The third of Gissah's celebrated Valley scents is the most unexpected. Where Imperial Valley is smooth oud and Hudson Valley is sweet amber, La Luna is something stranger and more interesting: a fruity gourmand with a thread of incense running through it, sweet and smoky at once. It is the one that makes people pause and try to work out what they are smelling.
It shows how far the new Gulf houses are reaching.
The Gulf house with a modern touch
Gissah, which arrived around 2020, made its name by giving rich Middle Eastern accords a contemporary, Western-friendly polish, working with trained French perfumers. La Luna, launched in 2023, shows how far that ambition stretches: this is not a traditional oud or amber but a playful, modern fruity-gourmand that could sit comfortably on any niche shelf in Paris or London.
Sweet fruit meets smoke
The clever idea at the heart of La Luna is contrast. It opens with a puff of incense alongside juicy raspberry and apricot, an immediate collision of the sacred and the sweet. The heart leans fully into dessert, guaiac wood and sandalwood wrapped around a fluffy cotton-candy sweetness, before a base of amberwood, tonka and patchouli grounds it. The incense never fully disappears, giving a gourmand that could have been simply sugary an unexpected depth and edge.
What it actually smells like
Sweet and fruity with a smoky, incense-laced twist. The raspberry and cotton candy make it playful and gourmand, while the incense and woods stop it being childish, lending a grown-up, slightly mysterious quality. It is unisex, leans sweet, and is at its best in cooler weather and the evening. It projects well and lasts a long time.
The £195 question
A bottle of La Luna sits around £195 in the UK. For the money you get one of the more distinctive gourmands of recent years and a genuinely original idea, at a relative saving against European niche. The catch is simply that it is still a meaningful spend.
Which is the reason an alternative market exists. People love the sweet-and-smoky character of La Luna and want it for even less, with the longevity guaranteed.
Luna: the 35% interpretation
This is where we come in, and we will be straight about what we are. Our Luna is Aromara's interpretation of that fruity-incense character, not a counterfeit and not a Gissah product. It carries no branding and makes no claim to be the original. It chases the part that matters: the incense, raspberry and apricot opening, the guaiac, cotton-candy and sandalwood heart, and the amberwood, tonka and patchouli base.
The difference is in two numbers. Ours is built at 35% extrait concentration, roughly double a standard eau de parfum, so the fruit and incense hold for seven hours or more rather than fading by lunch. And it costs £4.99 for a 5ml to test it properly, against £195 for the original. We guarantee the wear time in writing, with 60 days to send it back for a full refund if it does not last.
Our guide to extrait de parfum explains why concentration matters, and the strongest perfume dupes in the UK shows where our range sits. If you love a sweet fruity scent, the story behind Tiziana Terenzi Kirke is a natural next read, and our Kirky is another to try.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gissah La Luna?
It is a fruity gourmand with an incense twist, launched in 2023 by Gissah, the premium Arabian house behind the Valley trio.
What does La Luna smell like?
Sweet and smoky: incense with raspberry and apricot up top, a heart of guaiac wood, sandalwood and cotton candy, and a base of amberwood, tonka and patchouli.
Is Aromara's Luna the same as Gissah?
No. It is an independent composition inspired by the same character, built at 35% extrait for longevity and sold at a fraction of the price. It is not affiliated with Gissah.
Aromara is an independent UK fragrance house. Our fragrances are original compositions inspired by the character of well-known designer scents. We are not affiliated with Gissah, and all trademarks belong to their respective owners. Every Aromara fragrance is made in the UK at 35% extrait concentration, with a 7+ hour longevity guarantee and a 60-day money-back promise.