9 July 2026
Warm, enveloping, often unforgettable: oriental perfumes fascinate. But between oud, amber, musk and the great roses of the Orient, how do you find your way? Here are our pointers to choose yours.
The great notes of the Orient
Oud, or agarwood, is the queen of oriental perfumery: woody, deep, sometimes slightly smoky. In Un Air d’Arabie Oud, it is paired with rose, for a duality between western freshness and traditional Arabian oud.
Amber evokes the warmth of resins and vanilla. Un Air d’Arabie Ambre offers a woody interpretation with vanilla sap, pine and cedar notes.
Musk brings sensuality and longevity. Powerful and woody, it is sometimes considered intimidating in the West: Un Air d’Arabie Musc softens it with a floral touch.
Un Air d’Arabie Oud, rose on an oud base
The flowers of the Orient
The Orient also means exceptional flowers. The Taif rose, which grows over 1,800 metres high in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, is often paired with amber or incense: discover it in Un Air d’Arabie Rose de Taïf. The Damask rose reveals itself, light and musky, in Un Air de Damas Rose.
Damascus is also the city of jasmine: Un Air de Damas Jasmin pays tribute to baladi jasmine. Lovers of rarities will enjoy Un Air de Damas Fullah, a flower from the Damascus region that lives only one day after blooming, and the boldest the powerful tuberose.
Our advice to choose well
- Try it on your skin, never only on a blotter: oriental notes change a lot with body heat.
- Take your time: the heart and base of an oriental perfume reveal themselves after one or two hours. That is often when you fall in love.
- Think about the season: amber and oud bloom in autumn and winter; rose and jasmine also suit sunny days.
- Start with a set: the Un Air d’Arabie and Un Air de Damas sets each bring together four 8 ml perfumes, ideal to discover several facets before choosing a full-size bottle.
The Un Air d’Arabie set, four 8 ml perfumes
To go further
Discover the whole Oriental Perfumes collection, traditional oriental fragrances reinvented with a French twist. And for a tribute to the great singer Oum Kalthoum, the “Star of the Orient”, discover our sister house Astre d’Orient with Ya Habibi or Zikra.