When Selfridges Oxford Street, London, tells you that a brand is one of the best-selling in its fragrance hall, you have to sit up and take notice. Thameen is that brand. So, I decided to take a closer look at this niche British house.
Small brands that carve out a slot for themselves in the
market create scents that are alluring and stand out from the crowd.
Basel Binjabr, the founder of Thameen, began his love affair
with fragrance as a young boy, when he accompanied his father on visits to the
“Attars” (perfume oil sellers) of Riyadh.
A love of scents obviously runs in the family. Basel’s father was such a fan of Taif rose that he became known for his sillage, in other words, his fragrance trail. He was picky and only selected the best ingredients. He referred to them as precious jewels. Hence the name Thameen which means precious in Arabic.
In the scents created for Thameen, Basel has evoked his childhood
olfactory memories and added a contemporary twist. The result is a small
collection of perfumes each inspired by gemstones that say Eastern grandeur,
Western sophistication.
Basel describes his structures as pure and simple, words that are music to my ears, so I
decided to indulge in the eighth
fragrance in his Treasure Collection, Green Pearl (eau de parfum, £110,
Selfridges).
The motivation for Green Pearl came from the Yemengzhu,
Chinese luminous pearls. Green Pearl inspired by the Yemengzhu - the legendary
luminous Chinese pearls made of green fluorite which glow in the dark – is a
delightful melange of fresh citrus entwined with green apple tangs and warmed
up with tonka, oak and moss. It can be worn by men and women.
Also interesting is the hair perfume. This can linger longer
than fragrance sprayed on to your body.
The Peacock Throne Hair Fragrance with Keratin (£85) not
only helps to strengthen the hair but it also contains Moroccan argan oil to moisturise the hair and scalp and honeyquat,
a humectant. Not only are you caring for your precious locks, you are
also scenting them with a spicy blend of Indian jasmine and taif Rose
underpinned with warm vetiver and patchouli.
If you like scents that stand out from the crowd, then you
should take a look at this line.
By Daralyn Danns
