Liwa

It’s like what Howard Stern’s sweet but complaining elderly mother Ray would say about this perfume, “It’s tooooo much, waaaa.”

A union of east and west, the mixing of old and new. Liwa, from the brands Velvet collection is the olfactive exploration of a brand deeply rooted in Arabian traditions and influenced by the subtly of contemporary French perfumery.      The opening of Liwa is characterised by razor sharp acidity coloured by diffusive herbal accents. An incredibly photorealistic bright and zesty bergamot mixes with the bitter aromatic edge of artemisia. As the fragrance evolves, saffron dusted jasmine tempers the sharpness of the opening as the fragrance reveals sweet floral and deep earthy accents that is utterly bewitching. Amber adds sweetness to the florals and spice against the delicate rosy accents of geranium while the artemisia has receded into a soft herbal backbone. The final stages of the fragrance are a smoky blend of oud-incense and dry woods that is perfectly balanced by the residual sweetness of the amber and white florals.     Liwa is magnetic, complex and entirely opulent. It’s a fragrance that surrounds you in a cloud of olfactive bliss but never feels overpowering as it manages to be dense yet simultaneously ethereal. Liwa being one of the most popular offerings from the brand is often compared to MFK’s BR540, and Initio’s Oud for Greatness. While I do get the comparison on a superficial level, Liwa’s complexity, richness and subtle nuances that are absent from the other two make for a much more satisfying experience. Simply, Liwa in on an entirely other level.     Widian is a brand that I have completely fallen in love with, from the quality of the fragrances themselves to the luxurious presentation and the stunning bottle design everything it so beautifully executed. In my opinion it’s a brand that warrants its asking price.   IG: Nathan__Jamesj

I usually don't like to be influenced by other people's comments, so I tried Liwa on my own skin and in my opinion it doesn't smell like Baccarat Rouge at all. In the drydown it is a bit similar to Oud for greatness, but a lighter version of it. The opening is very spicy and aromatic and you can perceive the woody and dry base throughout the wear. The rose and geranium feel very discreet and at first I wasn't sure which one I smelled because it seemed more like the stem and leaves of the rose and less the flower itself. It leans more masculine in my opinion and for those who like Oud for greatness, but want a lighter version that they can wear all the time, I think Liwa is the perfect choice. I personally prefer Delma from the Velvet collection.

I just love this perfume. Sillage is fantastic, longevity is superb(eternal just like the most of you had voted) I love the uniqueness of the scent, absolutely a niche perfume with its spicy/rare undertones. Overall sweet, but not too sweet like your cheap american chocolate. Very sophisticated -smt.I bought blindly, reading your reviews but glad I did..... "London" widian was a disaster to me, after one spray was clear -the ingredients are not for me, very masculine. This one is a gem!

Extremely sexy and magnetic, this is like confidence in a bottle. Not a fragrance for someone who wants to blend in. It has incredible sillage and projection. I truly do not understand how this is compared to BR540. It is much closer in its DNA to Oud for Greatness with the same sweet, synthetic oud and saffron combination. Liwa is a bit sweeter, more floral, and has a little more warm spice to it. It is (perhaps) just a touch more feminine leaning, although that's a hard call to make.