Deodorant?

So, it's been asked:

"I was also wondering, do Arabs wear deodorant?"

Really I don't know for sure. I can tell you one thing for certain: they DO wear perfume!

In the malls the third most common type of store- after the number-one-by-far category 'Designer Clothing' and strong second place finisher 'Extravagant Jewelery'- would be 'Fancy Perfume'. And we're not talking a few varieties here. We're talking more-kinds-of-perfume-than-you-thought-possible selection. I've seen fancy wine markets with fewer vintages. And picking out a perfumes seems to be taken no less seriously than choosing a fine wine. And why not? This purchase isn't just going to linger on your lips and tongue for a few seconds; you're going to be sharing it with everyone you meet all day long and possibly for weeks to come. If it doesn't work out it's going to take a thorough round of ablutions to start over again with a hopefully more successful fragrance.

And the fancy stores or not the lone bastion of such any array of aromatic variety. Most stores, even some small humble neighborhood markets have an ample selection available. The Gift Village store downstairs from us- rather like a large Walgreens without the pharmacy, but with a healthy sampling of souvenirs- has an aisle full of a remarkable number of perfumes for both men and women; many of them quite inexpensive and yet not unpleasant.

And therein lies the good news in that while there are certainly plenty of the overly flowery and froofie fragrances, (Say that five times fast, willya?) in such a grand selection there are also some that are quite tolerable, more along the lines of musk, sandalwood and other spices.

So while while we cannot yet answer whether the Arab people are prone to wearing deodorant, it is quite evident that they do were perfume. Happily, they seem to wear it in discreet amounts since one does not frequently come across someone reeking of it. (Karla's experience with this may vary since she works with a large number of well heeled young Emirati ladies!)

Admittedly this information has not been scientifically verified since we are not in the practice of going around deliberately smelling the Arab peoples, or any of the many other peoples that populate this teeming city. However I count it a very good thing that although we have often been out amongst large crowds, we yet remain largely ignorant of their aromas.

There have been occasions when we could not help but notice an individual's smell; but then the construction workers that put in 12 hours a day toiling in the sun rarely have the opportunity to freshen up before walking down the sidewalk to the bus waiting to take them to their accommodation. That being said, I would wager that they would still compare favorably to the average Western construction worker. I suppose we Westerners are of larger stock and therefore probably have an exponentially greater number of sweat glands.

Always happy to impart to you the intellectual gleanings of our travel experiences!