Dalal by Al-Rehab: Caramel on a Budget

Today we explore another cheapie that gets a lot of love: Dalal by Al-Rehab. Dalal like Nebras has quite a following with many calling it a dupe for quite very niche fragrances: Jeux de Peau by Serge Lutens, Botrytis by Ginistet, Escada Collection by Escada, and Venezia by Laura Biagotti. The scent though for me was another story and suspect this is a scent that is very susceptible to body chemistry.

Dalal for me is pure caramel, the opening is a bit rough with a strange almost plastic cherry note, but once it warms upon the skin is pure caramel. It actually ended up reminding me the most of Victor&Rolf's Flowerbomb and BBW's Sensual Amber yet unlike those two no patchouli or amber shows up instead it remains mainly caramel with the edition of candied bergamot and vanilla and maybe a hint of sandalwood. While it was pleasant to be around Dalal, I just found it to be too much caramel for me. My preferred caramel is Prada Candy because it is lightly done. On the other hand for a caramel lover I think Dalal is an amazing find that you should definitely try. This is a review of the oil.

Try if you like: Prada Candy, Victor&Rolf Flowerbomb, BBW Sensual Amber, Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy, Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot, La Maison de la Vanille Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti.

image from: http://www.retronaut.co/2011/10/colour-photographs-of-circus-performers-1940s-1950s/

Nebras, old-fashioned in the best possible way.

So you hang around enough perfume boards and eventually you begin to hear about that cheapy perfume that is profoundly good. In this case that cheap wonder is Al-Rehab's Nebras. I first ran across it when randomly seeing comparisons of it as a dupe to the rather infamous Boudoir by Vivienne Westwood but then I started to read about the differences,  it was not nearly as "skanky" or overt as Boudoir, a bit cleaner. I was hooked by the possibility, I like Boudoir once it gets to the drydown unfortunately that is hours later after a long time of a rather disreputable middle that I can never quite get comfortable in. So I ordered it for a song, seriously your mouth will drop once you look up the price of it on Amazon.

So how does it compare to Boudoir, well they are definitely siblings, but Nebras is not a dupe of Boudoir. I can say that if you like Boudoir give this a try or if you wanted to like Boudoir but found it a bit jarring try this. So how is it?

Nebras starts off with a lovely bloom of sweet spiced aldehydes. The effect is pink and vibrant, very fuchsia like in my mind. Quickly the aldehydes give way to a floral bouquet of rose, lilac, honey, and narcissus all spiced with clove and nutmeg with a lovely base of powder. This is probably the sexiest stage because beneath that powder is a definite animalic musk that gives the scent the quality of warm powdered skin against skin. As the scent unfurls hints of incense come forth but the powdered honey spice remains eventually the drydown comes it is a bit cleaner, the musk more accentuated, and the powder stepping just slightly more to the background. The projection is excellent for an oil and so is the strength. I frankly cannot wait to try this scent in cooler weather, I found it to be a bit much in the dry heat of a California summer, but I have enjoyed wearing to bed at night, waking up to the remnants of it a lovely morning luxury.

Try if you like: Vivienne Westwood Boudoir, Robert Piguet Baghari, Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

The lovely image above is from Retronaut. Also how gorgeous and perfect is Sophia Loren in that image?