Dawn / الفجر (Eau de Parfum) by Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle

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Desert Gems

Dawn
الفجر
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2018 Eau de Parfum

8.1 / 10 149 Ratings

A popular perfume by Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle for women and men, released in 2018. The scent is resinous-woody. Projection and longevity are above-average. It is being marketed by Estēe Lauder Companies.
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Main accords

Resinous

Woody

Smoky

Oriental

Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Pink pepper

Turkish rose

Heart Notes

Frankincense

Turkish rose absolute

Base Notes

Oud

Ambroxan

Cedarwood

Labdanum

Oakmoss

Vetiver

Perfumer

Carlos Benaïm

Ratings

Scent

8.1149 Ratings

Longevity

8.8139 Ratings

Sillage

8.1141 Ratings

Bottle

8.2150 Ratings

Value for money

5.493 Ratings

Submitted by Ravenous · last update on 12/08/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Interesting Facts

The fragrance is part of the Desert Gems collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Dawn / الفجر (Brume Cheveux) by Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle

Dawn Brume Cheveux

Heritage Collection - King Throne Hoopoe

Oud & Oud

Mesmerising Oudh Accord & Gold Eau de Toilette

Dusk

Tarab

Reviews

6 in-depth fragrance descriptions

06/03/2023

8.5Scent 10Longevity 7Sillage

DrB1414
269 Reviews

DrB1414

5

Cold Olibanum

Al-Fajr (Dawn) is Olibanum perfection. This one and Sultan Pasha's Ame Sombre are the best compositions that explore the Frankincense accord, at least to me. This one is more on the Orthodox church, cold olibanum smell, backed up by some earthy soft oud in the base, dry vetiver, and moss. I don't get a strong Oud as in Al Layl(The Night), nor the same Hindi fermented type, here it's more of an earthy variety, that is cleverly blended with vetiver and oakmoss. I also don't pick up the rose in here. It very much sings a perfect song about Olibanum, and it also has that oily almost texture to it like you'd burn the resin and pour the oil on yourself. This does absolutely not justify its price tag, but I love it and it does for me. Sometimes is better to let your nose and senses decide rather than the rational part of your brain. Because it's not as animalic nor loud as Al Layl, or Al Waad, this can be worn more easily without offending innocent bystanders.

03/02/2019

5.5Scent 8Longevity 4Sillage

StellaDiverF
213 Reviews

StellaDiverF

3

Unimaginative amber/incense oud

Frederic Malle Dawn opens with a quite fierce oud. It has the similarly animalic, sour and fermented aspects like the Indian oud in The Night. However, instead of a full-on barnyard stroll, it also clearly exhibits a rubbery facet that fits the profile of Laotian oud that I've encountered so far. As a result, Dawn is indeed lighter than The Night, but overall speaking it's still fairly animalic as an oud perfume.

However, like The Night, the authentic oud characteristics in Dawn retreat to the background rather quickly, and what's left is only a softly sweet and resinous woody backbone with flickers of rose petals. Moreover, it's gradually consumed by a standard olibanum incense and labdanum amber accord, and further dried out by a discreet touch of woody amber aromachemicals, to the extent that the dry down after about 4 hours is almost solely a desiccating incense than anything smelling remotely of oud.

I got a medium to soft sillage with Dawn and a longevity of at least 8 hours on my skin.

For me, The Night and Dawn share the same syndrome: a fairly authentic oud opening undermined by ubiquitous, uninspiring rose and amber/incense accords. If Dawn was released two years ago, I would have recommended it along with The Night as an example of animalic oud to sample, because even though they're fairly standard and unimaginative, at least they showcase the animalic aspects of oud pretty well and are put out by a well-established brand. However, during these two years, many artisanal and independent brands have come up with oud perfumes either more authentic, more innovative, more sophisticated or more luxurious, and with a more interesting price at that. Therefore, I would not particularly recommend Dawn before other more interesting oud perfumes.

08/25/2021

10Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

FilipMurray
18 Reviews

FilipMurray

1

Incense!

This is the most realistic incense I have ever smelled in my life. It smells IDENTICAL like when you enter to a church. Dusty, woody, dirty incense. It is there from the beginning and it will stay with you until the end. It is amazing that incense will remain the same all the time while other notes will come and go.

The opening is not animalic as The Night, but you can immediately feel the rose, smoke, oud and pepper. Pepper definitely softens the animal opening so it’s lighter than The Night and The Moon initially.

Dry down is a smoky, incensy labdanum. And through the labdanum you can feel the oud incense.
It's a cold fragrance. It's a bit dusty from vetiver.

It stays on the skin for 12+ hours, and it stays on the clothes until you wash it.
Dawn will be around you, but it's not too strong so it can be worn at slightly higher temperatures without bothering anyone.

I am very happy to have this masterpiece and to finally have a full Desert Gems collection.

02/17/2019

10Scent 10Longevity 8Sillage

Ravenous
9 Reviews

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Ravenous

Top Review 19

Spiritual Oud

After the night comes the dawn after a promise has been made.
Carlos Benaïm starts the day with a hefty dose of pepper.
The Turkish rose has not yet awakened.
However, incense has already been generously burned.
Now a medicinal/leathery oud (reportedly from Laos) comes to the forefront.
The Turkish rose remains shy in the background and never really makes a grand appearance.
The oakmoss and vetiver have no chance against the incense and oud, floating far in the distance.
The labdanum gives the incense a significant boost, which gives Dawn a very spiritual character for me.
The fragrance does not undergo a significant development, which I actually appreciate in this masterful creation, perfectly reflecting its name and meaning.
For those who are fed up with the tons of rose-oud fragrances, this offers a soothing and surprisingly different oriental.
The longevity lasts from dawn until deep into the night with a very present and flattering sillage.
With this fragrance, Carlos Benaïm has created a spiritual and unique oud that I no longer want to be without.
Due to its cool and not balsamically heavy character, I even find Dawn suitable for year-round wear.
After The Night and Promise, Dawn adds another masterpiece to the Desert Gems.

Regarding the price, I will not comment as everyone should decide for themselves whether to buy it or not.
As mentioned below, some do pay enormous prices for an ugly-kitschy Roja or Clive Christian....

08/09/2025

9.5Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

Berkanlenck
145 Reviews

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Berkanlenck

Top Review 18

Morning Gold on the Skin

It was just before sunrise when I first applied Dawn. The city was still asleep, only a few streetlights cast warm light. The sky transitioned from deep blue to golden stripes, and in that moment, I felt the first hint of rose and pepper.

It was as if the fragrance had captured the sunrise within itself. The cool morning air mingled with the warmth of amber and oud, and suddenly the world felt quieter, clearer, almost reverent. I walked slowly, savoring each breath. Strangers smiled at me as if they recognized a secret that only the scent revealed.

Hours later, amidst the hustle and bustle of the day, it was still there-not as bright as in the morning, but dark, warm, and embracing. Dawn had transformed, just like the day itself, and I wore its quiet luxury like a second skin.

Since then, I spray it whenever I want to remind myself that every day deserves a moment of renewal.
The Fragrance:
Dawn is an olfactory allegory of the sunrise, inspired by the quiet morning energy of the Middle East. The composition begins with a refreshing blend of Turkish rose and pink pepper, followed by a heart note accord of frankincense (olibanum) and rose. The base carries a heavy, spiritual impression with oud, labdanum, vetiver, and oakmoss.

As it develops, the heart of the composition reveals itself: a luxurious amber-oud accord with a subtle leather note. This oud is not harsh or sharp, but softly drawn, deep and powerful at the same time. Frankincense lends an almost sacred quality to the whole, while vetiver and labdanum provide earthy depth.

The base is warm and lasting, a harmonious interplay of oud, resins, and precious woods. The sillage is cultivated, not overwhelming, but always present, and the longevity is exceptional, often lasting well beyond an entire day.
My Conclusion:
Dawn is not a loud, playful fragrance, but a quiet statement: it radiates confidence, elegance, and inner peace. Ideal for evenings, special occasions, or moments when you want to make a mark without being loud; however, Dawn is not for everyone, especially not for those with high price sensitivity or a longing for avant-garde formulations. It remains a powerful, noble statement with a corresponding luxury price.
Berkan

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