I first spoke about water perfumes (some refer to them as shower perfumes) last year on my Instagram stories during my visit to Dubai, where these types of perfumes are pretty popular.

Every time I mention water perfumes, I’ve noticed it seems to pique some interest, so I figured I’d share much more on what I know about them, and point you in the direction of some brands who offer this type of perfume.

So what the heck is a water / shower perfume?

Great question. Your typical fragrances are alcohol based, as the alcohol acts as a solvent that binds the perfume oils together, and evaporates quite easily. This is what helps a fragrance leave a scent trail, and is the meaning of the term sillage - how far you can smell the fragrance from your wrist.

As the same suggests though, a water perfume is actually based on water, and contains no alcohol. They’re widely used in the Arab world, and are mainly used as a body mist after taking a shower. They say these types of perfumes stick to the body when the skin is still damp, which is why you might hear it being referred to as a ‘shower perfume’.

Just a note, without the alcohol in there to act as a solvent, it’s important to give the bottle a good shake before you spritz it on.

Throughout this post I'll be talking about Ibraheem Al Qurashi's Special Musk range. Whilst these are classed as shower perfumes, they do actually contain a little bit of alcohol in them, so are not completely alcohol free. That being said, they have the same 'feel' as a full-on water perfume.

What are the pros and cons of water perfumes?

There are several pros and cons to water perfumes. Let’s start with the main pros:

• They could be a feasible option for those who have sensitive skin that might be irritated by alcohol based perfumes. For example, body mists by the likes of Bath & Bodyworks are alcohol heavy and could lead to skin irritation.

• As it’s alcohol free, it’s ideal for those that believe applying alcohol to the skin is haram (forbidden)

• If you like layering different types of products on to improve the sillage of your fragrances, such as applying a scented body cream, then applying a perfumed body oil on top, etc. Then applying a water perfume after a shower on damp skin as a base could help improve the sillage and/or projection of the other fragrances you want to apply on top.

Main cons:

• Shelf-life: sadly, water perfumes usually don’t have a long shelf life at all. One water perfume I have says it’s best used within 12 months of opening.

• You will likely not get much sillage from a water based perfume when it’s the only product you intend to use. That being said, it is fantastic for layering, particularly as a base for all of your other fragrances.

In what order should water perfumes be applied when layering?

That is entirely up to you. The husband mists the perfume all over straight after a shower on damp skin.

I on the other hand, tend to moisturise the body first, usually with a scented body cream as I love layering scents for stronger sillage and projection. Whilst the cream is still damp on the skin, I will mist the water perfume all over so the fragrance has something to cling onto. Think of it in similar terms to how makeup primers work with foundation. It needs a tacky base for the foundation to grip onto to prolong the wear of your makeup.

Who makes water perfumes?

I found on my travels to across the Middle East, to the likes of UAE, Qatar and Oman, that there are countless brands offering water based perfumes, with a pretty big range in price tags too.

Here are just a few options to think about:

>>> Ibrahim Al Qurashi Musk Collection:

Ibrahim Al Qurashi are a Saudi brand who started off their business in Mecca, but their range is not completely alcohol free. Despite that, it has the feel of a water-based perfume, although the alcohol makes the sillage a lot stronger. I’ve been using the musk collection by Ibrahim Al Qurashi for several years now and it’s the one I most often reach for. From speaking with the locals, the range is super popular in Arab countries and also offers the same scents in hair mists.

The husband typically applies Powder Musk after his morning shower, and there's fairly strongly sillage to this one. It typically radiates from his chest, even in the evenings, although I suspect this has something to do with the alcohol content.

Their range contains many different types musks for all tastes, including blueberry musk, candy musk and even a cardamom musk. My favourites are Powder Musk, Special Musk, Blueberry Musk and Luban Musk. However, this range is not the easiest to get hold of in the UK. Which leads me to…

>>> Ard Al Zaafaran Ithra Dubai collection

Ard Al Zaafaran is much more readily available in the UK and their Ithra Dubai collection looks and sounds suspiciously similar to Ibrahim Al Qurashi’s musk body mists, with pretty much the same types of musks. From my research, the Ithra Dubai collection is alcohol free and is about half the price of Ibrahim Al Qurashi’s range. You can find them on Amazon here.

>>> Lataffa Thameen Collection

Lataffa are a UAE brand and their products are widely available for purchase in the West. They are also really affordable. They created their Thameen range which looks suspiciously similar to Ibrahim Al Qurashi’s collection, again with multiple different types of musks on offer.

I personally haven’t tried Lataffa’s Thameen collection but I am aware that these are not actually alcohol free, despite being intended for use in the same way as a water perfume. The scent ‘So Poudree’ from the Thameen collection looks and sounds very similar to my fave ‘Powder Musk’ by Ibrahim Al Qurashi. You can find their So Poudree here on Amazon.

>>> My Perfumes Water Perfume Collection

I came across My Perfumes whilst visiting the perfume souk in Dubai, which can be found within the gold souk area. My Perfumes are ridiculously affordable and I purchased the scent Oud Sharqiya, which cost me around £5! The scent is gorgeous, but is one that sits very close to the skin. They also sell a matching perfume oil.

>>> Islamic stores

Ah, the good old Islamic store. If you’re based in the west, UAE brands may be a bit tough to get your hands on. But fear not, if you just happen to live near an Asian population centre in the UK, you’re bound to find an Islamic store somewhere, and these days they’re pretty much bound to sell water perfumes, or as they might call it - alcohol free perfumes.

The concept isn’t exactly new, and has been around for a number of years already, as some Muslims don’t agree with applying alcohol based fragrances to their skin. When Googling, try searching for terms such as ‘alcohol free perfumes’ and you will find lots of Islamic stores selling these types of fragrances at fairly affordable prices.

And that’s my round up on water perfumes. Any questions, let me know.

Wow, it has been such a long time since I last posted. If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed that over the past few years I’ve started talking a lot more about fragrances, particularly Arab or Khaleeji fragrances.

During lockdown, when many of us had so much extra time on our hands (goodbye commuting), I got to thinking about how much stuff I’d accumulated over the years, stuff that barely ever got used. One such thing I’d accumulated a lot of, and never used much of, was fragrances. I had a few in my collection that I’d ‘saved’ for special occasions, but the reality is, how often would I even go to a special occasion, a wedding, a special night out etc - and are these ‘special’ enough? I’d need to be going to a special occasion every week for the rest of my life to use these fragrances up, so they were just sitting there collecting dust, a colossal waste of money.

So I did something different, and just started to use them all. Even the ‘special’ ones. And a funny thing happened: I loved it, I started to really appreciate these fragrances, and they boosted my mood and confidence.

Over time, I found myself being able to detect the notes of the perfumes I was wearing without even referring to Fragrantica’s list of notes. I recall visiting Selfridges where one of the shop assistants challenged me to detect the notes in one of her fragrances. ‘Saffron’. She was stunned, nobody had been able to guess, and it left me wondering if I was developing a nose for this kind of thing, did I have a talent?

After all the lockdowns were behind us, and I’d been vaccinated, my first overseas trip was to Dubai (where else, really). Fragrances are a huge part of Arab/Khaleeji culture, and Dubai is probably the place to visit to evolve and expand your fragrance palate. But their fragrances are markedly different from what we’re used to in the West. Here, the focus is on the French - think Dior, Gucci, Maison Francis Kurkdjian etc.

Whilst French perfumes are sold and loved in Dubai, they also have their own style of fragrances - Khaleeji perfumes. These smell very Middle Eastern, ouds, woody, resinous, sweet, so intense you feel you could almost choke.

Of course the French houses have created their own Oud-based fragrances, but the majority of these are aimed at the Western palate, something much lighter. So light, that sometimes the oud can barely be detected at all. So you have to be cautious taking recommendations from someone who says they love Oud - do they love the Western ideal of oud, or do they love the raw, animalic, intense Ouds of the Arab world?

That’s not to say that all of the French takes on Oud are bad, they’re not. Some are huge hits in the Gulf region, such as Dior’s Oud Ispahan, Frederic Malle’s The Night. The latter is pretty oud heavy and quite animalic, hence its hefty price tag. Either way, there are different types of oud-based fragrances, and these all have a different appeal.

I’ve been learning about fragrances through extensive research and through speaking with the locals on my visits to the likes of Oman and Dubai. Only through talking to the locals can you begin to understand the importance and significance of fragrance in their culture - for example, many Emiratis create their own signature fragrances for their homes, or the Omani taxi driver who gifted me some fragrance oils his mother made - the art had been passed down for generations in his family. These conversations really solidified the notion that fragrances are an integral part of Khaleeji culture.

I also found it fascinating that each Gulf nation has their own identity when it comes to fragrance styles and tastes. For example, Oman is famous for its frankincense (or Luban), and the locals live for it. Their love for luban is often acknowledged by fragrance brands - Saudi brand Ibrahim Al Qurashi, famous for their musk water perfumes, created a Luban Musk version exclusively for sale in Oman.

Also note that when I talk about learning, I’m not talking in the past tense here. I’m very much aware that I’ve barely even scratched the surface of the Khaleeji fragrance world, but I think I’ve learned enough to start sharing what I’ve picked up so far. I’m particularly aware that my stories on Arab perfumes pique a lot of interest, particularly from those who visit the Gulf and feel overwhelmed by the endless choice of fragrances. So I will use this space to share what I have learned so far, my personal experiences with fragrances, as well as my own recommendations.

I still have a great deal of respect for French perfumery and the craftsmanship that goes into it, I think they’re great for those days where I don’t want something heavy. For example, Mizensir’s Perfect Oud is… perfect… for those kinds of days. It’s soft and powdery with a light sweetness to it and a nice gentle shade of oud. If you’re new to oud, this would be a much gentler introduction to it than something harsh, heavy and animalic.

In Khaleeji culture, they do have scents geared towards men and women, but they don’t restrict themselves to ‘pour homme’ and ‘pour femme’ scents. That suits me down to the ground, as it’s how I approach my tastes and is the essence of who I am - no to standards imposed upon us by society, and yes to what I like.

A real bugbear of mine since the inception of this blog has been the lack of credit or acknowledgment for my research, knowledge and work. It’s happened so often over the years and it can get quite frustrating, as I’m not your standard influencer who just churns out meaningless, thoughtless content to earn a quick buck.

I invest a lot of my time into research, and put a lot of myself into everything that I do here. So on that note, if anything you read here has been useful, or has inspired you, don’t be shy - tag me, link me, tell me all about it.

Also, do I change from Fashionicide to Fragranticide? Answers on a postcard, and stay tuned!

So there’s a bit of a story behind this product review. 

I visited Seoul last year, back in the days when we could travel freely, armed with a big long list of things I wanted to buy. I tend to get a lot of my recommendations from the AsianBeauty forum on Reddit, which is packed full of people who basically live Asian Beauty, and have done for years. One of the product recommendations that kept coming up was A’pieu’s pastel blushers. I’d never heard of the brand at the time, so I just assumed they were a makeup brand. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon one of their stores on the Korean underground, started looking for the pastel blushers and saw shelves stacked with skincare. I was mind-blown, and a little overwhelmed too! 

Sales assistants in Seoul tend to be incredibly helpful and attentive, and this one must have noticed the visible distress I was in, there was so much choice and I was totally unprepared! Anyway, she mentioned the Madecassoside line and talked about what each product does, so I picked up a few of them, including the lip sleeping mask, as well as a few other products from different lines. 

I have scoured the internet and have been unable to find any reviews of the Madecassoside Lip Sleeping Mask, which is pretty surprising given that the Madecassoside line is incredibly popular amongst Koreans, but this is something I’ve learned about K-Beauty over the past year or so - brands like Cosrx, Innisfree, Belif and to a lesser extent Laneige, are all becoming more and more popular in the west, but in contrast, are not necessarily the be all and end all in South Korea we imagine them to be.

These brands have launched in the likes of Sephora, and have targeted the west with their marketing, whereas A’pieu haven’t - all their socials are clearly targeted at the likes of Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand, and as a result, they are highly underrated in the west. Onto the review of A’pieu’s Madecassoside Lip Sleeping Mask! 

Packaging 

The product comes in a small turquoise-mint tub with a white lid, which has a kind of medical aesthetic to it. A lot of the lip sleeping masks I’ve tried in the past are presented in a little box, containing the product and a spatula, but this doesn’t come with a spatula at all. Obviously the spatulas are normally used to take out the product, but in this case you’ll have to make do with your fingers. 

Texture 

When you open up the lid, the product itself is a translucent white, with a similar appearance to vaseline. In fact, the similarity to vaseline continues upon application, as it feels just like it, although it doesn’t have quite the same thickness or stickiness that you might associate with vaseline. The texture melts down on the lips into a gorgeous shiny, glossy finish, which feels a bit like a lipgloss/lip balm hybrid. 

Why is it so special? 

Well the area I live in has been in lockdown of differing severity for the past 8 months now, and for most of that I’ve had to wear a facemask everywhere I go. To begin with, this wasn’t much of a problem, it started out in spring and went thorough a nice warm summer, but now we’re transitioning into autumn, or fall, it’s getting colder, wetter and bit more humid outside. Combined with having to wear a mask, this is causing me to get a runny nose, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. This means that my nose is red raw, I have flaky skin around it and even my lips have started to dry out, becoming very irritated and cracked in some places. 

I was using my previous HG (holy grail) - Mamonde’s Aqua Peel Lip Sleeping Mask - to help soothe my suffering lips, but this just wasn’t doing the job, so I figured I’d give something else a try. I cracked open A’pieu’s Madecassoside Lip Sleeping Mask instead, and have not been able to put it down since. It really calmed the irritation, and after repeated use, the redness had completely gone and the cracking was beginning to heal. Incidentally, for my nose, I actually used A’pieu’s Madecassoside Cica balm, and this has helped cut down the irritation there too, and reduced the flakiness. 

But back to the lip sleeping mask, and I have to say that it’s really calming and soothing on the lips, I can feel it going in to the cracks and crevices, working its magic to the point where I am now basically addicted, and will take it everywhere with me, because of that instant relief it gives. It is genuinely an incredible product, that has solved a really big problem for me, and saved my lips! 

Ingredients 

But why did it save my lips though? Well, it’s got a lot to do with the ingredients of course - four different types of Centella Asiatica: Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract and Centella Asiatica Leaf Water. 

Centella Asiatica (or Cica) itself is repairing and an anti-oxidant, but it's most popular for being quite calming and very soothing. Products containing any form of Centella Asiatica tend be really popular in Korea, as it’s aimed at those with sensitive skin, or those with a compromised skin barrier. It also goes by the name ‘Tiger Grass’, as legend has it, that tigers roll around in the actual plants to soothe their wounds - not sure how true that is, but if that doesn't intrigue you, then nothing will.

Also, the product has Vitamin E, which is repairing, and an anti-oxidant. There’s glycerine in there too, which moisturises and is a humectant, locking that moisture in. And on top of all that, it has ceramides too! We already have ceramides in our skin, and they help to maintain a healthy skin barrier and keep the skin hydrated. So as you can see, the ingredient list is pretty impressive, and makes it a bit of an all-rounder, suitable for pretty much anyone. 

It does also contain petroleum, which explains why the texture is so similar to vaseline, albeit far superior. What it doesn’t contain though is essential oils, or anything else knowingly irritating.

Anything else? 

You get a very generous 20 grams worth of product. The cruelty-free and vegan status of the product is not entirely clear. On the vegan front, A’pieu released a dedicated vegan line last year, which suggest that this might not be, but I can’t confirm that anywhere. As for cruelty-free, according to kbeauty.co.uk, A’pieu are the ‘socially conscious’ sister brand of Missha, and do not test on animals. 

There is one slight downside that I found to the product, and I do experience this with most lip sleeping masks, but when I actually use it as a lip sleeping mask, applying it at night just before bed, I always wake up to see that it’s disappeared, which is of course ironic.  

Where can I buy it from? 

A’pieu’s Madecassoside Lip Sleeping Mask is not quite so widely available in the UK, I’ve only been able to find it on Stylevana and eBay. The links below are affiliate links, and I will receive a small commission should you purchase through them - of course, if you do find somewhere else selling it in the UK, do let me know! 

You can get it at Stylevana* for £8.59 (delivery is £3.99, or free if you spend £39 or more) 

This eBay* listing is at £9.07 plus £3.50 postage, shipped directly from Korea. 

And yes, I will absolutely be buying this again!