Ojar: Niche Perfumes of Omani Inspiration

Ojar is a niche perfume house founded by Omani entrepreneur Sheikha Hind Bahwan, based in Dubai, which entered the international market in 2020. The brand translates Oman's olfactory culture into contemporary unisex compositions built around six key ingredients drawn from both Middle Eastern and Western traditions.

History and philosophy

The name Ojar derives from Hojari, the grade of frankincense considered the finest in the world, harvested from the Dhofar mountains of Oman. Sheikha Hind Bahwan, an Omani entrepreneur with an already established background in the technology sector, founded the brand with the intention of bringing the perfumery traditions of the Arabian Peninsula to an international audience, reinterpreted through a modern and cosmopolitan olfactory language. A childhood spent in Sur, surrounded by family-made artisanal blends and rare raw materials, laid the foundations for a vision in which fragrance is understood as personal signature and way of life.

All compositions are developed in collaboration with Swiss house Givaudan, which ensures the technical execution of a creative project that has remained firmly in the founder's hands — she is also responsible for the brand's visual identity and campaigns. The collection is structured around six thematic ingredients — oud, rose, frankincense, honey, sandalwood, and musk — expressed in strictly unisex fragrances, available in both perfume oil and eau de parfum formats.

The style

Ojar works along a Middle Eastern–Western axis that is apparent both in the choice of raw materials and in the structure of the compositions: bright openings with spices or fruity notes, complex hearts, and rich bases of resins, woods, and musks with impressive longevity. Layering — the possibility of combining several fragrances from the collection to build a personal olfactory signature — is an integral part of the brand's philosophy. The perfumers involved belong to the international fragrance scene and include Jordi Fernández, Dalia Izem, Nanako Ogi, Michel Girard, and Gaël Montero.

• Frankincense Collection — fragrances centred on Omani Hojari incense, treated in a contemporary manner with leather and fougère accords rather than in a traditional liturgical sense.
• Oud Collection — contemporary interpretations of agarwood, often paired with spiced or resinous notes.
• Rose Collection — Jebel Akhdar rose as the reference raw material, expressed in florals with an oriental character.
• Honey Collection — gourmand accords inspired by Omani confectionery traditions, with an ambery depth.
• Absolute — a 20 ml alcohol-free perfume oil format with a dual applicator (roll-on and glass wand), designed for a ritualistic application and everyday portability.

Most notable products

The range comprises over forty references across oils and eau de parfum. Below are some of the most representative titles from the permanent collection.

• Absolute — the 25% concentration perfume oil that defines the brand's signature format; alcohol-free, with a dual roll-on and glass wand applicator.
• Cirrus Leather — a composition from the leather family, one of the most acclaimed expressions of the house's Western sensibility.
• Eagle Eyed Stranger — a fragrance from the Frankincense Collection with an accord of incense and birch, dry and smoky in character.
• Mahrajan — the name evokes traditional Arab festivities; a spiced composition with an oriental structure.
• Wadi Bloom — conjures the river landscapes of Oman with a green floral profile that feels fresh and natural.