Afnan is a UAE-based perfume brand offering a diverse and growing collection of affordable fragrances. The brand was founded in 2007 by Imran Fazlani and caters to diverse tastes with fragrances for men, women, and unisex fragrances.
Afnan fragrances were made in collaboration with perfumers Lucas Sieuzac, Gaël Montero and Imran Fazlani. The brand’s lineup includes the 9 AM/9 PM series, which offers lively, crisp scents for the day and deeper, striking ones for the night, the Supremacy collection offers rich, lavish aromas that often evoke memories of pricier fragrances, the Bouquet collection, full of elegant floral blends, and Turathi, which leans into classic Middle Eastern notes like oud and musk. Afnan is also the parent company of Zimaya, a new fragrance brand launched in 2023.
Here are some of our favourite fragrances by this versatile UAE-based brand.
For Women:
1. Afnan Violet Bouquet EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Afnan |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Floral |
| Notes | Top: Sweet Notes, Saffron, Woodsy Notes, and Citruses Middle: Amber, Orange, Lemon Zest, and Herbal Notes Base: Ambergris, Spices, Woodsy Notes, and Oakmoss |
| Release year | 2020 |
| Projection | Moderate |
We’re starting off with a very polarising fragrance. Some love it, others love to hate it. Violet Bouquet by Afnan is an interesting floral scent. While it has “bouquet” in the name, it isn’t exactly heavy on the florals.
What is it heavy on then if not that? And why is it on this list? For starters, it’s heavy on the ambergris, which gives it an animalic feel. The other notes complement the ambergris well enough, giving you a lovely floral scent with a hint of warmth. While this scent might not end up being your favourite, it is certainly a compliment-getter.
2. Zimaya Fatima Velvet Love EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Afnan |
| Best for | Women |
| Fragrance Family | Amber Floral |
| Notes | Top: Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Bergamot, and Nutmeg Middle: Rose and Jasmine Base: Musk, Vanilla, Vetiver, and Ambergris |
| Release year | 2023 |
| Projection | Moderate |
Zimaya is a fragrance brand whose parent company happens to be Afnan. At first glance, you can tell the pink bottle of Fatima is somewhat familiar, but don’t let that put you off from the fragrance itself.
Rhubarb stands out in this fragrance, giving off a rhubarb pie or jam scent. You get florals, citrus, roses, and a gorgeous musk. Unlike the first scent on this list, the ambergris in Fatima is faint to non-existent. Overall, this fragrance is a crowd pleaser and makes for a good signature scent.
For Men:
1. Afnan 9PM EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Afnan |
| Best for | Men |
| Fragrance Family | Amber Vanilla |
| Notes | Top: Apple, Cinnamon, Wild Lavender, and Bergamot Middle: Orange Blossom and Lily-of-the-Valley Base: Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Amber, and Patchouli |
| Release year | 2020 |
| Projection | Moderate |
9 PM is a very popular fragrance for men by Afnan, and like many popular things, it is often dismissed as too mainstream. But hey, popular things are popular for a reason. That stands true for this amber vanilla scent as well.
Afnan created an excellent everyday scent for men in “9 PM”. This perfume is sweet and warm, with a sensual aroma. But the scent isn’t that strong in a way that you can’t wear it every day. The overall scent is subtle enough that I would recommend it as an office perfume, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone wore it on a first date.
2. Afnan Rare Carbon EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Afnan |
| Best for | Men |
| Fragrance Family | Leather |
| Notes | Top: Leather, Violet Leaf, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon Middle: Violet, Agarwood (Oud), Rose, and Cedar Base: Vetiver, Sandalwood, and Amber |
| Release year | 2020 |
| Projection | Moderate |
I personally love leather; therefore, I had to include Rare Carbon by Afnan here. This men’s leather fragrance is slightly sharp at first, but mellows out as it dries down. I would recommend macerating the fragrance before wearing it for a smoother scent.
Rare Carbon is designed as a dupe for a very popular leather fragrance, and it does a good job at it if you ask me. This would be a good place to start with leather fragrances. Give it a try and see how you like the note before purchasing a more expensive version.
Unisex
1. Zimaya Sharaf Blend EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Afnan |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Fragrance Family | Aromatic Spicy |
| Notes | Top: Dates, Nutmeg, and Saffron Middle: Vanilla, Praline, and Tuberose Base: Tonka Bean, Amberwood, Benzoin, and Musk |
| Release year | 2023 |
| Projection | Moderate |
Another fragrance by Zimaya, Sharaf Blend, is a mature, strong, opulent fragrance. This unisex perfume is one I would reserve for occasions when you wouldn’t want to pull out the big guns.
Sharaf blend is boozy, slightly sweet, warm, and sophisticated. This fragrance offers all these qualities at an affordable price point. It makes for an excellent replacement for your high-end fragrances that you’d like to keep for more high-end occasions.
2. Afnan Pure Musk EDP
| Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Afnan |
| Best for | Unisex |
| Fragrance Family | Aromatic Spicy |
| Notes | Top: Musk, White Musk, and Floral Notes Middle: Musk Base: Natural Musk |
| Release year | 2022 |
| Projection | Moderate |
They say last but not least, but perhaps this fragrance is the one I prefer least on this list of Afnan scents. The reason it’s not my favourite is that I’m not a huge fan of aromatic fragrances. But it is heavy on the musk, which is a favourite for many, so I had to include it.
There’s not much for me to say about this scent. It is simple and musk heavy. Like many fragrances by Afnan, it is versatile and suitable for everyday wear. The aromatic spicy categorisation throws me off a bit, but other than that, it’s a clean, simple musk scent.
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