New Year's Eve perfume: scents that last until the fireworks and after

We are an independent retailer, and every rating here is the one on the product page. Hour figures are typical ranges, not test results. If you want the wider picture, read how long FAAN perfumes last.

Midnight is hour six or eight

Think about your evening. You dress at six, you eat at eight, you go out at ten, and the countdown is at midnight. That is six hours after you sprayed, and by then a light scent has long gone. Top notes such as citrus and pear fade in the first hour. What you smell at midnight is the base: resin, amber, vanilla, wood, musk.

As a typical range, an Eau de Parfum can last four to eight hours on skin and an Extrait often a little longer, though skin, weather and the notes all change that. A crowded, warm room also makes a scent feel louder at first and then flattens it. So choose a base that is built to stay.

Longevity ratings that matter

Any bottle with a longevity of 4 or 5 can work: Qasida Signature, Sahm, Bakhour, Dunes, Bidaya and Amjad Mystery are all 4. Skip the 3s, such as Amjad Coral and Qasida Al-Badr, unless you plan to reapply. They are lovely scents for a daytime party but not for midnight.

Three bottles for a long night

Amjad Honour is the big one: frankincense, saffron, oud, amber and vanilla. It is dramatic, resinous and spicy, and it suits a black coat and a long dinner. It is also the cheapest of the three. Two sprays is enough.

Amjad Kingdom is cooler and powdery: ambrette, violet, labdanum, ambergris and musk. It is not sweet, and it lasts the longest in the range. Good if you dislike sugary party scents.

Qasida Queen is the sweet party bottle: dark cherry, clove, vanilla, amber and coffee. It is listed for her, for date nights and special occasions, and it is the one most people will comment on. See how long Queen lasts.

If you want to go out and still smell fresh at the end of the night, choose by mood: smoky and dramatic is Honour, cool and clean is Kingdom, sweet and glamorous is Queen. See which FAAN perfume to choose for the rest of the range, or compare all of them in the Amjad and Qasida lines.

Reapplying with gloves and coats

You will not want to open a 200 ml bottle in a club. Fill a small atomiser before you go; our guide to decanting a 200 ml bottle shows how. When you reapply, spray your scarf, your jacket lining or the inside of your collar, not your skin, and not in the coat queue. Gloves and thick coats trap heat and flatten the scent, so give it a few minutes to settle.

One rule for New Year's Eve: no more than three sprays in total. A warm, packed room is not the place for a big cloud.

Waking up on clothes: the morning-after test

Fabric holds a perfume much longer than skin. The next morning, smell your shirt or scarf. If you can still pick out amber, vanilla or resin, the scent did what it should. Hang the clothes to air, and do not wash them if you want to keep the memory for another day.

Order in time

New Year's Eve falls in the busiest shipping weeks. Orders to the Netherlands take 3 to 6 working days in total: 1 to 2 for processing and 2 to 4 for transport. To the rest of the EU it is 5 to 8 working days: 2 to 3 for processing and 3 to 5 for transport. Order early. Shipping is free in the Netherlands from €75. If a bottle shows as sold out, ask to be notified on the product page. Browse all fourteen bottles.

FAQ

What is the longest-lasting FAAN perfume for New Year's Eve?

Amjad Honour and Amjad Kingdom, both rated 5 out of 5 for longevity.

How many sprays should I use?

Two on skin and one on clothing. More is louder, not longer.

Can I wear Qasida Queen to a party?

Yes, it is listed for date nights and special occasions. Strength is 4 out of 5, so two sprays.

Related reading

• How long FAAN perfumes last
• FAAN perfumes for a night out
• FAAN Amjad Honour review: notes, strength and when to wear it