Try telling people that your perfume contains pungent oil extracted from a thick black resin produced by a parasitic mould and you'll probably get suspicious stares.
But refer to the pungent ingredient as oud and watch their eyebrows rise with interest.
— From As a fragrance ingredient, earthy oud breaks the mould at The Globe and Mail. Kevin is quoted in the 11th paragraph.
Way to go, Kevin!
I’m a little cynical about Karen Grant’s comments (she was the spokeswoman for a trade group, cited in the article). According to her, oud “appeals to the sophisticated consumer”. . .”you have to understand it to know it’s cool.” Why do I think she’s talking about oud’s cost and trendiness, rather than its interesting smell and history in perfume?
Probably so. Still, I adore oud!
Me too!
Exactly, bergere. Oud’s just the pink pepper of the moment and really, the origins of ambergris aren’t exactly more attractive, even though the stuff smells fantastic. I’m sure there will be another exclusive and exotic ingredient coming along just as it always does. I don’t feel compelled to smell like the “sophisticate” crowd anyway who, at least around here, do not wear any oud I can detect.
I’ll take oud over pink pepper any day though!
Me, too! Always in the mood for oud! (How many times can I crack the same dumb joke on here?)
As many times as you want.
Miss Kitty- It’s good to laugh at yourself. I thought your your rhyme was pretty funny. You can even sing it. I won’t attempt it on my part!
That’s one (1) your, folks. Just a little tired.
Just glad someone appreciates me me. 😉
It really does cry out to sung…..I”m …in the moooood….for ooooood! In fact , I think I might have to dance over to the perfume cabinet while singing…..because now I really am “in the moood for ooooud ….”
Thanks Kitty 🙂
What an interesting article. The only oud fragrance I’ve sampled is Montale’s White Aoud, which I was hoping I would like since I like woods in general but it was way too strong for my taste. The lasting power however is amazing and the drydown is beautiful.
I have to add oud to my list of new notes to try. I read that Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud is pretty good.
There are so many wonderful oud fragrances it’s hard to say where to start…
I do believe that I’ll find my signature oud fragrance someday. It does have that transcendent, spiritual quality in it I like and feel nostalgic about (my grandfather used to burn a lot of incense for prayers). So the hunt continues……
Oh, interesting. There are many incense fragrances that strike me as spiritual, but offhand can’t think of an oudh that strikes me that way. There probably is one that I’m just not thinking of.
http://americanbedu.com/2008/03/23/oud-is-it-incense-or-it-is-perfume/
It’s weird how White Aoud somehow smelled homey and familiar to me, even though it’s insanely strong. I recalled he burned all kinds of incense although I never bothered to really ask what they were.
http://madprofessor.net/2006/06/agarwood-oud-incense.html
I tried to post a reply to your comment earlier Robin but it didn’t show up although the server seemed to think it did. Oh well. If it does show up it has a different link to it. I do remember my grandfather burning something that smells like oud as incense.
Perfumegeek, I’m so glad you said that — sure enough, your original comment was stuck in the spam queue, don’t know why. And don’t know why I responded the way I did…incense is made from all sorts of materials other than just frankincense. I suppose what I should have said is that there are many frankincense fragrances that seem spiritual to me, but that is simply because frankincense = church, at least in the west, right?
Yes, he was practicing eastern spirituality although he was curious about the church also 😉
What the article clearly misses is that at least TWO synthetics are being currently used for the “ultra rare”, “super expensive” “oud notes” used in fragrances, and yes, I’m talking about expansive niche offerings too. (Some, like By Kilian, freely admit to using them, to their credit). It also has to do with the several different grades of the natural material: Like any product of nature not all “oud” essences sold are of the same quality (and therefore price)
Everyone is issuing an oud these days which makes it a little bit of an oxymoron since supposedly it’s so very rare… 😉
At any rate however congrats on the Kevin mention! 🙂
PerfumeShrine
I guess you could call it an omission, but the article is geared towards general consumers who surely couldn’t care less what molecules are used.
I’d call it an omission only because the article as written kind of leads the general reader to believe that it’s all derived from some rare wood product — just look at the first paragraph. Sounds sexier than “your perfume was synthezized in a bland lab in a gray French industrial town.”
LOL! True, it’s just that that’s true of umpteen fragrance ingredients…it’s the way the whole perfume industry works (really, the whole beauty industry), and again, I don’t think your average consumer really knows or cares to know.
Lol. I had to think of the hugely disappointing “This is where all the magic happens.” line, and how deflating a peek behind the curtain can sometimes be. But really, I’d find the construction of fragrance, chemicals and all, really fascinating even if it was in a bland lab in a gray French industrial town. 😉 But I know a lot of people don’t stop to think about such things as long as the fragrance is nice and they like the packaging. I’m such a perfume nerd. 🙂
Does anyone have a good starter oud fragrance they’d recommend? The medicinal descriptor is a bit intimidating, but I really want to experience the note du jour anyway.
AS: I don’t know what others would recommend, but I’d happily send you vials of C&S Dark Rose & Red Aoud if you like. If you’re on MUA I’m joe805.
Joe’s suggestions are good, and would also say Tom Ford Private Blend Oud Wood.
Nice article and nice mention of everything from NST’s Kevin to Liz Zorn. And this has me salivating even more for that “wildly feral,” “animalic” Al-Oudh!!!!
Wearing it now…it is way more leathery (and masculine) than I expected. Reminds me sorta/kinda of the L’Artisan for Aedes, need to try them together.
It sounds a bit more glamorous to describe it as “a fungus, like mushrooms or truffles.” I have never heard anybody describe the infection as a mold. My friend David, an expert on aloeswood and one of the few people certified to hold the Kodo ceremony in the USA, writes about it here http://www.oller.net/aloes_desc.htm
That said, Kevin had a good old time with my Temple when he reviewed it here. I still laugh when I remember his response (to the perfume, not just the Oud in it.)
BTW, there are dozens of types of Oud, so the generic mainstream newspaper and magazine articles now out on the “trend” don’t due this ancient and legendary product justice.
Thanks Anya.