Ard Al Zaafaran Al Dirgham limited edition - A Budget friendly summer beast?
The presentation is great. It comes in a beautiful golden 100ml bottle and even includes a handy 20ml travel pack. I really love the graphics printed on the bottle and the art work on the cap.
As for the scent itself, it took me a few days to get used to it. At first, it felt way too harsh and synthetic to my nose. However, after letting the bottle sit and settle for a few weeks, it became much more likeable.
The opening starts with a very strong, sharp citrus note that can smell a bit synthetic for the first few minutes. After that, it settles into a nice, creamy, sweet scent with white florals in the background. Eventually, those white florals take over, leaving you with a powdery, mildly spicy floral dry down. Even in its final hours, it manages to keep its freshness alongside a nice, mild peppery spiciness.
When it comes to performance, this is a beast. It easily lasts up to 6 hours in the hot Chennai weather, and sometimes even longer depending on the environment. In extreme heat, you still get a solid 4 to 5 hours, which is honestly very impressive.
Here are a few things you should be cautious about before buying:
- The sharp opening: As I mentioned, the initial blast is very strong and might give some people a headache.
- Not a safe blind buy: Honestly, no perfume is, but especially not this one. Even though it is a fresh summer scent, it has a creamy sweetness that might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Overall, this is an absolute bang for the buck summer daytime fragrance. I bought my bottle a long time ago for around 1250 rupees, but even now at its current price of 1500 to 1600 rupees, it is a steal. Getting a total of 120ml (the main bottle plus the travel spray) offers amazing value. It smells and performs way better than its price tag suggests.