After 4 years, my partner and I traveled to Dubai at the beginning of November;
in 2019, we were only there for 3 days in summer in combination with a trip to the Seychelles, where we had to stop over in Dubai anyway.
This time, with more bearable temperatures, we wanted to spend 9 days in Dubai, see more, experience more, get to know Abu Dhabi, eat in the Global Village and marvel at the replica countries, which is very reminiscent of Las Vegas, eat at the Marina (thanks @Connie for the great restaurant tip!), lie on the hotel beach, enjoy a great view from "the view" on the Palm Jumeirah; there have been a lot of new things since we were there in 2019! We were welcomed with 33 degrees and realized; before November it would have been just too hot for us.
I was determined to test some fragrances from the Carolina Herrera Collection in the Dubai Mall, which were launched especially for the Middle East, and was already fixated on the Gold myrrh before the trip.
The fragrance begins with aromatic spicy myrrh, warm night air wafting through the desert, fine sugar trickling onto myrrh trees. The dry floral seems to be immortelle, the immortelle flower. The air is aromatic-herbaceous-sweet, you think you can hear the cicadas chirping in the Mediterranean region.
Powdery soft.
The dry, smoky, sweet and spicy smell that I also noticed in the alleyways of Dubai's souks; the souk in Al Fahidi, where the old Dubai has been somewhat artificially recreated, the tourist souk in the old town of Deira and in the chic Madinat Jumeirah souk, which is part of the luxury hotel complex with a view of the Burj Al Arab; tourists crowded outside to get a good photo with a view of the Burj Al Arab. The souks there have nothing to do with those in Tunisia, Egypt or Salalah (southern Oman); although you are also approached and goods are advertised, it feels more like a game there, a reproduced behavior that you expect from the Orient (my partner was still totally annoyed and wanted to run through the narrow streets; at least in Deira).
The smells there: spices, dusty light, dried flowers, steaming incense burners everywhere (especially in Madinat Jumeirah, where perfume and oud oils are presented by smartly dressed people on virtually every corner, many stores of the Taif Al-Emarat brand, male salespeople in suits in front of them).
So the "Gold Myrrh Absolute" also combines these oriental vibes without being overwhelming (I did get a headache in the Madinat at some point), the "Gold Myrrh Absolute" somehow also refers to nature, the desert, heaven and earth.
As it progresses, I smell mainly vanilla-cocoa powder-myrrh, as already described in my statement, the vanilla becomes more and more pronounced, very smooth, gentle with a slightly spicy twist. All in all, it reminds me of
Armani Privé - Magenta Tanzanite in a finer, sweeter and less dry version.
Shopping at Sephora in the Dubai Mall was not a pleasant experience; it was packed, with jostling customers, too many sales assistants and lurking security staff. At the private Carolina Herrera Collection stand, "Gold myrrh Absolute" was the only fragrance in the range not on display when a saleswoman came straight up to me and took it out of the cupboard to test it.
I didn't like the
Bronze Tonka at all; pungent oud, chemical like nail polish remover. The
Gold Incense was quite good at first, but very intense. So I made my way to the checkout, there weren't any samples. I was glad when I was able to leave Sephora again.
And so later we sat outside on the terrace of "Joe's Café" with a view of the Burj Khalifa and down to the Fountain Show, people with cell phones everywhere, me happily with my Sephora bag next to me, a plate of seafood pasta in front of me.
What remains of Dubai; the German-speaking guide from Egypt, who showed us the Grand Mosque, the Etihad Tower, the pompous presidential palace and manically tried to make emigration to Dubai palatable; crying newborns on the plane; women in hot pants and low-cut dresses at JBR, Dubai's party cancun; the best falafel and hummus with chilled Moroccan mint tea at the "Arabian Teahouse" in Al Fahidi sitting under lanterns; how my partner was addressed by name by the hotel staff and his butt was carried behind him while I was hardly noticed; a Dubai Starbucks cup (how extremely many Starbucks branches there are everywhere in Dubai!) and "Gold Myrrh Absolute".
A lot of sun saved in my head, while in Düsseldorf rain and 8 degrees in the evening awaited us, the prospect of waves of colds and Christmas.
Top Notes 
Immortelle
Black pepper
Heart Notes 
Cocoa
Liquorice
Base Notes 
Namibian myrrh
Vanilla
Einfinken
MariaS
