Oud and Arabic perfume: a guide
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Arabic perfumery is built on rich, long-lasting materials: oud, amber, musk, rose and saffron. Knowing the forms they come in helps you choose a scent you will love wearing.
What oud is
Oud comes from agarwood: the dark, fragrant resin that forms inside Aquilaria trees in response to infection. Natural oud is rare and costly, so many perfumes use an oud accord, blended or made with synthetic materials, to give the same woody, smoky character. Both can be beautiful; the product description says what a perfume contains.
Oils, sprays and bakhoor
- Perfume oil (attar or dehn): concentrated and usually alcohol-free. A drop on the pulse points lasts for hours and stays close to the skin.
- Sprays: extrait or parfum is the most concentrated, then eau de parfum, then eau de toilette. Higher concentrations usually last longer; the exact strength varies by house.
- Bakhoor: fragrant wood chips or pressed pieces burned on a charcoal or electric burner to scent the home, clothes and hair.
The main notes
- Oud: woody, smoky, sometimes leathery or animalic.
- Amber: warm, resinous and slightly sweet.
- Musk: soft, clean and skin-like; often used as a base under other notes.
- Rose: from fresh and green to deep and jammy; often paired with oud.
- Saffron and spices: bright and warm; they lift the opening of many oud perfumes.
How to test a perfume
- Test on skin, not only on paper: your skin changes how a perfume smells.
- Apply to one wrist and do not rub; rubbing breaks up the top notes.
- Wait at least 30 minutes for the heart and base notes before you decide.
- Try no more than three scents in one session, so your nose can still tell them apart.
Layering
Layering is a Gulf tradition: scent clothes with bakhoor, apply an oil to the skin, then finish with a spray. Start with the heaviest layer and keep the rest light. Pairings that often work: rose with oud, musk with amber, saffron with oud.
Perfume can stain silk and light fabrics and leather. Apply it to skin and let it dry before you dress, and keep oils away from light clothes.
Keeping perfume fresh in the heat
- Heat and light break perfume down. Keep bottles in a cool, dark cupboard, never in a car or on a sunny windowsill.
- Keep the cap on, and keep perfume out of the bathroom, where heat and steam change.
- Store bakhoor in a closed tin or jar so it keeps its scent.
Perfumes bought from ANUM 360 cannot be returned once the seal or wrapping has been opened, unless they arrived faulty or are not what you ordered. If you are unsure about a scent, ask client care for advice before you order.