Misk’Ul Hareem

NOTES - Top : Clementine, Pink Grapefruit Heart : Musk, Vanilla, Jasmine, Cherry, Benzoin, Myrtle, Angelica, Geranium Base : Labdanum, Amber, Musk, Oud Mostafa, Sandalwood, Cedar, Frankincense, Vetiver, Patchouli In the Ottoman Era, fragrances had a strong place representing prestige and respectability where there existed a strong focus on beautiful scents and cleanliness. They wore, ate, and drank perfume. Scent was a kind of worship and means of communication. The Harem was a private and sacred retreat for the Sultans and extended families where opulence was in abundance and a serene ambience infiltrated every corner. The sensual and intoxicating aroma of burnt wood chips, sandalwood, oud, rosewood and cinnamon enveloped the forbidden areas of the palace. Secluded from the world, inside a maze of beautiful courtyards and secret doors, the Harem was a bastion of tranquillity and was the epitome of peace and luxuriousness. Rich rose oil and the scent of alluring musk, coupled with the charm of coffee, amber and saffron pervaded the resplendent surrounds. My creation is an attempt to whisk the user away to this time and place in history where scent was revered, and time stood still.