If you have ever caught a whiff of oud perfume, you know how intoxicating and heady it can be. Something about this scent is timeless, grounded, and woody, making it a great foundational note for other notes and a great solo act. However, oud can be overpowered by its lonesome nature. Thus, knowing how to work it in with other scents, including your own natural scent, is crucial and also rewarding once you find the right combo. Allow us to help you with that.
Understanding Oud Perfume: The Essence of Ethical Luxury
Oud perfume has a rich, spicy history that can be traced back to the Middle East, where it played a hand in some ancient customs and special occasions. Maybe that is why it feels so mystical!
When it comes to creating an oud perfume, master craftsmen and women ply this most lavish of aromatics with other notes that either amplify or contrast this scent, but all to some pretty great results. This is essentially layering but done the artisan way. You can, however, replicate this process at home to create a one-of-a-kind fragrance that works with your body chemistry and will identify you as soon as you step into a room.
Pairing Oud with Other Fragrance Families
Fragrance pairing is what separates the fragrance novices from the master. Knowing what to combine with oud requires knowing a little bit about fragrance families and getting them together to create some unique scents. Here are some examples
- Floral Notes: Flowers are soft, feminine, sexy and romantic. Pairing oud with the softness and sexiness of flowers like jasmine or rose will lend some staying power and grounding to floral scents. Creating something that is sophisticated and gorgeous.
- Citrus Accents: A spritz of citrus is refreshing and elevating, and mixing this effect with oud groundedness will act as a way of contrasting the scent and not making it so heavy.
- Spicy Elements: Scents like cardamom and saffron are incredibly deep and spicy, and oud has some depth to it, too– making this combination a sexy, deep, and warm scent that will surely have heads whipping around.
- Gourmand Infusions: Want to add some sweetness to oud? Throw in the delicious scents of vanilla. The combination can only be described as delicious!
Experiment with Layering Until You Find Your Perfect Match
Now comes the fun part: Experimenting with layering. Everyone has a unique skin chemistry, which makes fragrances smell different from one person to the next. Thus, it’s not so much about the oud itself as it’s about making this scent work for you.
Choose 2-3 fragrances you really love. Spritz your oud perfume first and wait for it to dry on your skin. Aim for where you can feel your pulse or where there is a ton of heat. Begin applying the second fragrance… but be cautious! Spritz on top of the places you have applied your oud, and do not rub. From there, you can still add the third fragrance if desired. Give each layer time to settle before adding a new one. Remember not to be so heavy-handed, especially with your last perfumes; you are just trying out what works.
Oud Perfume Layering Finest Practices
Finally, there are a few ways to leverage the art of layering oud perfume for the best results, including:
- Fresh Feast: Hop in the shower to clear the canvas! The heady, drippingly sweet aroma of oud benefits from a fresh start to take full effect without all other lingering scent contenders blocking the way.
- Moisture Movement: Whether using fragrance-free lotion or a matching scented lotion, you want to make sure your skin stays moist. An extra layer of fragrance also provides a supplement to help your oud have some staying power.
- Layer Lightly: After you’ve given a few minutes for the lotion to absorb, you can spritz on your favorite oud perfume. For step two, add your desired additional fragrance (but keep it lighter). This way, your oud takes center stage while the additional fragrance chimes in as a well-practiced backup singer.
Your Oud Signature Scent
You already have a scent that makes you unique. Oud is simply an add-on that gets to play with what you already have and enhance it, and it does a pretty good job with that. So why not add oud to your collection and use this guide to create a one-of-a-kind scent?