Ghawali

The story

Ghawali was born in Dubai in 2016, created by the Chalhoub Group, the group that has been bringing luxury to the Middle East since 1955. The name, in Arabic, means “something precious, something dear”. The first store opened in August 2016 at Dubai Festival City, soon followed by City Walk and by the boutiques in Riyadh and Jeddah. The initial idea was to give a contemporary twist to premium Arabian perfumery and to its most typical ritual, layering: perfumes, oils, bokhour and oud designed to be layered, as tradition requires, until they compose a personal trail.

The first fragrances carried Arabic names preceded by the article: Al Abiq, Al Athal, Al Azal, Al Barez, Al Ezz, Al Nobl, Al Thara. From that era, two perfumes you will find with us live on under a shorter name: Al Nobl became Noble, and Al Laylaa, released at the end of 2018, is now Laylaa. The turning point came between 2022 and 2023, when Ghawali rethought its image and opened a new flagship in Riyadh: the brand embraced its roots more deeply and, at the same time, contemporary culture. Since then every perfume has told a story from the region.

They are precise stories. Teahouse Memoirs is about tea, which in Arab life accompanies celebrations and family evenings. Musical Vibrations turns poetry, chants and instruments into scent. Familiar Strangers is born in the spice and produce markets, among faces that seem familiar even though you do not know them. Laylaa is the hour when night falls, Noble looks to great architecture, from Burj Khalifa to the Louvre, and 4 Walls is the house's most powerful scent. Nomadic Dreams, dedicated to modern nomads, was created together with HRH Maitha Al Maktoum. Leading the project is Forat Al Haider, who describes Ghawali as “a platform where cultural heritage and modernity meet”.

In September 2024 Ghawali arrived in Europe: it made its debut at Selfridges, in London, and a few days later was presented in Milan, before reaching the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A year later, in London, Love Note won gold as Best New Fragrance at the Pure Beauty Awards 2025. The fragrances are all unisex and share the same 75 ml bottle, with its engraved rose-gold cap and the logo in Arabic script; production is French. At OUD Profumeria Artistica, an authorised retailer, you will find eight Ghawali perfumes, which you can also try in our store in Nettuno.

The fragrances

At OUD Profumeria Artistica you will find eight Ghawali fragrances, all unisex and all in 75 ml bottles. Next to each name are the olfactory family and the notes that make it recognisable.

• The house's iconic scents: Musical Vibrations (floral amber: water fruits, saffron, frangipani, jasmine and praline), Nomadic Dreams (amber woody: ginger, rose, saffron, oud and leather), Love Note (gourmand amber: praline, chocolate, amber and bourbon vanilla), Laylaa (amber floral: apple, cardamom, rose, jasmine and vanilla).
• Intense and enveloping: 4 Walls (woody leather: ginger, pink pepper, orris, vetiver and tonka bean), Familiar Strangers (amber spicy: cinnamon, peach blossom, white orchid and patchouli).
• Fresh and delicate: Noble (citrus musky: apple, lemon, lily of the valley and cedarwood), Teahouse Memoirs (floral musky: black tea, rose, violet, sandalwood and leather).

OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Ghawali retailer, online and at the store in Nettuno (Rome).

Frequently asked questions

What kind of brand is Ghawali?
Ghawali is a niche perfume brand born in Dubai in 2016, created by the Chalhoub Group, the major Middle Eastern luxury group. Its name, in Arabic, means something precious and dear. The fragrances are contemporary and tell the story of today's Arab culture; since 2024 they have also been distributed in Europe, starting with Selfridges in London.

Which are the best-loved Ghawali perfumes?
The house lists Musical Vibrations, Nomadic Dreams, Love Note and Laylaa among its iconic scents. With us, the three to start from are Musical Vibrations, floral and luminous, Nomadic Dreams, an amber with oud and leather, and Love Note, the gourmand that won an award in London in 2025. Of the eight you will find with us, Laylaa has the highest rating on Fragrantica, and 4 Walls is also among the most searched in Italy.

What does Ghawali 4 Walls smell like?
4 Walls is a unisex woody leather scent that the house calls its most powerful fragrance. It opens with ginger, pink pepper and elemi, continues with cypress, orris and rose and closes on a wood-leather accord with vetiver and tonka bean. The name comes from the motto “4 Walls Can't Hold You Down”.

Which award did Love Note win?
Love Note won gold as Best New Fragrance at the Pure Beauty Awards 2025 in London. It is a gourmand amber with praline and chocolate in the opening, an amber heart and a base of musk, bourbon vanilla and cashmere wood, which Ghawali conceived as “a love note to the region”.

Are Laylaa and Al Laylaa the same perfume?
Yes: Laylaa was born at the end of 2018 under the name Al Laylaa, and today the house presents it with the shorter name. The name recalls “Layl”, the night: it is an amber floral with apple and cardamom in the opening, a heart of rose, jasmine and violet and a base of sandalwood, patchouli and vanilla.

Does Ghawali Nomadic Dreams contain oud?
Yes: oud is in the heart of Nomadic Dreams, together with rose and saffron, over a base of patchouli, leather, amber, vanilla and cacao. It is an elegant oud, suitable even for those trying it for the first time. The fragrance was created with HRH Maitha Al Maktoum and is dedicated to the modern nomads of the region.

What does Musical Vibrations smell like?
Musical Vibrations is a floral amber inspired by the music and poetry of the Arab world. It opens with water fruits, lemon, mandarin and saffron, has a heart of jasmine, frangipani, osmanthus and lavender and a base of amber, sandalwood, musk, praline and vanilla. It is luminous and joyful, ideal in spring and summer.

Where to buy Ghawali perfumes in Italy?
OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Ghawali retailer: you will find eight of the house's fragrances online and at our store in Nettuno, in the province of Rome, where you can try them in person. Shipping is free in Italy over €60, and over €100 we add 10 free samples.