Sumaiya Ali’s Articles on Woman This Month

Eid is the time to offer unconditional love and charity. It is also the time to share happiness, forgive and reconcile feuds and bad relations. Dressed in new attire and savouring a sweet dish before the Eid prayers, it becomes a day of feasting with family, relatives and friends and remembering the deceased. The air of festivity and celebration can be felt on the night before Eid when frenzied shopping and Éid preparations are at its height. Since Éid is celebrated with gift-giving, the highly decorated shops and markets are open till late at night for last minute shoppers.

Everybody loves to shop for gifts and more to receive them! With eleventh hour shopping, cooking and painting your hands with Henna, it is always better to be prepared with Eid gifts in advance. After the month long fast and self control it is time to indulge in a little vanity for the sake of Eid. In this feature we showcase where to find that last-minute Eid gift for that someone special in your life.

Damas Jewellery
Highlighting the month long observance of Ramadan, the 101 year old jeweler makes gifting even more memorable during Eid by presenting Arabic and Islamic inspired jewels crafted in gold and precious stones with discounts ranging from 30 to 70%. The exclusive Crystal Aya pendant collection bears the world’s smallest complete rendition of the Holy Quran laser inscribed in high-grade crystal, framed with 18kt white or yellow gold and embellished with sparkling diamonds.

Inspired by the beauty and grace of the Arabian woman, the Al Manthourah collection wonderfully weaves dream designs in 21k yellow gold and rich hand-painted enamels. The collection presents the rich Arab tradition in gold executed with the greatest attention to detail and features minute links forming chains, tassels and intricate embroidery patterns. From traditional to modern, ornate to minimalist, formal to casual, there is always a glittering piece of Jewellery in Damas to suit every mood and occasion!

Nayomi
The world of Nayomi opens its doors to a wide range of soft and sensuous products designed to royally pamper a feminine soul. With a variety of Lingerie, Loungewear, Bath and Beauty collections and Footwear, Nayomi is set to enhance the beauty of the fashion conscious women of today. To celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan and the festive season of Eid, Nayomi has fabulous ‘Gift with Purchase’ offers and discounts on some of their best selling products. Prayer beads exclusively crafted for Nayomi can be received free with a purchase of BD21 and with purchases of BD41 and above two cosmetic bags are up for grabs. Apart from this Nayomi has a special 30% discount running on its most popular fragrance and body ranges namely Shaza, Orient and Bambi ranges.

Treat yourself to the plush fabrics or gift your loved one as well as the opportunity lasts!

Bateel
A delight to connoisseurs around the world, Bateel offers a wide range of gourmet products from plain dates to dates stuffed with nuts or candied orange and lemon peel, Date Chocolates , French and Belgian Chocolates as well as other products that include Sparkling Date Juice , Jams, Pastries and Date Bars. Bateel uses Dark, Milk and White Chocolate to produce a very distinct range of pralines and truffles. All of Bateel’s products are made of the finest natural ingredients and guarantee a longer shelf life. It is the worlds only gourmet dates supplier with retail outlets around the globe and provides an unrivaled quality of products. It has a huge selection of gifts priced from BD2 to over BD150 and also offers Corporate Gifts that can include corporate branding. Give in to the temptation this Eid by gifting yourself and friends with these luscious palate soothing delicacies available at Al Aali Mall.

Ajmal Perfumes
Exquisite fragrances of Oudh, Bakhoor and perfumes diffuse in the air as you step into an Ajmal store. From traditional Arab scents to the fusion blends, it offers the perfect combination of east and west with an air of affirmed mystique.

Having been in the aroma business for over five decades, Ajmal Perfumes have welcomed the Ramadan and Eid period with special discounts and gift hampers ranging from BD10 to BD50. Sets of five popular fragrances are put together to be given as gifts and are priced lower than the combined prices of the three. With guaranteed gifts with every purchase or gift vouchers you may look forward to receiving anything from sachets of Oudh to fragrances or purses and watches for both men and women. What better way to express your ’scentiments’ this Eid than saying it through something that leaves a lingering feeling of freshness and energy!

Sparadise
Leave your world behind and enter a haven of tranquility, where a menu of services awaits to tantalize your senses and rejuvenate your mind and body. Sparadise spoils you for choice with its extensive bouquet of spa and salon treatments catering for men and women equally.

Create your own Eid package by choosing any three of the quick fix treatments which includes an express back massage, Guinot express facial, an instant body scrub, a holistic head massage, and a wash and blow dry at BD45 for 90 minutes. The ideal way to get ready for Eid is to pamper yourself with the Eid Indulgence package of a luxurious royal bath of an Oriental Hammam followed by Guinot aromatic facial, wash and blow dry, manicure and pedicure at BD80 for 240 minutes.

With gift vouchers that can be customised to any range of services or products, Sparadise gift vouchers are the best pampering gifts to give!

Eid Holiday Packages
Take a detour from the stress and routine of everyday life with fun packed getaways through travel packages tailor made to suit this year’s Eid holidays. From the breathtaking Turkish scenery, its historical treasures of rich mosques and palaces to the scintillating temples, malls and cosmopolitan nightlife of Bangkok, Global Tourism Club and ITL Travels have designed Eid Holiday packages to nine exclusive destinations!

With five days and four nights in any of these destinations and prices starting from BD100 inclusive of airfare and hotel you are bound to return as a happy soul. So if you have been dreaming of savoring the Turkish delights while relishing Turkey’s sun kissed lakes, sea and mountains, frenzied shopping in the souks of Damascus, visiting the pyramids of Egypt or a family adventure with your favourite Disney characters in Paris Disneyland, this is the time to make your dream come true!

The traditional practice of giving gifts during Eid is a token of money called the ‘Eidi’ often given to children. But why give an Eidi when you could invest some time in choosing a unique gift and thus make the person feel special? The best time to give an Eid gift is soon after the morning prayers to instill an element of surprise and excitement. A gift gets closer to the heart than money and is definitely treasured and remembered for longer.

Children can be given gifts of the latest games or educational books and toys. Gifts for elders can be chosen to reflect the spirit of Islam like exotic ittars, prayer rugs, Islamic CDs or craftworks.

Make your gift extraordinary with an attractive greeting card that well complements the gift as well as your thoughts. Taking time out for a picnic or dinner to bond as a family is also a gift in itself.

Celebrate the triumph and accomplishment of fasting during the month of Ramadan by reaching out to the hearts of your loved ones through a gift this Eid. Eid ul Fitr comes just once a year, so plan early and gear up for fun filled celebrations over Eid — live it up to the fullest!

Incense and perfume are a part of daily Arab life, born with spicy and herbal scents Arab fragrance grew to discover the sweet flowery scents of saffron and rose. Further with the discovery of woody oils like sandalwood and agarwood a tantalizing new era was begun. Since then the Arab perfume industry has evolved and made certain changes to accommodate the varying tastes of their clientele. In this feature we take a look at some Arabian perfume manufacturers and their enduring fragrances.

Syed Junaid Alam
Celebrated by the names of ‘Junaid for Perfumes’ and ‘Attar Al Bahrain’, Syed Junaid Alam WLL is the oldest and largest manufacturer of perfume in the GCC and has three perfumery units in Bahrain. Founded by Syed Junaid Alam the brand which began as a small shop in the Manama souk at the beginning of the 20th century has transformed itself into a scentsational trendsetter. It has more than 120 retail outlets spanning the Middle East, Pakistan, Turkey and plans to spread out to North America and the Far East.

Junaid Perfume brands are sold exclusively at its outlets and also include solid and oil perfumes, bakhoor and bridal gift sets. “We have introduced fragrances that have a French feel such as Fanan which is the first shimmer-based perfume in the Gulf. Apart from that we also have introduced gel-based fragrances that not only appeal to the women of today but also to youngsters”, says Hamad Fuad, director sales and marketing.

“Each product is carefully developed to reflect its name and is in accord with its design, colours and aromatic characteristics, resulting in a distinctive brand,” explains Hamad. Junaid Perfumes outlets in Bahrain can be found all over Bahrain. A Ramadan collection is planned to be launched during the Holy Month and the products are priced in such a way that there is one for everyone!

Reehat Al Atoor
Inspired by Arabic culture on his arrival to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Mr. Rajesh Khanna set up Reehat Al Atoor in 1989 as a pastime. It has since flourished into a family business. This perfume house produces traditional as well as international scents and a combination of the two. These perfumes derived from natural essences reflect the Arab culture and heritage from its scent to the finished packaging, an example of this is the perfume Maraya meaning mirror in Arabic, is their latest French scent and comes with a mirrored finish.

With exclusive showrooms at the Sheraton Complex, Dana Mall, Gold City and Riffa Bukuwara, Reehat Al Atoor have also been successful in unveiling their own line. With the onset of Ramadan, Reehat Al Atoor will be launching its seven latest products. Every month there are product launches and the company plans to set up a larger plant to satisfy the growing demand of its consumers. Newly appointed general manger Shahnawaz who is experienced in the business expansion of perfumery in the Middle East aims to increase the outlets in Bahrain to ten by the end of the year and expand to other GCC States over the next year.

The company owns more than 100 brand names and sells well-known perfumes both Arabic and French.

Amouage
The House of Amouage was founded 25 years ago by the late Sayyid Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi on the request of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the ruler of the Sultanate of Oman, to reflect the wonderful heritage and traditions of his country for creating the finest, exotic and unique perfumes and for giving them as gifts to honoured guests. Amouage has a stellar following around the world including Royals, global leaders and some of the most celebrated names in entertainment and sports.

Their fragrances use a number of significant indigenous ingredients such as the finest Silver Frankincense, and the incredibly rare Omani Rock Rose. The first Amouage fragrance was created by French master perfumer Guy Robert who scoured the world for the finest ingredients, over 120 of which were used in his masterpiece ‘Amouage Gold’ which is still their best selling fragrance.

“I am convinced that Amouage has huge potential to be the first internationally distributed luxury brand originating out of the Gulf region. At Amouage our goal is to take the wonderful fragrances of the East, and to transpose them into internationally acceptable fragrances that have the ability to sell around the world.” says David Crickmore, CEO of Amouage.

To celebrate the Holy month of Ramadan and Eid, special gift sets with limited edition attar sprays will be introduced. Amouage products are available at Al Hawaj stores and its first shop-in-shop in the kingdom will be located in Al Aali Mall.

Ajmal
Having been in the fragrance business for 56 years and has over 200 outlets in the Gulf. Ajmal was primarily based around oudh and its varying uses within the realm of perfumery and its primary fragrance range consisted of mainly oriental concentrates. “Today, I’m extremely proud to admit that we use the entire fragrance range, from Eau de parfums, both oriental and western in design,, says Abdulla Ajmal, general manager of Ajmal, Dubai. Sarah launched in 1992, was the first product of its kind to successfully blend eastern and western elements together and is till date used as a benchmark in creating fusion blends. It was the only perfume company to be listed in the ‘Forbes Arabia Top 40 Arab Brands’ in 2007 and was placed at 23rd position. Ajmal takes care of the environment and is involved in human welfare too.

“We combine western ideologies with oriental elements providing our consumers with a unique brand of fragrances, a brand we like to term as “Ethnic Chic.” This is what the young consumers of today demand, individuality and through our varied product offering and our blends we are able to provide it to them.” Explains Ajmal. Ajmal outlets can be found all over Bahrain and through retail shops.

Designer Shaik
Designer Shaik Inc. established in 2002 is a luxury brand company. It produces a line of perfumes for both ladies and men, mainly markets in the Middle East and Europe.

People buying a Designer Shaik product feel they are buying a piece of ancient mythical Arabia. The beautiful and sensuous fragrances include the opulent and chic range with the purest essential oils from France blended with exquisite elements from Arabia. These Arabian scents are hand-made using the finest and rarest of ingredients.

“Global giants offer a wide range of products whereas ours is limited, but we offer tough competition. Our reputation is growing and that shows credibility. Each product has a theme and a story.” says Mohammed Al Asfoor the CEO and founder.

Designer Shaik’s actions are inspired by its vision to create arrays of timeless gifts to be cherished, admired and desired by all but attainable by only a few.

Designer Shaik has a range of perfume gifts by the name of ‘Jewellessence Blue’ which is a fusion of jewels and essences and the handcrafted elements make them artifacts to be cherished and admired for centuries to come. It’s perfumes are available at Bahrain Mall, Seef Mall, Bahrain Duty Free and Al Hawaj outlets.

Musical Aromas
Perfumes are known by ‘notes’ as in music. The top note is the one that is sensed immediately on application and the middle note is what remains when the top notes evaporate. On the disappearance of the middle notes what lingers is the base note, which along with the middle note represents the core aroma of the perfume.
Perfumers try to emotionally connect with the wearer by distilling personality into a perfume. It is said and known that scent triggers memories, so to all you perfumistas out there, how will you choose to be remembered