Salam Anfas 2014

I have to say that deciding whether I like Salam has been extremely difficult for me. Overall, I ordered a sample twice and even bought a bottle once, which I then sold again. But what exactly was the problem?

I ordered the first sample because of the hype and the name, just to see what it was all about. I read the fragrance notes and off I went. When it arrived and after the first spray, I was immediately disappointed. I found the scent not pleasant at all, but rather sticky and overly sweet. It was a clear decision for me to let the sample go.

However, something about the scent wouldn’t let me go. After it left my apartment, I wanted it back for some reason. It was like after the end of a beautiful relationship, when you’re outside and everything reminds you of your ex. I felt like I was being followed by clouds of salam. It quickly became clear to me that I had to give the scent another chance. The new sample arrived relatively quickly, and what can I say? I was disappointed again. The DNA of the fragrance was far too overwhelming for me. It felt sticky in my nose the whole time, and after 30 minutes, I simply washed it off and, out of frustration, gifted the scent to my brother, who then found it great.

Life went on, spring arrived, and every time I opened the Parfumo top 100, this scent cheekily grinned at me. In every second video on YouTube, this fragrance was still being praised, and to not make this too long - the story repeated itself - this time with the whole bottle. I don’t know if it was the presentation of the scent or the fresh feelings that spring brought, but I began to understand the pleasant aspects. The sticky became warming. And when I was sitting on the balcony and started to fall in love, it happened. The scent was completely gone after about an hour. Completely stunned, I checked Parfumo again, where, to my recollection, an 8.0 was indicated. That was indeed the case, but apparently not for me. Given our history, it became clear to me that we would have no future together, and Salam ended up in the souk.

I had moved on and closed that chapter. At some point, however, the topic came up again with a very good perfume friend. He shared my opinion about the scent and then simply said: “Brother, you can think what you want about this fragrance, but what it’s supposed to do, it does best.”

He was somehow right, and the fire was back. Ultimately, I found myself in an interview with Asim Al Qassim, who talked a bit about the origin story of Anfas and explained what Salam is about, namely something inviting, cozy, and warm. A scent that says, “Come, hug me brother, how are you?” I generally started to understand the entire concept and change my overall understanding of the fragrance world.

I now have a lot of fragrances. For a long time, it was often about longevity and being prepared for the right occasion, and to enjoy the exclusivity behind it, to be honest. I hadn’t experienced deeper emotions or even a blossoming of my personality through a fragrance in ages. The endless collecting and the urge to keep testing had made me forget what beautiful experiences the fragrance world brings and that the journey is the goal. Every fragrance tells a story. Salam reminded me of that.

How could it have turned out any differently - I ordered Salam again, and now I understand. It’s incredibly interesting to observe how the mandarin dances with the amber in this fragrance, creating a symbiosis of warmth and coolness, while the floral notes watch in delight. And the amazing thing is that this bottle suddenly lasts a solid 8-10 hours on the skin. Even if it’s probably just due to a different batch, I also like to believe that the fragrance wanted to be understood first before fully embracing me.

When I talk about this scent today, it’s not as if I’m infatuated with rose-colored glasses. No, I’m really talking about love. A love that has opened my eyes.