FAAN Qasida Dunes review: notes, strength and when to wear it

There is no star score here, because we do not have one to give. What we have is the product data and a careful read of it. FAAN Qasida Dunes is a 200 ml Eau de Parfum from the Qasida line, priced at €53.99, and it is listed as unisex.

Notes at a glance

• Top: olibanum, black peppercorn, white pepper
• Heart: patchouli, cypriol, leather
• Base: sandalwood, sugar, labdanum

The accords are spicy, leather, woody and resinous. The product line says pepper, smoke and dry leather, and the notes match it. The list is short, and nothing in it is soft or fruity.

How it opens, settles and ends

The first minutes are dry and sharp. Olibanum, which is a form of frankincense, brings a clean, resinous smoke, and two kinds of pepper sit over it: black for warmth, white for a quieter earthiness. If you want to know more about the pepper, our guide to pepper in perfume explains the types.

After half an hour, the heart arrives. Patchouli is earthy, cypriol is smoky and woody (it goes by the name nagarmotha too, a note that also appears in Sahm), and leather is dry rather than sweet. This is the part you will recognise as the scent, and it can last for hours.

The base is sandalwood and labdanum, which is a warm resin. The sugar note sounds out of place, but it is small. It softens the labdanum so the dry-down is smooth instead of bitter.

Strength: projection 4/5, longevity 4/5

Both ratings are 4 out of 5, which puts Dunes among the louder bottles. One or two sprays are enough; more will fill a room. For an Eau de Parfum, a typical range is 4 to 8 hours on skin, and with a resin and leather base we would expect the upper half. Fabric will keep it longer.

Autumn and winter: when it works

The listed moments are evenings and cool days, and that is exactly where it sits best. Cold air tames pepper and smoke. In a heated room or in summer heat, the same notes can feel heavy. It suits a dark coat, a dinner, or an evening walk. We would not choose it for a summer office.

How to wear it

Two sprays are the sweet spot: one on the chest, one on a scarf or the collar of a coat. Pepper and olibanum are loudest in the first ten minutes, so give it time before you judge. If the leather feels too serious on skin, spray clothes only, because fabric makes the leather softer and the smoke rounder. A paper strip is a fair first test, as long as you also smell it again after three hours.

Who will like it, and who will not

If you like dry, smoky, leathery scents and have no use for sweetness, this is the clearest example in the range. It also suits people who find vanilla bottles tiring. If you want fruit, flowers or anything creamy, look elsewhere. Our piece on perfume for people who dislike sweet scents compares the dry options.

Qasida Dunes next to Qasida Signature and Qasida Sahm

• Qasida Signature is the opposite: sweet, creamy, cinnamon and praline. It shares no notes with Dunes. See Signature or Dunes for the full contrast.
• Qasida Sahm also ends in leather, but starts with mango and raspberry. If you like the leather and not the pepper, Sahm gives you a lighter route. It is listed for him.

To see everything at once, open the full range.

FAQ

Is Qasida Dunes sweet?

No. It has a little sugar in the base, but the first impression is pepper, smoke and dry leather.

Is it a men's or women's perfume?

It is listed as unisex.

What if it is sold out?

Use the notify option on the product page. Delivery takes 3 to 6 working days in the Netherlands and 5 to 8 in the rest of the EU.

Related reading

• FAAN Qasida perfumes: all nine bottles explained
• Qasida Signature or Qasida Dunes
• How long FAAN perfumes last