Let’s discuss Oud; a highly sought after perfume ingredient.

LET’S DISCUSS OUD; a highly sought after perfume ingredient.

What gives a fragrance its sweet-smelling scent lives in the ingredients it is made with. The quality of the notes embedded within a perfume are what makeup up the exotic aroma that you perceive.

Like it was stated in our previous article, ‘A quick look into the natural ingredients of perfume’. Perfumes are made from the fusion of natural ingredients and synthetic ingredients. The natural ingredients are the ones gotten from nature and the synthetic ingredients are man-made. Both ingredients type playing in one harmony are what give rise to what is called a great perfume.

Having known all these, we will in this article be discussing one of the rarest natural ingredients of perfume that we at D’scentsation likes so much; the Oud!

What is Oud?

Oud is a highly-priced scent derived from the wood of agar, a tree of genus Aquilaria originating in Assam, India. The agar tree is one of the rarest trees in the world.

Oud is specifically derived when the tree-producing oud gets contaminated by mold. This mold attacks the tree and infects it. The tree of course doesn’t just stand there and do nothing. It tries to fight the mold. In the cause of fighting the mold, it produces a dark and sticky resin. As the infection advances from the trunk of the tree down to the roots, it turns darkish brown or even black. It is then cut down and chopped into pieces.

These pieces are steeped in water for 2-3 days. After which, the resin is extracted using different extraction processes enabling the essential oil to be extracted. The essential oil is what oozes an intense, strong, and enveloping scent known as oud.

Oud’s uses

In many cultures, this Oud is considered a fragrance of spiritual significance. It is used during prayer moments as it is believed to draw one closer to God.

Other than the spiritual benefits it is believed to have, it is also a natural sedative plus it has aphrodisiac effects. More so, it is useful in aromatherapy and its anti-inflammatory properties are known to ease swelling and redness on the skin.

About the Oud scent itself

It might interest you to know that Oud’s scent is rich in charm. It is equally warm and highly seducing. It is mysteriously deep, not for the faint at heart neither is it a scent that can be mistaken for another. Oud has a woody nuance that is sweet at the same time earthy with some spices and leather notes to it.

However, the scent of Oud differs from another depending on whether the agar tree that produced it was naturally infected by the mold or was artificially cultivated.

If you have ever wondered what personality Oud embodies…

Think of a Nigerian-Yoruba man in his Agbada and cap, intermittently throwing the hems of his Agbada over his shoulders. Yes! Oud is that personality. Full of character and charisma, adequately evoking exclusivity and undiluted luxury.

Due to its high demand and difficulty in harvesting it, it has become an extremely precious fragrance that perfume brewers hold in high esteem.

One famous thing that is synonymous with Oud is the long-lasting persistence on the skin. This has made perfumers choose Oud as a key ingredient in perfume’s base.

Normally, Oud’s depth makes it easily welcomed in the men’s circle. But, when blended with soft notes like roses, it burst out with feminine sophistication.

Oud perfumes

Oud is smelt in lots of perfumes for men and good female perfumes as well. One of which is Versace Pour Homme Oud Noir.

Versace Pour Homme Oud Noir is a deep and hypnotically scented perfume that depicts luxurious darkness sitting next to a woody/oriental scent. It is interestingly intense, spicy with a deep leather scent to it. When sprayed, it takes about 1 hour or 2 for the Oud scent at the base to properly kick in.

Our last take—

Not only has Oud proven to be an intoxicating scent that confers boldness on wearers, but it is also one of the sexiest scents around. You should try it.