Kajal: Niche Perfumes Bridging East and West

Kajal Perfumes Paris is a niche maison founded in 2012 at the crossroads of Persian Gulf olfactory tradition and French perfumery technique. Established by Moe Khalaf and Ibrahim Faris, the house is registered in Paris and offers extrait de parfum and eau de parfum that express an oriental-floral DNA with European compositional rigour.

History and philosophy

The story of Kajal Perfumes Paris begins in 2012, when Moe Khalaf — raised in Kuwait and shaped by the luxury industry through roles at YSL Beauté and Estée Lauder Companies — joined forces with Ibrahim Faris, already established in fragrance distribution across Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The two shared a precise ambition: to build a maison capable of channelling the olfactory sensibility of the Gulf through the tools of Parisian perfumery, with its legal home in Paris and operational offices in Dubai and Toronto.

The brand's name operates on two cultural registers at once: in Hindi and Sanskrit, kajal refers to the natural kohl used for millennia to intensify the gaze; in Arabic, khajal evokes humility, grace, and respect for others. This dual heritage is no mere decoration — every creation is conceived as an olfactory narrative that balances oriental opulence with formal restraint, without yielding to excess on either side.

The style

Kajal fragrances are defined by a structure that opens with citrus or fruity notes of French precision, develops into rich floral hearts — Bulgarian and Turkish rose, jasmine, iris — and settles into warm bases of amber, musk, patchouli, and precious woods. The house works in a consistently collaborative manner, entrusting each project to internationally trained noses; the catalogue is organised into thematic collections, each with a coherent chromatic and narrative identity.

• Classic Collection — the maison's founding creations, including the eponymous Kajal and Dahab: the essential reference points for understanding the brand's DNA.
• Gold Collection — fragrances of intense oriental character, with Lamar and Lamar Caviar among the most representative titles in the line.
• Gem Collection — compositions evoking precious stones, such as Almaz, Ruby, and Topaz, with more gourmand and sensual accords.
• Arqam Collection — a numbered series (Kajal I, II, III, IV) exploring distinct olfactory families, from fresh citrus to dry oriental.
• Fiddah Collection — the most recent and experimental line, featuring leathery and spiced profiles developed in extrait de parfum.

The most celebrated fragrances

The maison has built its catalogue around titles spanning a broad spectrum, from airy, fruity openings to long-lasting ambered accords, with concentrations predominantly in eau de parfum and extrait de parfum.

• Kajal (Classic) — the debut fragrance from 2014, signed by Christian Carbonnel: Calabrian bergamot, velvety rose and iris at the heart, with a base of tonka bean, vanilla, and sandalwood. The ideal starting point for understanding the house's aesthetic.
• Dahab — created by Christian Carbonnel and Rosendo Mateu in 2015; green apple and bergamot in the opening, a heart of passion fruit and cedar, and a base of ambered musk. The definitive feminine title of the Classic Collection.
• Lamar — an oriental floral composition from 2020, entrusted to nose Mark Buxton; a double accord of Bulgarian and Turkish rose sustained by a warm base of vanilla, amber, and cashmere cedar.
• Faris — launched in 2022, signed by Urs Castelletti and David Chiéze; a citrus-spiced opening, a heart of jasmine and nutmeg, and a velvety ambered base. Among the most celebrated titles within the international niche community.
• Kajal IV — part of the numbered Arqam series and winner at the Art and Olfaction Awards 2024 in the Independent category: an accord of cardamom, leather, and date on a dry, mineral base.