About a year ago, I bought Montale’s Oud Queen Roses; with that purchase came a sample from the Saudi Arabian perfume house Al-Rehab. It was labeled “Saat Safa,” which should mean: sensual, dark, mysterious, and beautiful. It began my obsessive lemming for arabian fragrances.

I didn’t know much about this house—I still know very little—but I’m now the happy owner of four of their fragrances.
Saat Safa is billed as a unisex oud/amber fragrance, though I find that I don’t like it as much on my husband (who smells great, by the way, in No. 5). I wore it regularly during the cold winter months, often layering it with the Montale. While I have a fairly large selection of fragrances to wear, I get compliments when I wear Saat Safa more than almost any other fragrance I own.

I’m thinking of it today because I’m wearing it. I’ve been reaching for it quite a bit during the heat wave, which in theory seems like a bad idea, however, being a concentrated oil it sticks close to the skin.

Of the four fragrances I own from Al-Rehab, I wear Saat Safa the most, but it’s only whetted my appetite for more.
Al-Rehab’s fragrances are a good (and inexpensive) foray into the world of Arabian perfumery, but I’m ready for more. My radar is now set towards Ajmal perfumes.. which, again, I can find very little information about. I’m in search of samples—their prices are more in the niche range—and I hope to report back with some thrilling new favorites…