FAAN Qasida Signature vs FAAN Qasida Al-Badr: which FAAN perfume should you buy?

Both are 200 ml Eau de Parfum bottles from the Qasida line. FAAN Qasida Signature is the one people expect from an Arabic-style bottle: warm and sweet. FAAN Qasida Al-Badr is the surprise, because it is restrained.

Quick verdict in three lines

• Evenings, dinners, cold weather: Signature.
• Weekdays, meetings, a scent nobody will comment on: Al-Badr.
• Longer wear: Signature, 4 against 3.

Notes side by side

Three notes are common to both: bergamot, cardamom and vanilla. After that they split. Signature adds almond, cinnamon, orange blossom, coconut, guaiacwood, praline, dry amber and cashmeran. Al-Badr adds nutmeg, iris, sage, cedarwood, vetiver, tonka and patchouli. Notice what that means: one list is sweet and creamy, the other is herbal, woody and dry.

First hour and dry-down

Signature starts with cinnamon and almond and then rounds into coconut and orange blossom. By the end, praline, vanilla and amber are all you can smell. It is soft, warm and very much a cold-weather scent.

Al-Badr starts in a brighter, drier way, with bergamot, nutmeg and cardamom. The heart is the signature of this bottle: iris gives a powdery feel, sage a green edge, cedarwood a firm line. The base of vetiver, tonka, vanilla and patchouli stays dry. The result is the calm spice the product page describes.

Strength and staying power

Neither is loud. Signature simply goes on longer, a typical 6 to 8 hours as an Eau de Parfum, while Al-Badr is closer to 4 to 6. Our pieces on how long Signature lasts and how long Al-Badr lasts go into detail.

Season, occasion, audience and price

• Season: Signature is autumn and winter. Al-Badr covers autumn, winter and spring.
• Moment: Signature for evenings and special occasions. Al-Badr for daily wear and the office.
• Audience: both are unisex.
• Price: Signature €54.99, about 27 cents per ml. Al-Badr €51.99, about 26 cents per ml.

Al-Badr has the wider season, and it is the safer office choice. Signature is the one to wear when you want to be noticed in a good way.

What a day with each looks like

With Signature, you spray in the evening, and the first thing you notice is warmth. Someone leaning in at dinner gets almond and vanilla. With Al-Badr, you spray before work, and nobody notices until you pass them in a corridor, at which point they catch a clean, slightly powdery trace. One is a statement, the other is a habit. If you are buying your first Arabic-style bottle, Al-Badr is the lower-risk option. If you want the sweet version of the style, Signature is the clearest example in the range.

Who should pick which

Choose Qasida Signature if you like sweet, spiced and creamy scents, want a bottle for dinner and winter evenings, and do not mind a scent with presence.

Choose Qasida Al-Badr if you dislike sweetness, wear scent to work, or want something that is easy to wear in three seasons. If dry is your goal, read perfume for people who dislike sweet scents.

Want both? Many people end up with one of each, one for the desk and one for dinner. The full range shows all fourteen.

FAQ

Is Al-Badr a weaker version of Signature?

No. They are different scents. Al-Badr is dry and powdery, Signature is sweet and creamy, and the strength numbers differ by only one point on longevity.

Which one suits warm weather?

Al-Badr. It is listed for spring as well as autumn and winter, while Signature is autumn and winter only.

What if the one I want 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 Signature described note by note
• FAAN Qasida Al-Badr described note by note
• Which FAAN perfume to choose