How to choose your first oriental perfume
By Atyab
Choosing an oriental perfume when you have never worn one before can seem intimidating: the names are unfamiliar, the olfactory pyramids look like shopping lists, and the descriptions all sound the same. Here is a simple, four-step method.
Step 1 — Start with what you already love
The best starting point is not an oriental perfume: it is the one you wear today. Identify its dominant family and look for its oriental equivalent.
- Do you like fresh and clean perfumes? Go for musky scents.
- Do you like sweet perfumes? Look at gourmand scents.
- Do you like woody perfumes? Our woody perfume collection is the most extensive in the catalog.
- Do you like floral perfumes? Look into oriental florals, generally longer-lasting than their Western counterparts.
Step 2 — Choose an intensity, not just a scent
This is the most common mistake. Two perfumes can share the same family and produce a radically different effect depending on their concentration and sillage (trail).
Subtle sillage
Musks and white florals: Reef Pure Flower, Reef 19. Suitable for the office and enclosed spaces.
Medium sillage
Woody fruity scents: Reef Summer Pink, Reef 21. The best compromise for daily use.
Strong sillage
Ouds, leathers, and gourmands: Reef Diriyah, Reef Niche 1. Reserve these for evenings and the cold season.
Step 3 — Do not overlook the size
Gulf perfumery offers volumes unknown in Europe. A 15 ml bottle allows you to test a signature scent on a budget; a 150 or 200 ml bottle offers the best value for money once you know the perfume suits you.
Our advice: start small with a family you are unfamiliar with, and upgrade to a large format once the signature scent is validated.
Step 4 — Test over time
An oriental perfume should be judged at three moments: upon spraying, after an hour, and at the end of the day. Most disappointments come from a purchase decided within the first thirty seconds, before the base notes—which will last for eight hours—have even emerged.
Frequently asked questions
How many perfumes should one own?
Two are enough to cover the essentials: a light daytime perfume and a denser evening perfume. A third, seasonal one, then comes naturally.
Should you choose a men's or women's perfume?
Oriental perfumery rarely thinks in these terms. Almost our entire catalog is unisex: rely on the olfactory family rather than a gender label.
Is it possible to make a mistake?
Yes, and that is normal. That is precisely why small sizes exist.
Ready to choose? Explore the full catalog or let yourself be guided by olfactory family.