A few years ago, perfume enthusiasts in the region knew exactly what oud was, what an incense note meant, and how amber was used in the perfume industry. Those conversations are no longer confined to the Middle East and now dominate online spaces internationally, something that’s hard to miss once you go through the rabbit hole that is the TikTok fragrance community.
That presence shows up offline as well. A trip to the UAE is no longer complete without stocking up on perfume bottles from local brands, picked up for loved ones back home and for yourself, of course.
Emirati fragrance house, Lootah Perfumes, is a significant part of that story.
The brand traces its roots back to the 1950s. Its perfume and incense knowledge was passed down through generations of the Lootah family. The first boutique opened in 2012, and since then, it has grown across the UAE and the region. The house blends Emirati heritage with classic perfumery techniques and fine ingredients.
The latest additions to its offerings speak of that history.
Lootah Perfumes has introduced three permanent additions to its portfolio: Velvet Dawn, Lava Oud, and Palomino Bukhoor.
Velvet Dawn joins the Classic Collection, opening with bergamot and cardamom before moving into orris and cypress. The dry-down brings vetiver, tonka, vanilla, and amber into focus.
Lava Oud enters the brand’s Oud Collection with a deeper, more intense profile. Pink pepper, leather, and patchouli define the opening, followed by cardamom, cade smoke, and tonka. The base settles into oud, sandalwood, and guaiacwood, moving into the darker, smokier side of the category.
The third release, Palomino Bukhoor, reworks one of Lootah Perfumes’ most recognisable scents into an incense for the home. The bukhoor was created using traditional techniques and builds on the brand’s heritage in incense and the use of fragrance in daily life.
Overseeing the brand is Sultan Abdulla, Chairman of Lootah Perfumes, who sees his role as a bridge between generations. Raised by his grandmother, whose handmade bukhoor laid the foundation for the family’s fragrance journey more than five decades ago, he brings a long-term, custodial mindset to the house, shaped by both his education in marketing and years in government leadership roles.
Velvet Dawn, Lava Oud, and Palomino Bukhoor are available across Lootah Perfumes boutiques in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, as well as online.