Nabeel: Arabic perfumery since 1969
The name comes from Arabic and means "noble," and the fragrance names draw on Arabic imagery too, from falcons to legendary warriors, from camel drivers to the city of Dubai.
The scent families in the collection
Saffron, amber and oud: Asateer, Crown of Emirates, Bankam
There is Asateer, which opens with saffron and mandarin, has a heart of peony and orange blossom and an amber base. Crown of Emirates, inspired by Dubai, also pairs saffron with leather, around a heart of oud, peony and lychee. Bankam brings together cardamom and saffron with leather, plum and amber, in a bottle with a small working clock in the cap.
Woods, leather and spice: Al Bashiq, Antar, Dahn al Oud
Al Bashiq, dedicated to Arabian falcons, is a woody leather scent with grapefruit, bergamot and cinnamon over a base of cedar and myrrh. Antar is a unisex fragrance inspired by the legendary warrior, combining apple, saffron and lavender with amber and sandalwood. Dahn al Oud has clove and sandalwood alongside ylang-ylang and jasmine, while Dahn al Oud Amiri is a different composition, built on bergamot and patchouli.
Citrus and marine notes: Fulad, Ocean, Acqua di Nabeel
The house's citrus and marine side includes Fulad, which opens with mandarin and green tea and moves on to cedar, jasmine and amber. Ocean pairs mandarin and pink pepper with iris, vetiver and vanilla, while Ocean Blue opens with grapefruit and cardamom, has a lavender heart and a base of patchouli and vetiver. Finally, there is Acqua di Nabeel Absolute, a fruity floral with a base of oud, musk and vanilla.
Fruit and sweetness: Gold 24k, Ajoob, Nader, Irth
Among the fruity fragrances, Gold 24k combines apricot and orange with musk and vanilla. Ajoob opens with strawberry and pineapple, has rose at the heart and a base of caramel and sandalwood, and the house pairs it with evening wear. Then there is Nader, with orange, peach, jasmine and violet over sandalwood, and Irth, which combines apple and cinnamon with iris, ambergris and vanilla. Noble also opens with fruit, pear and pineapple, with rose at the heart and a base of musk and caramel, while Helu is a fruity floral with coconut and grapefruit, jasmine and lily of the valley and a white musk base.
The second editions: Rouge, Ruaa, Sama and more
Many fragrances have a variation with a second name, which is not a different concentration but a new perfume, still an eau de parfum. Crown of Emirates Rouge, for example, has bergamot, rose and saffron over patchouli and vetiver, and Asateer Ruaa combines red berries, jasmine and oud. Al Bashiq Sama features timut pepper and Damask rose, and Fulad Azm, inspired by the strength of metal, pairs bergamot and geranium with amber and labdanum. Lastly, Nader Juri is a floral with rhubarb, lychee and peony.
Deodorants, oils, gels and bakhoor
Nabeel deodorants are unisex and come in 200 ml. Some echo an eau de parfum, like Irth or Crown of Emirates Rouge, while others exist only in this format, like Khayali and Kanz. The body splashes, such as Raunaq, are body mists, and the Acqua di Nabeel one has its own composition, with incense, cinnamon, coconut, iris and rose.
Among the 6 ml roll-on perfume oils, next to Irth Oli Roll On, there is also Musk Al Tahara Musk Oil, devoted to white musk, with orange, violet, cedar and rose. The perfumed body gels include Hala, with milk and ambrette, Zahir and Fudge.
Nabeel also makes bakhoor, the Arabic incense for burning, in versions tied to some of its fragrances, such as Bakhoor Al Bashiq. The gift sets, like the Crown of Emirates Gift Set, pair the 100 ml eau de parfum with the 200 ml body spray.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of perfumes does Nabeel make?
Nabeel mainly makes Arabic-style perfumes, with accords of saffron, oud, amber, musk and leather. Alongside these are fresh fragrances like Fulad and Ocean, which pair citrus with green tea or pink pepper, and fruity ones like Gold 24k and Ajoob, with apricot, strawberry and vanilla.
What is the difference between Nabeel eau de parfum and deodorant?
The eau de parfum is the perfume itself, while the deodorant, also called body spray, is a 200 ml unisex spray. Some deodorants echo an eau de parfum, like Irth or Crown of Emirates Rouge. Khayali and Kanz, on the other hand, exist only as deodorants and have no matching eau de parfum.
What are Nabeel roll-on oils?
They are 6 ml perfume oils with a rollerball applicator, made for the body. The range includes versions of fragrances like Irth, Hala, Bahi and Irth Fairooz, as well as compositions like Musk Al Tahara, devoted to white musk, which also comes as a musk oil.
What is Nabeel bakhoor?
It is the incense of Middle Eastern tradition, made of resinous woods, spices and aromatic herbs that are burned on a dedicated burner to scent the home and fabrics. Nabeel offers it in versions tied to some of its fragrances, such as Al Bashiq, Maghateer, Irth and Ocean.
Which Nabeel perfume is best for summer?
Among the fragrances the house associates with summer is Acqua di Nabeel Absolute, a fruity floral with a base of oud and vanilla. There is also Gold 24k, which in its gift set evokes days at the beach.
What are the Rouge, Ruaa or Sama versions?
Rouge, Ruaa, Sama, Azm, Juri, Kilsa and Fairooz are fragrances in their own right, with their own notes, that take the name of one of the house's perfumes. Like the original, they are eau de parfum, not more concentrated versions. Asateer Ruaa, for example, has red berries and oud, and Maghateer Kilsa has lemon, iris and rose.
What comes in a Nabeel gift set?
A Nabeel gift set contains the 100 ml eau de parfum and the 200 ml body spray of the same fragrance, in a gift box. The house offers it for Asateer, Crown of Emirates, Al Bashiq, Fulad, Nader, Maghateer, Ocean, Oody Woody, Modern and Gold 24k.
What is Nabeel Dahn al Oud?
Dahn al Oud is a spicy, woody Nabeel eau de parfum, with clove and sandalwood alongside ylang-ylang and jasmine. The bottle is gold and decorated with an arch in the woods. Dahn al Oud Amiri shares the same starting name but is a different composition, built on bergamot and patchouli.
