When the Heart Feels: An Interview with ASAMA Perfumes founder Abdulwahab Al Refai

by: Jodi Battershell

One of the things I enjoy most about Fragrantica is the opportunity to connect with perfume devotees around the world, from all sides of the fragrance industry: perfumers, business owners, perfume consumers, perfume writers.  It's amazing how a shared passion for perfume enables us to form an instant bond and makes new acquaintances and friendships feel like treasured old friends.

I was contacted by a friendly gentleman named Abdulwahab Al Refai back in October 2014. Abdulwahab and his brother, Ahmed, had started a perfume company in Kuwait back in 2011 and were interested in being part of the Fragrantica database. Their house ASAMA Perfumes is one of just four Kuwaiti perfume houses currently in our encyclopedia, which surprises me now that I know a little more about Kuwait and its perfume culture, thanks to Abdulwahab. It has been a pleasure getting to know Abdulwahab in our many correspondences over the last few months, and I've enjoyed watching ASAMA Perfumes grow and develop into the success it is experiencing in 2015.  ASAMA Perfumes were featured this year in Brides and Glamour magazines, and the brothers recently received some great news that they're excited to announce. 

But first, I asked Abdulwahab to share ASAMA's story with us and tell us more about this homegrown family business whose slogan is, "When the heart feels."

Jodi Battershell: Please tell us how ASAMA Perfumes began and the partnership between you and your brother. Which roles do each of you occupy in running the business? 

Abdulwahab Al Refai: ASAMA Perfumes was founded in 2011 by Ahmed Mohammed Al Refai, CEO and Founder and Abdulwahab Mohammed Al Refai, Co-founder and Business Director. It began in Ahmed's house when we created perfumes by mixing scented oils that he already had.

We started with pretty small funding—basically from our own savings. Then we took it a step further by selling ASAMA's first collection of fragrances in a local fashion department store and it did pretty well.

Currently, we are distributing the roles of the business where I'm focusing on the development and marketing part and a little within the mixing and my brother is doing the main mixing, financials and operations. He is also approving the marketing and development plans.

Basically, we complete each other and we both know the brand strategy and where it is heading.

Jodi: Please tell us about the perfume culture of Kuwait: Is perfume important? How often is it used and on what occasions? What is perfume's role in daily Kuwaiti life?

Abdulwahab: In this part of the world the craft of perfumery is an essential part of Muslim culture.  Perfumes and Bukhoor [usu. woodchips soaked in fragrant oils and burned in incense burners—jb] are used on special occasions like weddings or even during Friday prayers. Bukhoor specifically has healing properties: the scent of bukhoor can help strengthen body and spirit, but generally according to some Arabs, they are just perfume in the house. The tradition here in Kuwait and GCC is that simple bukhoor should be burned and its smoke scattered around every corner of the room. Bukhoor also has other uses. Abayas (garment worn by women) or dishdashas(garment worn by men) can be scented by waving the clothing into the smoke to catch the scent of bukhoor. It can also be used as body perfume by applying oil, a spreadable form of bukhoor, on the hair. When using perfume oil, one should put oil on the tip of one’s fingers and run it through one’s wet hair. You can also wave your hands close to the bukhoor burner to catch the scent. The closer you are to the bukhoor burner, the more chances you’ll catch the fragrance. A rich thick scented smoke can have a long-lasting smell to the recipients and the smoke of the bukhoor can be absorbed by any fabric like curtains, sofas.

Also, with a history spanning more than 5000 years, Arabian perfumes are steeped in exotic and local traditions. Take a walk down any of the Middle Eastern souks and specifically in Kuwait from the modern malls like the Avenues, right up to the oldest market, Al Mubarakiya market—it will surely be one smelly affair that you won’t forget anytime soon.

Jodi: ASAMA Perfumes' press info describes your background as "A story which begins in the water ..." ASAMA appears to follow an aquatic theme in terms of their inspiration, with fragrance names such as Asama Marine, Islandand Vessel, amongst others. Has Kuwait City's geography (being a port city on the water) influenced ASAMA? 

Abdulwahab: Firstly, my brother and myself are SCUBA divers since we were teenagers. We also come from a family that admires the ocean and our grandparents have a historical career with it. That's what triggered our theme to focus on an aquatic theme along with the relationship of Kuwait and GCC's history with the ocean.

Since olden days, Kuwaiti ships were trading through the Arabian Gulf harbors, navigating through the Arabian Sea and reaching out to India and East Africa. They were dealing with all kinds of goods, and perfume was one of them. It was imported from India. At that time Al Mubarakiya market was the prestigious place in town. Perfumers imported the perfumes such as Oud, Rose, Amber, Sandal and all related kinds of oriental perfumes from India.

Jodi: ASAMA perfumes incorporate Western scents as well as traditional Middle Eastern aromas. The Port features oud and leather, for example, and Oud Coraloffers rose and oud, but Sand, with its orange flowers and fern, seems almost Mediterranean, and 2015's Salt Floral, with its citruses, flowers, vanilla and musk, could easily be a Western release.  How did you approach the fragrance creation process for the ASAMA collection? Did you design with the Western or the Kuwaiti customer in mind?

Abdulwahab: We have a creative method that gave us the time and the opportunity to craft a fragrance working with the highest quality ingredients in a bottle. Using the Arabic and Western scents as a concept point of the fragrances, when you spray ASAMA Perfumes, you get an immediate smell of the Oudh soul, flowers freshness and the feeling of aspiration. We design the perfumes on both Western and local tastes to bring up a new unique fragrance.

Jodi: Where can we find ASAMA Perfumes?

Abdulwahab: Well, we are proudly announcing it here the first time and with Fragrantica.com that you can find ASAMA Perfumes selling soon in Harvey Nichols – Kuwait at the Avenues mall, by August 2015. We have also an ASAMA Perfumes boutique open since 2012 at Sharq, Al Tijaria Tower – Al Soor street - State of Kuwait.
ASAMA Perfumes are also sold at Victory Route 88 boutique Al Aali mall – Ground floor - Kingdom of Bahrain. You can check our website for more updates as we will be expanding soon to global department stores worldwide.

Thank you, Abdulwahab, for sharing your story with our readers! Fragrantica will keep readers informed about new releases and news from ASAMA.  In the meantime, learn more about ASAMA Perfumes and find local stockists on their official website.