Awakened Ajmal Appreciation

“Classic fragrance with contemporary ingredients captures the heart of the wearer craving for the perfect balance in life. Natural materials like fragrant sandalwood, amber and cedar wood are creatively merged with spicy hints of ginger, cardamom and clove, creating a sophisticated perfume reflecting effortless elegance and modern versatility.”

Richly Scented

The above quote is the description of my new eau de parfum (EDP) I recently purchased. Ever since arriving in Abu Dhabi, I’ve noticed that men and women wear a lot of perfume – to my Western sensibilities, the smell is exotic. I find these 'new to me', aromas of perfume, oil and incense intoxicating and exhilarating. Once I finally ‘tuned’ into the heady aromas worn by the locals, I wanted to learn what they were wearing and where to buy some. Unfortunately, I’ve heard some unkind expressions implying Emirati use a lot of richly scented perfumes. Whether unkind or ignorant words come my way, you can add me to that richly scented group. I am the proud wearer of my first eau de parfum made by Ajmal. Ajmal is the largest perfume manufacturer in the UAE. I'm sure it won't be my last purchase.

The Corniche Ajmal Eternal, near Corniche Towers in Khalidiyah.

The Malls in Abu Dhabi, and around the Middle East, are populated with a variety of perfume shops, Ajmal, YAS and Abdul Samadi al Qurashi, among many others. Often, there is aromatic incense burning at the entry to the perfumeries, enticing shoppers to enter. Shops are bursting with delicate, gold-tipped, perfume bottles. Among them are an array of mysterious unlabeled crystal decanters full of exotic oils and perfumes. If you have never been to this type of perfume shop, it can intimidate the bravest of men.

My First

My first venture into an Abu Dhabi perfume shop was with my wife. To my surprise, one day she just walked into Abdul Samadi al Qurashi in Marina Mall. Not wanting to miss out, I followed her in. Although a language issue made choosing the scented oils she purchased awkward, service was friendly and my wife was pleased with her purchase. And I received some confidence to go exploring on my own.

My Second

For a Mothers day gift last month, I decided on perfume for my wife. Confident I could find a wonderful perfume or oil on my own, I went shopping. My first attempt was rebuked by an overly occupied salesman. He was the only salesperson at the small shop I chose and he was consumed with assisting a customer. Half an hour later, he was still busy with the same woman. Sensing this would not be my day for a perfume purchase, I headed home. As I sat in the air-conditioned comfort of a silver taxi, I remembered the Ajmal Eternal perfume store in my neighborhood.

Call Me Sir

Living in the Middle East, I’ve become accustomed to being called ‘sir’. I’ve never been called ‘sir’ as much as I am here. Yes, I’m becoming comfortable with ‘sir’, however I don’t expect the words to always follow with ‘sincerity’. At Ajmal, I was greeted with ‘sir’ and with ‘sincerity’. Choosing a new fragrance for your wife is not an endeavor to pursue without trepidation. You can imagine how relieved I was to receive courtesy, guidance and genuine help in selecting a fragrance. My wife enjoys her Mother’s day gift. The Corniche Ajmal Eternal store became my third foray into an Abu Dhabi perfumery.

For an idea of the daunting task I set for myself, visit the Ajmal Website and browse the perfumes and oils they sell – bear in mind, this does not include the unlabeled ‘mix your own’ oils and perfumes (at some perfume stores, the unlabeled bottles can be half, or more, of the inventory). My positive experience at Ajmal encouraged me to stop by their store again to investigate their EDP and scented oils for men.

A New World

My return visit to Ajmal has opened a new world of perfume and scented oils to me. The ‘Oriental’ and ‘Asian’ scents are fresh concepts to my Western sensibilities. I’m gaining a new appreciation for the luxury of perfumes. An appreciation I would have denied prior to moving to Abu Dhabi.

Here’s the link to the fragrance I chose:
Ghala at www.ajmalperfume.com

If you are living in the Middle East, I encourage you to visit an Ajmal Eternal, or other perfume shop when you have the chance. You'll find some scents easy to understand and appreciate. You will also be introduced to a range of aromas outside of your cultural comfort zone. You may just answer some unasked questions of your own.