the ancient tradition of welcoming guests with orange blossom water sprayed from a brass bottle known as aspersoir, a symbol of respect. Drawing from this idea, the perfumer combined Moroccan neroli essential oil, pure Jungle Essence of refreshing cardamom, and hazelnut to achieve an addictive touch and a metallic accord.
A new perception of luxury
The rise of Middle Eastern fragrances coincides with a shift in how Western consumers perceive luxury. Today, luxury is seen less as a logo or status symbol and more as a unique and enriching experience. Middle Eastern fragrances offer exactly that: intense, complex, and long-lasting scents designed to leave an unmistakable olfactory signature.
This reimagining of luxury has been fueled in part by the growth of niche brands seeking to stand out in a saturated market. Middle Eastern brands bring a renewed focus on craftsmanship and personalisation. In this context, names like Amouage, Ajmal, Nishane, and Arabian Oud have become benchmarks, challenging contemporary perfumery conventions and attracting an audience eager to explore and rediscover the exclusivity.
The use of rare and exclusive ingredients positions Middle Eastern perfumery as a symbol of distinction. Consumers are willing to pay premium prices for fragrances that not only excel in quality but also offer a touch of mystery and exoticism– qualities that hold a special allure.
Cultural fusion
The exchange of trends between East and West reflects the mutual interest between cultures. The blending of olfactory influences, combining oriental notes with Western trends and preferences, has resulted in unique perfumes that represent a cultural fusion gaining more and more followers.
New opportunities are emerging to combine scent notes where East and West converge, uniting the richness of both traditions to satisfy a market hungry for different experiences. The allure of the unknown is driving the current hype.
Another brand born from this fusion is Montale, a French niche perfume brand inspired by Pierre Montale's passion for Middle Eastern fragrances. Its catalogue is filled with oriental references featuring ingredients like amber, sandalwood, and various spices. Black Aoud, one of its early successes, contrasts the intensity of oud with the softness of rose.
As its name suggests, the France-based brand SoOud pays homage to the Middle East through essences rich in ingredients from the region, including oud, among others.
This interest in oriental perfumes has not only propelled brands, but also driven innovation among ingredient developers, who are introducing new molecules with sustainable profiles, such as a new and sensual neo-amber created by Takasago.
With Middle Eastern perfumery gaining popularity and setting new standards for luxury and exclusivity, it seems that the Western market has found in these scents a source of inspiration and renewal. Beyond being a passing trend, the success of Middle Eastern fragrances in the West suggests a transformation in taste and in the very concept of luxury perfumery, opening the door to an era where fragrance becomes a transcultural art–a language everyone wants to speak.
