A City That Speaks in Scent

Everything is sparkling in Dubai. My flight touched down in the evening, offering a stellar glimpse of the twinkling skyline as I made my way into town. The average building here has about 30 floors - compared to my standard six in Paris - culminating in the Burj Khalifa, which rises 163 floors above the city, glowing blue, purple and amber against the night sky.

But beneath the futuristic skyline is something much older: a deeply rooted olfactory culture in which scent is woven into everyday life. Fragrance accompanies people throughout the day and across generations, playing an important role in hospitality, grooming, spirituality and celebration. Perfume is part of the environment, part of social interaction and, for many, part of personal identity.

I had visited Dubai several years ago as a tourist, but this time I was coming to moderate two workshops at BeautyWorld Dubai, both with an eye towards the globalization of scent looking at the trends shaping the market, and how rituals, traditions and ingredients from the region are influencing the category direction. You could also say this would be a prequel to the next event coming in January, Notes Dubai. Let me share some of my observations.

A Fragrance Market on Full Power

Let’s start with the numbers. The UAE has one of the world’s highest per-capita spends on perfume.* Despite the ongoing regional conflict, the prestige beauty market grew 7% year-on-year by May 2026, according to Chalhoub Group, with fragrance leading the way. Across the broader GCC**, fragrance accounts for nearly half of prestige beauty spending, while niche brands and private collections represent 40% of fragrance sales.

The scale of consumption is equally striking. The average consumer reportedly owns between five and 15 fragrances, with some owning as many as 50***. Here, perfume is less about finding a signature scent than having the right one for every person, place, season and occasion.

The numbers extend to the airport: Dubai Duty Free generated $2.38 billion in revenue in 2025, nearly 10% more than the previous year, with fragrance accounting for over 18% of total sales. The figures reveal the opportunity; being there helps explain the culture behind it.

Beyond Oud

For too long, Western perceptions of Middle Eastern perfumery have centered almost exclusively on oud. While undeniably important, oud is just one part of a much broader olfactory vocabulary, encompassing native fruits, flowers and spices, whose significance is increasingly told through heritage, rituals and culture.

And tradition is evolving. Younger consumers are exploring new olfactory experiences, combining traditional notes with gourmand, fruity and fresh accords. Lighter formats, including body and hair mists, are also gaining ground. Arabian perfumery is not standing still; it is adapting and mixing tradition with the times.

From the Gulf to the Globe

Perhaps the most striking shift is that fragrance now flows in both directions. Once dominated by Western imports, the market is increasingly sending Arabian brands to consumers worldwide, from Miami to Milan, from Colombia to Colorado, from Paris, France, to Paris, Texas.

The region ranks among the world’s top ten exporters of finished fragrance. Brands such as Lattafa, Armaf and Afnan have gained traction on US TikTok, while luxury Omani house Amouage continues to build its international appeal, with estimated first-half 2026 sales up 74% year-on-year.

The result is a more fluid fragrance wardrobe: a prestigious niche bottle can sit quite happily alongside an entry-level priced discovery. For today’s consumer, the two are not mutually exclusive.

The Scent-Savvy Consumer

In the region, perfume accompanies daily life, from morning to night, from spiritual rituals to celebrations. Consumers are often knowledgeable about ingredients, application and the art of creating a personal scent identity. Layering different perfumes and formats allows them to tailor a blend to the season, occasion or desired effect.

Rawya Catto, General Manager of CPL Aromas Middle East, once shared an anecdote that captures just how seriously individuality is taken. In an elevator, she complimented an Emirati woman on her fragrance - and identified the perfume she was wearing. The woman was not pleased. Her response, essentially, was: If you recognize it, I have to change my blend. It isn't unique enough.

The exchange says it all: fragrance is a personal signature, and being distinctive matters.

The High-Low Fragrance Mix

Arabian perfumery has become a global phenomenon, driven by both the appeal of the scents and their sillage. At the luxury end, Amouage and Ojar have earned international recognition; more accessible houses such as Al Haramain, Swiss Arabian and Lattafa attract consumers with striking packaging, strong performance and affordable prices.

But we can’t ignore that the region is also a production and distribution hub for so-called dupe brands. Social media has accelerated their popularity, with creators presenting lower-priced alternatives to familiar fragrances as “hidden gems” and smart buys. This creates both an opportunity and a challenge.

The opportunity is a global audience that is curious, engaged and eager to experiment. The challenge is to move beyond being seen simply as an affordable alternative and communicate what makes each brand distinctive: its ingredients, creative direction, heritage, craftsmanship and point of view.

From Fragrance Market to Fragrance Hub

There is another reason Dubai matters: the story begins before the finished bottle.

The region has attracted major investment from the fragrance industry's global suppliers. IFF was an early arrival, opening a state-of-the-art flavour and fragrance facility in Dubai in 2011. Since then, Givaudan, Symrise and dsm-firmenich have established a presence, with hubs dedicated to innovation, co-creation and R&D.

That changes the picture.

Dubai isn't simply a place where people buy a lot of perfume. It is increasingly a place where the fragrance ecosystem comes together: ingredients, fragrance creation, manufacturing, brands, distribution, retail, consumers and international business. It is the ideal place for Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East to connect, to meet, to discover, to network and to exchange.

And there may be no better place to see that ecosystem in action than BeautyWorld Dubai.

BeautyWorld Dubai – The Scent of Resilience

All it takes is two minutes inside the show to realize that this region is a creator of brands, trends and fragrance experiences. The world has gathered under these roofs: you’ll see people in traditional dress alongside gentlemen in suits and others in jeans. Everyone is welcome.

In the halls devoted to Fragrance Compounding, big oil houses rubbed shoulders with smaller companies. I was intrigued to smell new concepts created by the ingredient companies, remarking a common thread playing on emotion. While EuroFragrance asked their perfumers to interpret “Euphoria” as an emotion, CPL Aromas paired an evaluator with a perfumer who created scents inspired by poetry for their “Resonance” collection. Cosmo International celebrated the world of birds with “Plume”: from the peacock to the black swan, their graceful wings and colorful plumage let our sense of smell take flight. Dullberg Konzentra showcased an Arabian Perfumery Box which included traditional ingredients along with finished fragrances.

The Finished Fragrance stands occupied several halls. Brand booths like Lattafa and Armaf boasted flashing lights, blasting club music and instagrammable installations. I took the opportunity to explore, to smell, and to try to understand the TikTok phenomenon of Arabian fragrance. Angelos at Al Haramain took me through the whole brand which had several collections at prices ranging from under 50€ to around 300€. He was proud of the quality of the scents along with their renown for staying power, lasting more than a day on the skin, and through machine-laundering if sprayed on clothing.

I saw a lot of kitschy packaging – ice cream cones and frothy coffee drinks abounded along with bottles modeled after designer handbags. Some of the packaging was very “bling bling” with crowns and jewels, but when it comes to boxes, outer cartons and presentation, there were numerous premium options.

I experienced the layering process first hand at the Maison Mirwad stand. Brand founder and Grasse-trained perfumer Mashael al Kuwari started by burning oud on a brazier which she placed on the ground under my long dress. After several minutes I could see the smoke passing through the fabric. Next she spritzed me with a combination of three of her scents (Oud Velours, Fleur de Miel and Dates) before a final infusion of bakhoor. I was afraid I might be over-projecting but actually I felt gently cocooned in fragrant bliss.

In addition to moderating two workshops for the Next in Fragrance conference program I also attended several including a lively discussion on what is luxury today (hint: it goes beyond price!). What did the panel agree on? Exceed customer expectations from the first to last touchpoint, respect the intangible factors of craftsmanship, time and emotions, and remember: service continues after purchase!

As I left the show on the final day, many thoughts went through my mind. Firstly, despite what is happening in the world, there is still a huge global opportunity for fragrance.

Secondly, Dubai is much more than a luxury destination: I found here a dynamic fragrance culture, a sophisticated consumer market, a growing production and distribution hub and a launchpad for Arabian fragrance brands with global ambitions.

What I didn’t see a lot of at the show were niche fragrance brands. Now let me tell you why.

A New Annual Rendez-Vous in January

Perhaps you have already heard that 2027 will start with a new chapter for niche fragrance – Notes Dubai which will take place January 21st – 23rd.

At an early morning press event on October 8th, Ravi Ramchandani, Event Director, Beautyworld Dubai, stated that it’s “…time for a dedicated niche event.” Positioned as a global platform dedicated to niche and artisanal perfumery, the event is destined to help emerging brands attain worldwide reach. It is born from the remarkable success of Quintessence – a niche fragrance area that was housed within BeautyWorld Middle East. Begun in 2016 with 13 exhibiting brands, it soared to 100 last year, and now in 2027 it will become its own event with its own identity.

Notes Dubai is under the aegis of Messe Frankfurt.

It was officially announced during the breakfast that Amouage, followed by Xerjoff, are the first founding partners with Notes Dubai.

Having spent the past two days walking BeautyWorld, I solidly support this evolution which will allow the artisanal brands to shine in a dedicated space located in the Dubai Mall Exhibition Center inside the world’s leading luxury retail destination. It’s the perfect setting to gather the crème de la crème of niche fragrance.

The smaller scale will create the ideal environment for meaningful dialogue and connections that forge long-term business relationships. The show will attract premium buyers, distributors and decision-makers from around the world who are looking for brands that offer unique experiences, emotional connections and authentic stories. There’s sure to be a few challenger, disruptive brands in the mix as well.

According to the website, there are five key criteria which will be evaluated during the submission process: what is the authorship (a perfumer, an in-house nose, or the founder), what is the point of difference, what is the voice and positioning, how does the brand present itself (from packaging to online and offline presence) and what is the distribution strategy.

Two days will be dedicated to the trade and media, prioritizing retailers, specialty fragrance boutiques, fragrance suppliers, regional and international distributors, founders, CEO’s, editors, members of the press and content creators. On the final day, the doors will be open to the fragrance community of collectors, enthusiasts and fragrance lovers.

A full conference program called Accords by Amouage will host panel discussions and dialogues, providing an opportunity for exchange and education.

For more information and to apply for exhibitor space, visit www.notesdubai.com

In Closing

Why Dubai?

Isn’t it obvious? This is more than a market of super consumers, it is a place where heritage meets experimentation, where accessible fragrance cohabits with luxury creations, and where a two-way exchange is expanding the global fragrance conversation.

Mark your calendars for January now and be part of the next chapter for niche perfumery.

Sources & Notes

*BeautyWorld Dubai (32) Decoding the GCC beauty consumer - YouTube

**The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE is comprised of seven states: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah.

***Qatar news agency