Kajal
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Granny Smith apple cuts through with green, almost tart brightness, accompanied by bergamot that crackles like dry ice. It's fresh and assertive, but never harsh—there's already a whisper of something darker lurking beneath.
Passion fruit softens the initial sharpness as cedar develops into something almost woody-resinous, whilst coriander seed adds a subtle peppery warmth that makes the composition feel decidedly spiced rather than fruity-sweet. The fragrance becomes considerably more complex and fleshy here.
Patchouli and musk settle into a warm, skin-like base whilst amber sweetens the edges just enough to prevent things turning earthy or austere. What remains is intimate, softly animalic, and surprisingly sensual—closer to a second skin than a fragrance worn on it.
Dahab arrives as a contradictory whisper—a fragrance that announces itself through crisp, green-skinned apple and bright bergamot, yet immediately pivots toward something far more sensual. Christian Carbonnel has constructed a scent that refuses categorisation, threading a line between fresh-fruity and genuinely warm-spiced that few fragrances manage without toppling into either camp.
The passion fruit in the heart is where Dahab reveals its cunning. Rather than lending tropical sweetness (which would feel cloying against the apple's tartness), it acts as a bridge, softening the bergamot's citric bite whilst allowing cedar to emerge with a subtle woody dryness. There's coriander seed here too—that peppery, almost herbal quality that prevents the composition from settling into simple gourmand territory. It keeps Dahab intellectually engaging, never content to simply smell pleasant.
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3.5/5 (166)