Pink PepperOpens with
OlibanumHeart
Agarwood (Oud)Dries down to
Carlos BenaïmThe nose · 189 fragrances · also made Spicebomb Extreme (2015)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Frederic Malle · Sold as unisex
Dawn
The first sip of coffee in a quiet café, where the scent of warm spices and woody notes intertwine with the subtle hum of early morning activity.
Full bottle: Luxury tier, typically $250+. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
DawnLuxury · $250+
47%Similar accords, often for lessSable Nuit · Giorgio ArmaniPremium tier, $100–250 · shares 5 of its 8 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Notes Pyramid
TopOpening
HeartThe Soul
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Dawn by Frederic Malle, launched in 2018 and crafted by perfumer Carlos Benaïm, is an Oriental Woody fragrance that captures the essence of transition — from night to day, from cool darkness to warm light. The composition opens with pink pepper, creating a fresh spicy note that quickly gives way to a heart of Turkish rose and olibanum (frankincense), adding depth and warmth. The base notes of oud, amber, labdanum, vetiver, oakmoss, cedar, and ambroxan create an earthy and woody foundation that lingers with a subtle smokiness.
Apply Dawn sparingly at first to allow its complex layers to unfold gradually. The pink pepper top note fades quickly, but the base notes take about an hour to fully settle on the skin, making it perfect for a day that starts cool and warms up.
Fig. 01 — Dawn, Frederic Malle
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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Not sure it's you?
Five questions, about a minute, no account. You get a shortlist that fits how you actually wear fragrance.
Carlos Benaïm
The quiet geniusCarlos Benaïm is a master perfumer at IFF whose name may not be widely recognized outside the industry, yet his creations have shaped the olfactory landscape of the past four decades.
“Perfumers always strive to create a scent that will have long lasting appeal but we never fully know in advance.”
Carlos Benaïm · The Candy Perfume Boy, April 2015
The Dawn line
2 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Frederic Malle
More from the house · founded 2000 · France
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $250+ price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalDawnFrederic Malle · Luxury · $250+Giorgio Armani · 2021Sable NuitShares 5 of its 8 notes$100–250★ 4.12 (249)47%Match
Zara · 2022Endless OudShares 5 of its 9 notesunder $40★ 3.46 (113)
With Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady 15th Anniversary
Adds warm spicy, fruity and balsamic; shares turkish rose and amber and 1 more note.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Well loved by wearers: loved by 53%, disliked or hated by 18%.