Perfume Ingredients Explained: What Every Nasmah Note Smells Like

One of the most loved spices in Arabian perfumery. On skin it smells cool and warm at the same time, a little like the first sip of spiced Arabic coffee. It adds energy to the opening without being sharp.

The cosy pair. You will find both at the top of Tobacco Matcha, where they create an instant feeling of warmth, like walking into a kitchen during the holidays.

Lighter and brighter than black pepper, with a fizzy, slightly rosy sparkle. Winter's Love uses it in the opening to stop a rich scent from feeling heavy too early.

Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that smells somewhere between lemon, mandarin and grapefruit. It is juicy but slightly tart. Together with grapefruit, it gives Citraya Musk its clean, wide awake start.

The citrus most perfumers cannot live without. It is the same fruit used to flavour Earl Grey tea, so it carries a soft, slightly floral brightness that lifts the first few minutes.

The sweeter members of the citrus family. Mandarin softens the heart of Citraya Musk, while tangerine adds a sunny note to the top of Velmos.

A sharper, cleaner sparkle. Lemon opens Darven Oud, and a touch of lime appears at the top of Winter's Love.

Matcha is finely ground green tea. In perfume it smells creamy, grassy and slightly bitter in a pleasant way. It sits in the heart of Tobacco Matcha and calms down the spices around it. The green tea in Citraya Musk is lighter and more watery, like a freshly brewed cup.

Far more than a bathroom scent. In fine perfume it can be herbal, clean or even slightly sweet. Each of these three bottles uses it in a different way, a great example of how one ingredient changes with its partners.

Gives Velmos a warm, zesty heart. It feels fresh and spicy at once.

Galbanum is a green resin with a sharp, leafy smell, like snapping a fresh stem, and it adds a crisp edge to Winter's Love. Mint brings a cool breath to the start of Rubesse, balancing the juicy fruit beside it.

Rose appears in three Nasmah scents, and each one shows a different side of it. In Winter's Love it is Turkish rose, deep and warm, sitting next to oud and leather. In Spécila it is classic and polished, framed by lavender and soft woods. In Rubesse it is youthful and bright, paired with hibiscus.

A tropical flower with a light, slightly fruity smell. It gives Rubesse its playful heart.

A rich, creamy flower from tropical Asia. It is a little exotic and very smooth, and it softens the spices at the top of Tobacco Matcha.

Smells green and rosy. Perfumers often use it to support rose, which is exactly what it does in both Spécila and Winter's Love.

These two make Café Fire so addictive. Roasted coffee sits in the base, while cacao adds a dark chocolate richness in the heart.

Soft, golden sweetness. They are what make Café Fire a true gourmand, a perfume family inspired by desserts and sweet treats.

Vanilla is one of the most comforting smells in the world, and it rounds off the finish of Café Fire, Spécila and Rubesse. Tonka bean is its warmer cousin, with hints of almond and hay, giving depth to the base of Spécila.

The fruity notes. Blackcurrant gives Rubesse a bold, juicy opening. Pear adds a soft, watery sweetness to the heart of Tobacco Matcha.

The ingredient our house was built on. Oud comes from the heartwood of the Aquilaria tree and smells deep, woody, slightly smoky and very rich. In the Nasmah line, it lives in the base of Winter's Love, which is why Winter's Love feels closest to our traditional oud collection. New to oud? Our article What Is an Oud Perfume explains this treasured ingredient in more depth.

Olibanum is another name for frankincense. It smells clean, resinous and calming, almost like a quiet place of worship, and it sits in the heart of Winter's Love. A related incense accord in Tobacco Matcha adds a soft trail of smoke.

Tobacco in perfume does not smell like a cigarette. It smells like dried tobacco leaves: honeyed, warm and slightly earthy, giving Tobacco Matcha its rich, grown up finish. Leather adds a smooth, slightly smoky texture to the base of Winter's Love, making it feel bold and luxurious.

One of the most used base notes in the whole collection. It smells earthy, woody and slightly sweet, and it helps a perfume stay on skin for longer.

The woods. Sandalwood is creamy and soft, and it appears in Winter's Love and Spécila. Cedar is drier, with a sharp woody feel like fresh pencil shavings, and it shapes the base of Spécila and Darven Oud.

Not a single ingredient but a warm blend that smells golden, resinous and slightly sweet.

Musk gives that clean, skin like softness people often describe as "my skin but better", and it sits in the base of Citraya Musk, Spécila and Rubesse. Oakmoss smells earthy and forest like, a little damp and mossy, giving Velmos its classic outdoor finish.