Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes 2023 Eau de Parfum

Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes (Eau de Parfum) by Zara
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Ranked 35 in Men's Perfume
8.1 / 10 2364 Ratings
A popular perfume by Zara for men, released in 2023. The scent is fresh-citrusy. It is still in production.
Pronunciation
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Main accords

Fresh
Citrus
Fruity
Sweet
Synthetic

Fragrance Notes

BergamotBergamot Mandarin orangeMandarin orange AmberAmber BlackcurrantBlackcurrant GingerGinger Orange blossomOrange blossom Tonka beanTonka bean

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
8.12364 Ratings
Longevity
6.52282 Ratings
Sillage
6.52261 Ratings
Bottle
6.62230 Ratings
Value for money
9.22213 Ratings
Submitted by Elysium, last update on 01/15/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes All-Over Body Spray (Eau de Cologne) by Zara
Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes All-Over Body Spray Eau de Cologne
Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes Intense by Zara
Sunrise on the Red Sand Dunes Intense
Mazaaj Infused by Zimaya
Mazaaj Infused
Imagination by Louis Vuitton
Imagination
Art of Arabia I by Lattafa Pride
Art of Arabia I
Into the Joyful - Number 2: Les Heures Passent by Zara
Into the Joyful - Number 2: Les Heures Passent

Reviews

89 in-depth fragrance descriptions
8
Pricing
10
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
9
Scent
Elysium

852 Reviews
Elysium
Elysium
Very helpful Review 13  
No Two Sunrises Are The Same
Saudi Arabia is a land of many wonders, and the red sand desert is one of the most captivating natural landscapes that will enchant visitors. Northeastern Riyadh's vast expanse of red sand dunes is a breathtaking, almost surreal sight. Even if I've never been there, the images on the web leave me speechless. The reddish hue of the sand creates a picturesque view that looks like a painting of the most fantastic desert landscape you can ever imagine. There's little to see if you're looking for breathtaking scenery, but the vast desert you see around you as you drive to the area might evoke immense happiness that's better felt than understood. Red Sand has become a popular weekend destination among Saudis and desert-loving ex-pats. Some locals go to Red Sand from time to time to escape the noise of the city. As the name suggests, the sand is red. No two sunrises are the same, especially watching the sun rise over the red sand dunes.

After this brief heavenly description, I want to tell you what emotions Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes gives me. Among the four items of the Series N° 02 collection, this is the most citrus, fresh, and slightly floral. It starts with a citrus blast, solid and harsh, which slowly turns into something creamy, sweet, and velvety. If you smell it immediately, too close, it's aggressive. Don't let the initial extreme citric bomb made of tangerine and bergamot peel affect your judgment, as the scent gradually subsides to reveal creamy, soapy, musky, and ambery facets that you wouldn't expect. It is a modern barbershop with a gourmand touch. The bergamot smells like Earl Grey tea, creamy and zesty. There is a nuance of lemony herbs like lemongrass and citronella leaves. The opening is smooth and clean, like a gust of fresh morning air. Maybe it's nostalgia, but this opening smells like a morning in Tuscany. It reminds me so much of a beautiful bar of Atkinson soap, the yellow Golden Cologne, with a fragrance that offers an exclusive sparkling citrus note.

The orange blossom grows and grows and has a barber's touch, so soapy. If you like the soap accord in perfumes, you'll appreciate the subtle soapiness here. A freshly cut ginger root, spicier, envelops the bitterness of the orange blossom, and the heart continues with an accord that is still tart but with floral overtones. The pungent ginger works well with the citrusy and floral orange blossom top notes. Sometimes, I smell the sweet and warm spicy notes of cinnamon, which I find very close to those of L'Eau d'Issey pour Homme Eau de Toilette.

The dry-down holds the orange blossom bitterness, which now shares the stage with the cassis leaves harshness. Ambroxan amplifies and releases a whiff of sweetness and saltiness. Underneath, I catch notes of grass, straw, and something slightly smoky. The initial zestiness is subdued, but an almost lemony undertone still lingers. The underground also features a sweet, soapy, and gentle musk, nothing animalic or dirty.

Ultimately, Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes differs from the other items in the collection, far from Evening Safari Drive by Mylene Alran herself, but also from previous versions by ZARA. Quite unique, its projection is good at first, then becomes moderate. For a citrus scent, longevity is more than acceptable and not disappointing. I can wear it as an everyday perfume for warm spring and hot summer to work, casually around the house, or out with friends. Its pleasant aroma makes it a compliment getter especially in the initial phase when the projection is intense.

I'm basing my impression on a bottle I've owned since March 2023 (BC 30680).

-Elysium
0 Comments
9
Pricing
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
Yoshki

4 Reviews
Yoshki
Yoshki
Helpful Review 7  
Give it more time...
Latest bottle I got according to batch code and checkfresh was produced 2 weeks before I bough it. I think that's why a lot of people complain about performance of latest batches. After it was hyped and gone from Zara stores probably Zara produced quite a lot of it lately as it's easily available now, but it did not have enough time in bottle to get the right smell and performance. When I got my first bottle in March it lasted 3-4 hours on my skin, now the same bottle lasts 7-8 hours easily, close to skin I can smell it after 15 hours. My latest bottle has also poor performance but I gave it few sprays and it will probably get better over time. Another difference is in atomizer, older bottle has one of the best atomizers in my collection of about 120 fragrances, this new one is not that great, I assume I need to make 3 sprays with new bottle as equivalent of 1 spray with older bottle to get the same amount of juice. So for those of you who may not be impressed with performance there still may be a happy ending, unless this fragrance simply doesn't work with your skin.
2 Comments
Daioros

3 Reviews
Daioros
Daioros
1  
weird and synthetic
Tested on paper and skin several times and always getting the same results: bitter, sour and incredibly synthetic, to the point of being unusable, even inducing a small headache.
My girlfriend says it smells ok, but my nose can't stand it at all.
Maybe it's the ginger note, maybe it's the orange note.
That same strange note is also present in “Sand Desert At Sunset” (Zara), the other one that I can't stand from the Zara line.
Too bad for me, because I have easy access to these two perfumes.

For me it is: 70% strange synthetic note, 20% sourness, 5% orange, 5% lemon,
Longevity is 5 hours (of pain), projection is average.

Wish it was better for me.
0 Comments
10
Pricing
6
Bottle
7
Sillage
6
Longevity
7
Scent
Realinho

15 Reviews
Realinho
Realinho
2  
Summer vibes on a very affordable price
I bought this perfume along with Sand Desert At Sunset for just €25.99 in a promotional pack from Zara. €13 for each of the 100 ml bottles. For this price, I consider it an excellent purchase, although I don't consider it an excellent (or even very good) perfume.

I only smelled Louis Vuitton's Imagination once, and I remember not being impressed. But most citrus perfumes don't impress me. Besides my body chemistry not working well with the overwhelming majority of "summer scents," there are some notes that I find somewhat aggressive to my "olfactory sensitivity." This perfume has some of those notes (perhaps combined with a lower quality of ingredients, something I consider normal given that in Portugal and Europe in general, unlike in the USA, these perfumes are quite cheap even without being on sale - around €20) and the opening is, consequently, a bit unpleasant. Gradually, it transforms into a softer perfume but nothing that leaves us in awe (apart from the price).

Overall, I like this Sunrise On The Red Sand Dunes (its longevity on my skin is about 5 to 6 hours, more than I get with Acqua Di Gio Profondo - supposedly with great longevity - or Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême) and recommend it mainly for those on a tight budget who want a typical summer fragrance.
0 Comments
7
Scent
LeSmelleur

92 Reviews
LeSmelleur
LeSmelleur
1  
A lacking Imagination clone
The first and instant association I got when smelling this (before trying Imagination) was Davidoff Cool Water. Dunes is a similar sweet-aromatic combo scent. It is better than Cool Water, though, not as cloying. Certainly better than I would expect from Zara. Sweet and warm orange, very aromatic/ambery/spicy. A bit too green-sour for me.

Sunrise is a clone of Louis Vuitton Imagination. It will give you some idea how the original smells, but is notably worse. Specifically, Imagination is more citrusy-fresh. Sunrise is like a wilted version of Imagination. If it were a human, it would be 10 years older - the same personality, but heavier, with less energy and freshness. The performance is also worse.

The name fits pretty well, although just Sunrise, or Sunrise On The Dunes, or Red Dunes would be better. We are not solving a crossword here. The bottle fits reasonably well.

Read more of my perfume reviews at The Scent Stories: thescentstories.substack.com
0 Comments
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Statements

21 short views on the fragrance
BertolucciKBertolucciK 2 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Very similar to LV Imagination. The opening is a bit more citrusy, a sweet tangerine. The scent is relaxing and refreshing. Softer Ambroxan.
0 Comments
Topfpflanze3Topfpflanze3 2 years ago
Crossover between LV Imagination and Chanel Allure Homme Blanch. Green leafy bergamot, sparkling ginger and creamy orange + ambroxan
0 Comments
BednieloBednielo 2 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
Very fresh and citrus scent. Reminds much more expensive LV Imagination for the fraction of the price. Highly recommended.
0 Comments
ElysiumElysium 2 years ago
10
Bottle
5
Sillage
5
Longevity
9
Scent
The most citrus of the four, fresh, it starts with a citrus blast, strong, and harsh, which slowly turns into a creamy and velvety musk.
0 Comments
MrMoustacheMrMoustache 2 years ago
7
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
8.5
Scent
A beautiful citrus fragrance with uplifting notes of bergamot, ginger and tangerine. Bright, creamy, worth the hype, and perfect for summer!
0 Comments
Andrezinho8Andrezinho8 1 year ago
8
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
9.5
Scent
Fresh and elegant for warm days. For the Price is perfect.

Performance is ok in my skin.
0 Comments
RichardERichardE 1 year ago
5
Bottle
6
Sillage
6
Longevity
9.5
Scent
the definition of a "sparkly" scent. definitely unisex. I don't understand the naming scheme of this line lol
0 Comments
PierreparfumPierreparfum 1 year ago
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
9
Scent
So good for summer and such a low price.
0 Comments
KermitosKermitos 1 year ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
Fantastic, hidden gem in his price value. Great scent, very good longevity and good projection.
0 Comments
CeesieCeesie 3 months ago
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
7
Longevity
9
Scent
First reaction: this smells like piss! But boy does that change around! It turns into a nice fresh Imagination like citrus scent!
0 Comments
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