Let's Talk About: Swiss Arabian Pure Instinct

Pure Instinct is one of Swiss Arabian's only fragrances that doesn't have oud in it. SA, having been established in the UAE, creates primarily Middle-Easter compositions. As you know, these tend to be very earthy and spicy; they're definitely not going to be for everyone. However, Pure Instinct is an anomaly in the sense that it is mass-appealing. I actually mentioned it in my designer vs. niche post as perhaps SA's attempt at a western scent.

In fact, I would bet that if you were to just smell Pure Instinct without knowing the company you would probably guess it was from Dolce & Gabanna or some other European brand. I have actually heard someone refer to Pure Instinct as a darker version of Bleu de Channel. I definitely get the similarities between this and BDC, but I wouldn't say it's necessarily a darker version. Remember: a dark scent is typically spicy and heavy, but that's not Pure Instinct at all.

Swiss Arabian Pure Instinct (100ml)

In fact, I would say it's a brighter version of BDC.

The composition of this one is really good and relies heavily on citrus notes. At the top, we have grapefruit, pineapple, apple, and pepper, in the middle there's tuberose, rose, cardamom, and patchouli, and at the bottom there's amber, cedar, vetiver, leather, and vanilla. When I initially apply this one I get a rush of the pineapple, grapefruit, and apple mixed with a bit of vanilla and amber. The opening is actually very similar to Versace Eros minus the mint note.

As it begins to dry down, I get more of the woodsy notes and a bit of the rose. The citrus becomes more of a secondary note after about an hour, but it persists throughout the life of the fragrance. I never really get any of the leather or pepper, but it could be because there are so many different notes in the composition.

The performance on this one is nothing special, but it's decent enough. I get 4 solid hours of light projection and 3 more of the fragrance being a skin-scent. It doesn't sit super close to the skin though which means it's detectable as long as someone's within an inch or two of you. I also love how strong the sprayer is. I think it's even stronger than the sprayer on Dior Sauvage, and that's saying something.

I would wear this one casually; definitely not professionally. Considering how similar the opening is to Versace Eros, I wouldn't want to wear Pure Instinct in an office or classroom setting because the citrus may be too strong for some people. I think it would work great for outdoor events or just hanging out with friends. When you think of this one, think casual and fun.

Price-wise, you can get a 100ml bottle from Swiss Arabian's website for $60 which definitely isn't a bad price especially considering that the EDP Version of BDC is twice that much. I really don't think you'll regret getting this one. It's mass-appealing, has pretty decent performance, and I could easily see this one being a big compliment getter.

Overall, I would give Pure Instinct an 8/10. It's a great composition and I love the citrus accords in it. I probably would reapply this one at some point during the day because it's not a beast in terms of performance, but for $60, it's a very good choice. If you've been hesitant to try out Swiss Arabian because you're not sure you like oud, Pure Instinct would be a great fragrance to start with!

-Ryan S.