Toilet perfume’s a hit at the Uptown Mirdif

Dubai: When it comes to public toilets, the issue of smell ranks high on the disgust list.

So when a public toilet in a mall introduced a new scent, at a minimum cost, XPRESS had to investigate.

Walking into the toilet at the Uptown Mirdif, an open-air mall, is a pleasant surprise. Before the expected stench of a public toilet hits us, the sweet smell of perfume wafts past our noses.

The source is a perfume vending machine located at the entrance/exit of the toilets.

Installed by A&E in both the male and female toilets, the vending machines store 5ml plastic spray vials of a strongly-scented eau de parfum for men and women, in exchange for Dh3.

“It’s a novel idea that’s so useful,” says Christina Languan, a Filipina. “With having to walk around an open air mall in summer, the concept of low-cost perfumes from vending machines is very inviting.”

Pink and black

Located by the door, to the left of the soap dispensers, paper towels and hand driers, the vending machine, coloured pink for women and black for men, is the first of its kind in the area.

“At first I wasn’t sure what it was,” says Huda Ebrahim, a regular shopper at Uptown. I’ve become so accustomed to seeing vending machines for female sanitary products in bathrooms that I thought this was the same thing. It was only when I smelt a strong whiff of perfume one day while washing my hands, I looked over to see a woman had just got a perfume from the machine and had sprayed herself. Tempted, I tried it out for myself and discovered that not only is it a good idea, I actually like the fragrance.”

“Quite often, I meet my friends for a coffee at Uptown. But after having spent the last hour in Spinneys doing my groceries, I end up smelling like a bunch of fruits and vegetables myself. Thanks to this vending machine, it’s so much easier to stay fresh than if I had to remember to squeeze a bottle of my own perfume into my already-cramped handbag,” says Ebrahim.