In the south of Oman amongst the Dhofar Mountains, you’ll find the world’s finest quality of Frankincense in the world – also known as ‘Hojari’. Epitomising this finery, directly named after Hojari is Sheikha Hind Bahwan’s new perfume brand OJAR.
With a background in technology, being the Omani founder of global technology firms Bahwan CyberTek and dt360, as well as being a recipient of France’s Legion of Honour, stepping into the perfumery space may seem like an out of the blue move for Sheikha Hind. However, with perfumery entrenched in Omani culture, particularly in Sheikha Hind’s hometown of Sur, located in the east of Oman, and her own longstanding passion for fragrance, launching her own perfume brand was, in fact, a natural step for her.
“My mother nurtured my passion for fragrances from my early childhood and I have fond memories of these very special moments spent mixing and creating perfumes with her at home,” she tells Emirates Woman. “Experimenting with perfumes has become part of my lifestyle and two years ago, I made the decision to create a perfume brand that is authentic yet modern; a brand that is inspired by my heritage, and yet, has a contemporary appeal that combines the perfect fusion between East and West.” Taking inspiration from her home city which is famous for shipbuilding and trading in frankincense, oud and wood, these three ingredients alongside rose, honey and musk make up the core for her debut fragrance collection.
Discussing the story behind OJAR, Sheikha Hind reveals to Emirates Woman what inspired the new brand, the creation process of her scents, how her career path led her to this point and how her parents have been a source of inspiration for her.
THE STORY BEHIND OJAR To create OJAR
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