Ajayeb Dubai by Lattafa Perfumes

Ajayeb Dubai is not one to judge at first sight. If I had stuck with that initial synthetic, almost plastic opening, reminiscent of a new car in the sun, I would have thrown it away. But patience works miracles. Months later, it’s a different beast: the pineapple turns smoky and elegant, the coffee stops burning and becomes a creamy vanilla. It’s sweet, lactonic, masculine and addictive. The longevity is decent and the trail is contained, which is a relief. It’s not versatile; it works in the cold, period. It doesn’t seem like Black Phantom or usual clones, a merit in this sea of copies. For the price, the value for money is indecent. The problem is that Lattafa launches perfumes at the speed of a TikTok feed without testing them. Ajayeb came out smelling like a mistake and only revealed its value over time. With more control, it would have convinced from the start, but when haste prevails, the consumer provides the patience.

The only perfume that lasted 24 hours on me.

I’ve just received it. Two sprays: it smells like a new car, burnt plastic, unpleasant, although with a sweet base. Reading previous reviews, I must let it macerate and will come back to give an opinion. I’ll give it time because I believe it can change and that’s what I hope. The good thing about these experiences is that you’re left with the adrenaline of ordering blind: what will this fragrance be? Let’s give it two chances and have patience.

Yes. The opening is leather with car oil, burnt plastic and petrol, or whatever it is, which makes it feel rough, aggressive and tremendously unpleasant to me. I have the hope that by macerating it as I’ve read in comments, it will improve. For now, I use it letting half an hour pass before going out so as not to repel people and I try not to obsess over whether it smells good yet, because it keeps smelling bad until about an hour later.

I bought it 2 months ago and the first time I was taken aback. The opening notes smelled too strong, between leather and burnt plastic or petrol, and that smell lasted too long. After several hours, the scent became more pleasant, where the caramel and vanilla notes were well perceived, creamy notes. I let it macerate for 1 month and it helped a lot (honestly I didn’t think it would make much difference, as other perfumes from the same house seemed good from the start). That leather/plastic smell no longer exists, it smells like leather (quite masculine and seductive) with a citrus touch (I suppose it’s the pineapple) and something smoky. I don’t know what the violet leaves smell like, but after hours the coffee mixed with caramel and vanilla is felt. The coffee note is not as pronounced as I expected, I thought it would be like Halloween Man X, but it isn’t. Some days the heart notes smell like caramel and vanilla, and others like coconut. The longevity and projection are quite good (in a small room people commented that everything smelled good, and it turned out to be this perfume applied 4 hours ago). I recommend it if you like sweet and lactonic fragrances (without losing their masculine character), and I would buy it again, but you must have patience with that strong and rare opening that disappears after about a month.

First time writing a review after 28 years of collecting perfumes, and this is the only one I’ve thrown away. It smells like vomit with caramel; I wouldn’t recommend it.

Brilliant value for money, a quality scent that lasts quite a while on the skin. It leaves a soft sweetness in the air that I absolutely loved, perfect for cold weather. Very enjoyable and fully recommended. For me, 10/10.

I enjoyed the opening, contrary to what I’ve read elsewhere. It is pineapple, but distinct from the classic Arabica style like Club de Nuit. I was sceptical about the pineapple and coffee blend, yet it turned out to be a very peculiar toasted pineapple. It dries down into light coffee and toffee notes, although the dry-down is slow and the toasted pineapple remains almost throughout the wear. I don’t see it as exclusive to autumn or winter due to that fruity touch; I think it suits a spring evening and even summer if the weather isn’t too warm. Excellent for rainy spring and summer days. I bought it for its strong coffee character, and yes, it is a blind buy for coffee lovers. Special mention to the bottle: beautiful, well-designed, with an excellent atomiser and a very solid cap.

It happened to me as it does for most: I hated it the first time I smelled it, but after a week, it turned into an addiction. To me, the opening smells metallic; the pineapple and saffron burst out like sparks before giving way to caramel and coffee. In short, it smells like caramel popcorn accompanied by an egg-nog coffee.

I was tempted to buy it for a long time until I finally took the plunge. The scent at first impression reminded me of burnt antifreeze (I know it is rare, but it was the first olfactory memory). Afterwards, it reminded me of coffee sweets sold here in Mexico in bulk in brown packaging (the yellow ones are butter). The perfume is different from what you find in coffee perfumes (I have Halloween Man X, Homem Reconecta, and Uomo Signature, and it resembles none of them); it is one of those perfumes that the longer you wear it, the more you like it (normally the opening enchants to sell, but here it is the reverse). I do not suggest sticking with the opening but rather enjoying the evolution of the perfume. It smells good and is accessible, although I will have to wait for the temperature to drop because it is very hot now to give a correct judgement.

I was tempted to buy it for a long time before finally taking the plunge. At first impression, it reminded me of burnt antifreeze (I know that sounds odd, but it was the first olfactory memory), then to coffee sweets sold here in Mexico in bulk with brown packaging. The perfume is different from what you find in coffee fragrances (I own Halloween Man X, Homem Reconecta, and Uomo Signature, and it resembles none of them); it is one of those scents that you like more the longer you wear it. I do not suggest sticking with the opening, but rather enjoying the evolution. It smells good and is accessible, although I will have to wait for the temperature to drop because it is currently too hot to make a proper judgement.

Probably when you buy it and smell it for the first time, you’ll be disgusted. But that’s because this fragrance needs to macerate for at least a week. Then you’ll be able to detect sweet, smoky, spiced, and eggnog caramel. Also, I feel the saffron and violet leaves don’t blend well here. It’s a fragrance that stands apart from the ordinary, making it interesting. Notable longevity and projection. Good price (approx. $17). I recommend testing before buying, and if you buy blind, heed the suggestions.

I have read that one must let it mature to discover the secrets of this perfume. In my experience, I went to the perfumerie to test it on my skin and see how it developed. Honestly, it was the first fragrance that completely repelled me. It smells of prepared cola cao with powdered milk from a clinic mixed with burnt coffee. The only thing I can say is that the longevity is eternal.

Lattafa does it again. I admit the first impression was fatal; it smelled very strange and unpleasant, so much so that I capped it and threw it in a corner. Exactly seven days later, when I was about to list it for sale or swap in community groups, I gave it a spray and what a surprise: it was spectacular, a very rich scent. The freshly ground roasted coffee note was very present, accompanied by caramel and vanilla; I immediately cancelled all intention of getting rid of it. In short, it is one of the scents I enjoy wearing most; at night it is a bomb, it makes you feel good, and people notice. Scent: 10/10, Longevity: 8/10 (almost 8 hours on skin), Trail and Projection: 8/10. An excellent perfume with an incredible price-to-quality ratio.

After several weeks, my verdict is clear: do not buy it blind. At first, it smells of roasted coffee to me, but my partner detects burnt caramel and finds it repulsive. Over time, it softens and becomes more pleasant, though opinions remain sharply divided; it is not a fragrance for the masses. Projection and sillage are decent for the price, but that particular scent makes taking a risk a mistake.