Anfas: Niche Perfumes from the Middle East

Anfas is an artistic perfume house from Dubai, founded by Emirati perfumer Asim Al Qassim — the first certified perfumer in the United Arab Emirates. Established in 2014, the house translates Arabic words and values into unisex olfactory compositions, with an identity rooted in hospitality, poetry and the traditions of the Gulf.

History and philosophy

Anfas was born in Dubai from the vision of Asim Al Qassim, an Emirati architect with a deep passion for the arts, music and Gulf culture. Having trained as the UAE's first certified perfumer, Al Qassim founded the maison with the intention of sharing the values of Arabic hospitality — memories of open desert tents, Arabic coffee, and the warmth of domestic generosity — through the language of scent. The first release came in 2014.

Anfas follows a precise creative methodology: beginning with an Arabic word, exploring its emotional resonance, and translating that feeling into an olfactory formula. The compositions do not merely draw inspiration from Arabic culture — in the founder's own view, they are a direct expression of it. This methodological consistency sets Anfas apart from many other oriental houses operating in the international niche perfumery market.

The style

Anfas fragrances move primarily within the oriental sphere, with recurring use of oud, amber, balsamic resins, warm spices such as cardamom and saffron, and floral accords of jasmine and rose. The deeper notes of the Arabic tradition are balanced by fruity and floral openings that make the compositions accessible to a Western audience as well. The perfumers behind the maison's creations are Asim Al Qassim and French perfumer Christian Carbonnel. The fragrances are predominantly unisex and offered in both eau de parfum and extrait de parfum.

• Collection 2017 — the founding core of the maison, with titles such as Salam, Rahaba, Shaghaf and Samaha, each named with an Arabic word that defines its emotional character.
• Fosol Collection — a line dedicated to the cycles of the seasons and the memories they evoke; it includes the recent Aya, a fruity floral inspired by the arrival of spring.
• Watan Collection — centred on a sense of belonging and cultural identity, with compositions more firmly rooted in the raw materials of Gulf tradition.
• Zhor Exclusive — a selection of limited-edition or selectively distributed fragrances, including Dari.

Most celebrated fragrances

The Anfas catalogue spans more than twenty references; below are the compositions most highly regarded by the international fragrance community.

• Salam (2014) — the maison's debut release and still its highest-rated on the leading review platforms. A unisex floral woody musk with an opening of mandarin and bergamot, a heart of jasmine and magnolia, and a base of musk and sandalwood.
• Ishq (2018) — one of the most sought-after fragrances in the catalogue; an oriental with fruity and powdery notes, celebrated for the way it develops on the skin over time.
• Rahaba (2017) — whose name means «welcome» in Arabic; a warm, open composition that embodies the concept of Emirati hospitality.
• Shaghaf (2017) — a spiced oriental by Christian Carbonnel, with an opening of cardamom, ginger and citrus, a heart of tobacco, cedar and leather, and a base of oud, patchouli, vanilla and amber.
• Dhai (2022) — a unisex fragrance with a green and fruity aromatic opening, settling into a warm base of oakmoss, vanilla and sandalwood.