Reyna by Maison Alhambra

Smells like marshmallow, whipped cream, and raspberry. If you don’t like sweet scents, it might feel heavy. It’s youthful, fun, and very noticeable, like unwrapping a new doll. Perfect for cold or rainy days. Lasts 8-9 hours on clothes with moderate projection and is very affordable. It’s 90% similar to Oriana, so if you’re looking to save money with that profile, it’s a great option.

I just bought it and thought I’d like it, but it’s a scent that’s already seen better days. It’s not unpleasant, but I had higher expectations. As soon as I sprayed it, it reminded me of another fragrance I couldn’t recall the name of until I saw it in my collection: Love Don’t Be Shy! They’re very similar. What lasts the longest is the citrus; I don’t detect the raspberry or blackcurrant. PS: It also reminded me of those perfumed schoolgirl planners.

I’m a 27-year-old woman who adores gourmand, fruity, and woody perfumes. With notes of raspberry, blackcurrant, marshmallow, and whipped cream, I expected something sweet and fruity, perhaps lactonic, but it wasn’t any of that. On me, it smells like neroli water, like a baby perfume. I loved those scents in my adolescence; it’s a lovely aroma, but not what I was looking for. That said, it has beastly longevity of over 8 hours. I recommend it for warm and humid climates.

I didn’t like it. If this is a gourmand, it would be a half-baked dessert. It has meringue and citrus, but they forgot the sugar despite having sweet notes. It barely smells of red fruits. I wonder if they were inspired by a Pavlova tart, but if that was the idea, it’s a fail for me.

Another blind buy that I recommend for daily use. The opening is pure citrus, raspberry, and cream. It has potential but falls short on longevity and sillage. Honestly, it doesn’t convince me. It’s the kind of perfume my grandmother would wear, and yes, it’s probably my skin that doesn’t receive it well. Like all Arabic fragrances, I’ll let it macerate for a few days and give it another chance in a couple of weeks. PS: I’m back two months later and it improved quite a bit, but it still doesn’t sit perfectly with me. Now it has more body and the raspberry stands out, but it doesn’t last long. Even after bathing and moisturising my skin, it doesn’t reach two hours. It has improved, but I won’t buy it again. I keep insisting it has the performance of a cologne. Conclusion: let it macerate.

I have a decant from a reputable site and this isn’t my first Arabic perfume, nor did I even try the Oriana it’s inspired by, yet this DNA doesn’t suit me at all. It evokes something both ‘old’ and ‘childish’ at the same time, so don’t buy it blindly. Beyond that, the longevity is good.

I have a decant of a brand I trust; it’s not my first Arabic perfume and I haven’t tried the original Oriana, but the DNA of this doesn’t convince me. I can’t pinpoint which note gives me that ‘old and young’ feeling simultaneously, so I wouldn’t recommend buying it blindly. That said, the longevity is good.

What a lovely fragrance! The citrus opening fades quickly, leaving incredible raspberry bombs. It’s not cloying or as synthetic as some say, although there is a quality difference with the Oriana decant, but for the price, one shouldn’t be too demanding. I wear it daily, it lasts quite a while, and I always receive compliments. It’s worth it if you like perfumes such as Love Don’t Be Shy, Classique Cabaret, Ilia Lazos, or Dolce&Gabbana Pour Femme, as they belong to the same olfactive family.

I bought it and the truth is I don’t like it at all; the scent seems very synthetic to me.

I absolutely loved it! At first it smells like detergent, but that fades quickly to reveal a real treat. It’s sweet without being cloying, with a fruity touch like a bonbon, yet it’s not fully gourmand. I was very surprised; it’s a beautiful fruity-floral gourmand, even for someone like me who doesn’t usually enjoy fruity scents.

Smells nice at first, but once it settles it becomes cloyingly sweet, creamy and yes, slightly artificial, though not overpowering. It’s wearable for everyday or the office, giving a homey feel, but it’s not a masterpiece. For 100ml at this price, the purchase isn’t bad, although I don’t think I’d buy it again.

I’ve never tried PDM’s Oriana, so I can’t comment on its quality as a dupe; I’ll limit myself to my experience with Reyna: I love it 💕. At first, the sharp citrus opening threw me off, then I felt an intense aroma of a freshly unpacked doll, almost childish. Over the days, I started to appreciate it more; I agree that it needs to be oxygenated a bit. Now I can’t stop using it. It’s soft, powdery, like a sweet marshmallow. The longevity is about 5 or 6 hours, the projection is medium-low; if you want it to be noticeable, you need to apply at least 20 sprays.

I’ve never smelled PDM’s Oriana, so I can’t speak to its quality as a dupe, but I’ll limit myself to describing my experience with Reyna: I love it. At first, the sharp citrus opening threw me off, followed by an intense scent of a doll straight out of its packaging, almost childish. Over time, I began to appreciate it more; in fact, it needs to be aired out a bit. Now I can’t stop using it. It’s soft, powdery, like a sweet marshmallow. Longevity on my skin is 5–6 hours, though its projection is medium to low; if you want it to be felt, you need to apply at least 20 sprays.

It’s sweet with acidic touches and enjoyable all year round. I love the packaging with the tassel. It’s the second one from this brand I’ve bought (the other is Delilah), and both surprised me: on my skin, they last about 10 hours. I would definitely buy it again.

I wore this from the collection for several months and finally tried it properly after showering today. What strikes me most is the sweet, acidic, talc-like scent with a floral touch. I’m sorry I didn’t detect the marshmallow note, which leaves me in doubt about its essence. I don’t feel any whipped cream, but I do get the very acidic blackcurrants, orange blossom, and that powdery musk. It’s autumn now, so I’ll write another review later. I’ll give it more chances. Would I buy it again? I think not; I’ll try Lattafa’s Ansaan instead.