The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Shopping for luxury goods in Cairo is becoming more and more accessible, as extravagant shops continuously open up across the city. On the first floor of First Mall in Giza, Le Nez Fragrance Bar could well reinvent perfume shopping as we know it. With a sleek, stately interior, the small shop is made to feel larger with immaculate displays and full length mirrors.

Boasting an exclusive range of niche perfumes, the shop stocks just five famous, French brand names; The Different Company, Histoires de Parfums, Jovoy, Mark Buxton Perfumes and Quintessence Paris.

The unique shopping experience here transcends that of any high-street perfumeries; each scent is sprayed into a wine glass to encapsulate the full range of flavours, whilst the shop assistant is well versed in the history behind each collection.    

The majority of the perfumes carried are unisex, although along with some dedicated specifically to each gender, some are heavier and more masculine than others.

Considered one of the most sought after brands in France, The Different Company offers three different collections; the light ‘L’Esprit Cologne’ collection, ‘Collection Clasique’ and ‘Collection Excessive’.

Accurately and conveniently grouped to help find what you’re looking for, the L’Esprit Cologne collection is full of delicate scents, whilst the ‘Collection Excessive’ carries deep, long-lasting oaky smells. For a middling scent, the Collection Clasique is neither too subtle, nor too dense. Couture perfumes don’t come cheap, though, and prices for The Different Company range from 850LE for the smallest bottle, to 1790LE for the largest.

Similarly, the exquisite range from Jovoy starts at 850LE for just 50ml; originally designed for the mistresses of wealthy Parisian dandys, the distinctly feminine perfumes are presented in elegant crystal bottles.

Interestingly, the creator of Histoires de Parfums sought to tell stories through scent, just as books evoke emotions through words. The sixteen volumes of different perfumes (890LE-1490LE) each hold unique smells coupled with distinguishing stories; the fresh-smelling 1725 edition was created to mark the birthday of Italian adventurer and famous womanizer, Casanova. For women, the delicious, fruity notes of 1804 commemorate the birth year of the baroness of Dedevent; a writer better-known by her pen-name, George Sand.

As possibly our favourite collection, the Mark Buxton Perfumes each carry creative titles, such such as ‘Sleeping with Ghosts’, ‘Devil in Disguise’, ‘Black Angel’ (1450LE/100ml) and ‘Sexual Healing’.

The perfumery also carries a range of household accessories from the esteemed Quintessence Paris; pleasantly scented candles (390LE-1190LE), amber room sprays (590LE/100ml), fresh scented tubes for the closet (25LE/piece) and scented tissue paper for clothes (55LE/sheet).

Although their perfumes and home accessories may be considered excruciatingly expensive, Le Nez Fragrance Bar offers a truly unique shopping experience bringing exclusive, prestigious perfume brands all the way from one the fashion capitals of the world, Paris.