Last year, while I was preparing my Indigo Perfumery sample order for my sister to bring back from New York to Australia, I decided to add a trio of perfumes from Mabelle O’Rama to my cart on a whim. I took a flyer on a house I’d never heard of before. Perhaps I’ve been living under a rock, because they seem quite well-known in fragrance circles and have received plenty of recognition for their creations.
Based on my research, it appears that Mabelle O’Rama is the work of a single woman, Mabelle O’Rama herself, who creates the scents and handles all aspects of the business. I have a great appreciation for independent perfumers, and I believe the Lebanese-British owner has created an intriguing trio of fragrances. While I think all three are worth trying, two of them stood out to me. Here’s a link to their website.
Lunar Dust
Lunar Dust (2022) is the brand’s first release. It’s also my least favourite. Inspired by the moon’s surface, Mabelle O’Rama has crafted a suitably chalky, dusty, mineralic offering. It has a barren quality, where the chalkiness gives the impression of iris, but I’m not sure if iris materials are present. Instead, it smells more of clean musk and Iso E Super. The woody backbone feels somewhat insubstantial and reminds me of Geza Schoen’s creations from his Escentric Molecules range. For a fragrance inspired by the moon, it doesn’t rise to any great heights.
Notes: Iris, white woods, cedar, amber.
Forbidden Bloom
Forbidden Bloom, released in 2023, is the brand’s second perfume, and the first one I tried from the discovery set. It was a great introduction. I was greeted with a beautiful burst of tropical flowers and juicy peach. While fragrances like this aren’t typically my preference, I found the blend of fruity notes, frangipani, and creamy gardenia quite addictive. It amounts to more than a simple bubblegum regret, as the swirl of narcotic flowers takes hold. And though the base notes take a turn toward woody amber avenue, the scent remains just on the right side of the road. A hint of coffee adds warmth and depth to the scent.
The floral notes evoke memories of a Brisbane summer when the frangipani trees are in full bloom, and the air is thick with humidity. Fruity florals tend to fall into the trap of becoming a bit of a throwaway, as forgettable as a Top 40 teenybopper pop song. However, Forbidden Bloom stands out as one of the better ones, and like any good pop song, was stuck in my head for days. It’s the perfumed equivalent of an earworm—perhaps we could call it a “noseworm”?
Notes: Pear, peach, frangipani, gardenia, coffee, cedarwood, ambergris (I’m sure there’s no ambergris here; it would likely be an accord), and musk.
Phoenix Flame
Phoenix Flame, the brand’s latest creation from 2024, rises above the others in the line. It’s probably not something I would wear frequently because of its heavy, resinous amber structure. Indeed, something you’d have to be in the right frame of mind to wear, with the right environmental conditions to match. It features a sumac note. The story behind its creation is fascinating. Here’s a link: https://mabelleorama.com/blogs/mabelle-o-rama-journal/the-story-of-phoenix-flame.
Sumac’s vibrant, deep red colour may suggest heat and spice, but in reality, it offers an earthy, tangy flavour profile. Its lemony facets act as a foil to the more fiery ingredients in Phoenix Flame. But Phoenix Flame never simmers; it soars. The warm spice notes of amber, myrrh, cinnamon, and frankincense combine to create a flaming effect. The immortelle (one of my fragrant foes) is used judiciously here, providing a drier herbal contrast, rather than a syrupy sweetness. Phoenix Flame reminds me a little of Artaban from Astier de Villatte, where the herbal notes intertwine beautifully with the warming spices and smoke. Very nice work indeed.
Notes: Sumac, cinnamon, cardamom, immortelle, lavender, frankincense, myrrh, amber, and oud.
Summary
So, two out of three scents get the thumbs-up. That’s good going, albeit based on a small sample size. I’d probably wear the breezier Forbidden Bloom more than Phoenix Flame, but objectively, Phoenix Flame is more interesting and probably superior. If you decide to explore the brand, you may as well try them all, though. I love it when I can go through a brand’s range in a short space of time. Mabelle O’Rama appears to be committed to slow perfumery, taking her time to create meaningful compositions. Since we didn’t see any releases from her in 2025, I expect there will be something to look forward to this year.
Note: Bottle image from the brand. All other photos are my own.
