Jamal Kazura Aromatics

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Kampong Glam, so many interesting shops and eateries. It seems to be rather rainy these few days, or extremely hot. (Maybe that's just me, I'm not hardy at all.) But yes, where is everybody else? Hope you find like-minded people to go down again with.

-Sylvia.

What do they sell there? I heard there are lots of stuff in Haji Lane but I have never been there before
By the way, I heard the Etat Libre d'Orange will be brought to Singapore. Does anyone know where can I find it? I want to try Secretions Magnifique. Haha

Thanks Josh for the info on ELDO, and thanks ultranova3 for asking! I'd like to try 'Like This'. Beside the numptious notes: Yellow mandarin, Ginger, Pumpkin accord, Immortelle, Moroccan neroli, Grasse rose, Vetiver, Heliotrope, Muskswhich I guess some people might dislike , isn't it such a Singaporean name? 'Like This' also can? Why so 'Like This'??

I have to go down to lower delta to sniff Secretion Magnifique??
I don't dare to order it online. Singapore custom will definitely confiscate it: especially due the graphic nature and I will be charged for importing pornographic material to SG
They did bring in Tom of Finland though. Haha I thought there are some images (ahem ahem)?

I have to explore there during my holiday haha...

Nice seeing locals discussing this over here. I was expecting some excited tourists/foreigners to be talking about their experience with Jamal Kazura Aromatics from their trip to Singapore in here, who knows. They are covered in several Singapore tour guide books, but seems relatively unknown to locals?

I first encountered JR/Kazuna perfume oils at Mustafa, started from plain rose (which I dab on cotton balls and used as drawer scenters). This is amazing quality and longevity at $6 for 10ml! In no time, I picked up my next vial called Pleasures. It is exactly like Estee Lauder's Pleasures but at 10x longevity. That intoxicating green fresh scent.

It didn't take too long before I track down where Jamal Kazura Aromatics is. I was awestruck by what they were offering, from those lovely perfume vials to even more collection than the mass produced available in Mustafa. I'm sold! Will be there again. I want to find something similar to Hermes Jardin Sur Le Nil and TDC Sublime Balkiss.

The only problem, they need a nice website with a brief description of their exquisite collection. There are just too many to narrow down and all of them smells great.

They have been around since 1933, I'm sure they have their ways even without the internet.

I would have to make a few trips down to discover a new scent each time. Joshua, which JR fragrance do you current have?

Hahah, tell me about it.
I've 90 over bottles of full size perfumes and I'm still on the constant lookout for new releases or discovering old scents.
I was actually quite tempted to get their entire range of 2ml (I was told it's 3ml?) in that little roll on bottle, slowly discovering them one by one at the comfort of my home. Just checked your wardrobe and I realised you don't limit yourself to men's fragrance, same here. :x

I bought Pleasures at Mustafa, loving it.
I tested "Executive" at JR and there's something I liked about it but can't figure out what it was, bought a vial and it took a while for me to realise that's DKNY's Be Delicious. I will be dropping by very soon.. yes.

Yepp, let's all meet up sometime! Ever since I registered an account here in 2006, I've always wondered if I'm the only perfume crazy person in Singapore since there's no other Singaporeans here. haha.

The one I got was a roll on. 2 or 3ml for $5. There were numerous large glass bottles of perfume oils on display, and I simply took a whiff and decide on which ones I want. (This is for the branch at Bassorah Street), I noticed another branch (looks posh) along Arab street, opposite Fika the Swedish restaurant, another (run down) opposite Sultan Mosque, and another along North Bridge Road. Maybe it's different arrangement at different branches.

^5 totally! Who decides that rose is only for women?
I used to stick to men's fragrance, but most of which were citrusy, musky, woody and boring (Calvin Kleins, Boss, Polo Ralphs ugh).

Hermes first came along with their ambiguous gender undefined Mediterranee and I was very distracted, I got Sur le Nil as well, La Mousson and next in line Sur le Toit. I deviated towards the women's side. The perfumes are just so much more complex and so much nicer, there's a different feel to all of them!

And it went viral... Pleasures, D&G light blue, Creed Spring Flowers, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea, Hermes Kelly Caleche,
Hermes Hermessence Rose Ikebana, Issey Miyake Ascent (love the opening green note), Paul Smith Rose, DKNY Be Delicious, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Herba Fresca, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mentafolia (supposedly all women's fragrance).

Joshua, I made another visit to Kazura and I got what you meant by 2ml dabs for $2.
It's a standard package that come in a set of 6 little bottles, there's the option to do your own mix and match to create your personal sampler set. Those were the "commericalised scents", the same ones with the standard 8ml $6 roll on which you find in Mustafa.

The ones I wanted were behind the counter, special concoctions found only at Kazura shops. They would pour into 3ml roll on bottles for $5 on the spot for you. Bought another 3 yesterday which I thought were nice and fresh at first whiff from the cap, after smelling them again @ home...

EQUAL (aqua di gio),
MOMENTS (ck one),
JADE (not sure, and I don't really like it now)

The top note smells slightly different but as it settles down it smells just like the base notes of the perfumes mentioned.

Yes, I do favor fresh scents, JCE happened to have quite a few of those.

While at Mustafa, I came across another 2 brands, K for Kamarudeen, there's no other website or information on this though.
And there's another brand also Kazura but it's Sathik Kazura, they have a different range of perfume, no further information either.

In my search, there's http://sifr.sg/
This exotic Jamal Kazura branch that's opposite Fika at Arab street, they customise perfumes at your preference.

My face has been registered as a discount card since I've brought several friends down to purchase.
If you guys like anything, we can make a trip down one of these days too.

Jamal, the one right at the middle of Barossah junction, that's where my face is registered.

Sifr seems a bit distant. I did check out that place to see what they offer, but it seems like he's drawing a line between himself and the traditional Kazura business. He's more interested in the specialised services of blending and creating customised perfumes for clients who have an appointment with him than to bother about walk in browsers.

I asked about ready blends, the unspoken reply seems to be "get from from Barossah or North Bridge rd pls!"

Anyway, Barossah rather than North Bridge, at least the bottles are nicely in a row right in front of you, while North Bridge has them behind the counter and you can't have much access to them.

Pls org a group trip to Jamal ! I love to join, but so pai sey to get uncle to lemme try so many oils..
I bought plenty but never got round to using them. Need to convince myself of the quality.

So far I find bpal and possets oils to be most unique. Pls google them up if u r a perf oil lover.
They carry some of the most exquisite, unique oils

Pls org a group trip to Jamal !
I love to join

Hi guys!

Long time lurker at basenotes, finally decided to join in the conversation. my name is johari. my last name is kazura imagine my surprise when i see a group dedicated to the family business!

yes my grandfather started the first perfume shop in the arab street area in 1933. jamal is my father.
The one opposite the mosque is my uncle Bashir. Sathik Kazura is my other uncle who is based out of dubai and then there is me. i broke the tradition and named my perfume shop Sifr Aromatics.

I currently help run the shops you see on bussorah street and north bridge road. I grew up living upstairs in the perfume shop on North Bridge Road. i played mad scientist with the perfume compounds when i was a kid there is a story of bulgarian rose absolute that will remain untold

business is tough especially with todays climate. so i embark on a new way of doing the old family business. besides my grandfather's perfume business, the arab street area had many many small perfume shops for a long time. i have watched most of them close. most of them were our family friends. the traditional way of doing business is not very sustainable in todays climate. even though the products are good.

Sifr Aromatics on Arab street is my own side project. After just growing up in the business i finally decided to take the plunge into making custom scents a few years ago. my family has so many links to the industry and i can get my hands on many ingredients, it seems a no brainer that i should put my own mark on the family perfume trade. i spent some time in grasse went to quite a few niche perfumeries around the world. i find it fun to make my own perfumes. also making small batch perfumes means that i am not bound by cost constraints of perfume ingredients like the big brands are. I am very DIY with everything in my life. perfumes is just another one. (i am currently taking a break from making furniture for the new shop. surfing the web! yeah!)

I am also setting up a workshop space upstairs so that people can get to play perfumer. once i properly set it up you can come and smell the many of the raw ingredients that are used in the perfumes.

by the way spawny my grandfather started selling perfumes on small cotton buds. people were too poor to buy a whole bottle of perfume then. the people going to the mosque would buy a small cotton bud of perfume before going for prayers. he saved enough money from doing that to open a proper shop on north bridge road in 1933 . yeah things go full circle. you can still see small trays of perfumed cotton buds at some mosques.

dont mean for my first post to sound like a PR piece. but feel free to come around and see me if you are in the area. you dont have to buy anything .By the way Sifr Aromatics will move to 42 Arab street just as soon as i finish building the furniture

johari

Hey Johari, thanks for sharing the history of your family. I'm sure those of us on Basenotes will be looking out for you when we come by Arab Street!

Hi Johari. I'm late, so late, I only came across your reply few days ago and I suggested to some of my common fraddicted friends to make a trip down to Sifr. It was a great nose opener. Thanks for showing us some of your customised masterpieces in progress, very impressed, particularly drawn to the greener ones despite their lack of longevity (most of my green perfumes are shortlived - guerlain herba fresca, tauer pentachords verdant, heeley menthe fraiche). I should make an appointment for a concoction sometime soon.

Traditional businesses have to evolve with time to survive, you have taken a great bold step with Sifr, the art must live on. It's a real pity to see some of the smaller shop in Arab street going out of business. These days, marketing, promo materials and nice packaging is necessary to reach the masses. Just like this brand I came across lately from UAE, they are essentially doing something similar but in a fancier presentation.

http://www.asqgrp.com/en/index.html

PS. I was rather distracted by the gigantic PH Artichoke just outside the entrance and the smaller one within, great taste.

i'll be extremely excited and impressed if sifr is able to produce aromatics that are on par with the types offered by asaq

does sifr have dhen al ouds? i.e. pure oud oil that is non-adulterated unlike the diluted synthetic/adulterated stuff everywhere else in singapore?