Dubai-based perfumer Mohammed Ne’emah founded his eponymous fragrance house in 1997. With oud a dominant note in scents again this season, the Kuwaiti-born entrepreneur shares his passion for the precious ingredient and his perfume recommendations for the festive season.
What are the new releases for the festive season?
We have Desert Rose, which is a fragrance that combines cardamom and pepper, adding a surprisingly spicy kick to a floral scent made of rose, vanilla and labdanum. It’s a blend of the traditional and the contemporary. It comes packaged in a sleek black bottle with a touch of gold.
In the wake of National Day and as a UAE resident, what does the country mean to you?
The UAE has been such a great source of inspiration to me, personally. The opportunities that this country has given me are enormous and it’s with great pride that I celebrate the National day. The UAE is a country that I call home and on National Day I’ll wear my white dishdasha and in true Arabic fashion and my strongest oud fragrance called Ne’emah Pour Homme.
How would you describe the increasing popularity of oud as a key ingredient in fragrances globally now?
It’s true, demand for exotic natural ingredients like sandalwood, amber and oud has risen considerably. Oriental scents are definitely the trend now. Stronger, more intense flavours like Oud are more desirable. People on-the-go appreciate bold scents that are easily transferable from day to night, and Oud, as we all know, helps other olfactive elements linger longer. As I always say, nobody can go wrong with oud.
Is it a challenge to constantly come up with new scents for a region in which the fragrance market is fairly mature?
Growing up in the region, I’ve realised that there’s no room for error in this industry. My weakness for fine fragrances drives me to deliver the best that I can, helping me earn the love and loyalty of my customers. It’s all comes down to being unique — my fragrances have to trigger strong emotions in people, which to me, is the primary purpose of a fragrance.
What are your first memories of exotic scents?
As a child, my parents had a huge collection of perfumes meant for special occasions. I remember them vividly and can still recognise them today. There was one particular scent that my mother wore with hints of vanilla and musk that holds a special place in my heart. The very first perfume that I created by accident, while experimenting with a few ingredients at the age of 17, is called Laya — meaning lady in Arabic — and carried those same notes of musk and vanilla. Today, it happens to be one of Ne’emah’s best selling fragrances.
What are your favourite three notes?
I love anything Oriental and most of my fragrances contain a hint of oud, agarwood, and musk along with other ingredients. There aren’t any specific ingredients that I particularly dislike, but I’m particular about using different fragrances at different times of the day. For example, I like to start my mornings with fresh citrus notes rather than more bold and intense fragrances.
• Ne'emah fragrances start from Dh300 and are available exclusively at Sephora in the UAE. For more information go to www.neemah.com or www.sephora.com