History of the oud
The oud has been used for centuries for medicinal and spiritual purposes. It appears in one of the oldest texts of mankind and also in the Bible. Several religions, including Buddhism, burn oud to aid meditation. A new woody olfactory note in the perfumer's organ, oud has been considered for some years in Muslim culture as one of the fundamental ingredients of perfumery. Oud-based perfume for men and women is now attracting even European and Asian customers.
Description and origin of oud
A rich, fragrant and woody ingredient, oud is produced by a tropical tree of the genus Aquilaria when infected by a certain type of fungus called Phialophora parasitica. The infected tree reacts by producing a rare and valuable resin, oud wood, also known as agarwood, agar oud, or aloe wood. It comes mainly from Thailand, Laos, Burma, Vietnam and India, and gives a dark and intense woody note.
Only one in a hundred specimens contains the precious oud resin, a defence mechanism secreted by the tree when infected by certain fungi. It is impossible to guess which one, so a considerable number have to be felled. The Aquilarias are now protected in many countries. Some trees are now artificially inoculated with the fungus.
The oud nowadays
I first encountered it in Japan during the perfume ceremony, the kodo, where the wisps of wood and burnt resins were associated with poems, and I quite liked them. Then I found this omnipresent smell in the Middle East in a more aggressive way, because over there it is the total oud, the shopping malls, the hotels are all perfumed with oud.
Almost all perfumes in this market, both for men and for women, are more or less mixed with oud. Oud can be found in a perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette but more rarely in an eau de Cologne. Oud has oriental scents that are considered very sensual.
In the tradition, the real oud is cut into shavings and mixed with other resins that are burnt, it is the bakhoor that perfumes the hair and clothes.
This scent lasts and diffuses all day, which does not prevent men and women from superimposing different fragrances on top of it, often European brands.
In most niche, confidential, or exclusive fragrances from major brands there is not a drop of real oud because of its price, which exceeds that of gold. They often use reconstitutions or accords composed with other natural or synthetic woody notes: cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, incense. They are often associated with cypriol, another very aromatic and powerful woody note, leather and animal notes as opposed to fresh fragrances, which have citrus top notes such as mandarin and bergamot, or even fruity and floral heart notes to add femininity with orange blossom. The oud note has the particularity of crossing the fragrance from the top notes to the base notes. It is an effective product because the false ouds, even more than the real ouds, have an incredible power and leave a beautiful trail.
Fragrance trends: is the oud over?
By Nathalie Pichard
Visiting and training sales teams in the perfume mecca, Dubai, made me wonder about the future of oud perfume.
I won't shock anyone by saying that oud in perfumery has become as commonplace as rose or musk.
Since its release in France in 2002, in YSL's Eau de Parfum M7, the oud perfume has been emulated by a few fragrances, Tom Ford and Juliette has a Gun, who were the first to sense how much their French-style ouds could appeal to the new Middle Eastern consumers. For more than 10 years, the number of oud fragrances has appeared as excessive as it is incalculable. The quasi-camel note, to characterise the various facets of oud, has been so stretched in every direction that the beast has finally capitulated.
Real oud, fake oud, it has become a must in perfumes. Today, few brands can claim not to have fallen into what must be called oud business. Oud this, oud that, oud is everywhere, in mainstream and niche perfumes, in the mass market, and even in functional perfumery like Persil, Dettol, etc.
Is the oud still rare?
You only have to walk the aisles of Dubai's famous Mall to realise that oud perfume is no longer as much a part of olfactory folklore as it used to be. Sure, some local brands still burn their bakhoors on the perfume stand, but their scent is lost in the clean, even sanitised smell of the Mall. The volume of the oud has largely dropped. Overdose?
Sharing with beauty consultants and clients, mostly Emirati, one senses that tastes have evolved to become more consensual, even smoother. Some customers, the real connoisseurs, even say that international brands should stop using oud. Salespeople are well placed to witness the rise of floral, tuberous, aldehydic, fruity, woody, sweet fragrances, which I smelled everywhere and in all brands, giving me the feeling that global perfumery is becoming standardised, and also, that European perfumery is brightening the hearts of the darker ones. So-called local perfumes are finally looking more and more like our own.
The dark, sexual, animal oud is lost, nuanced with sweetness, white flowers and musk, new leather. The oud becomes clean like musk once was. The chevrette note of oud becomes more chaste, taking on new shimmering hues. This is a sign that the oud has lost its strength, personality and original colours in the wash.
Oud, where are you? Are you finished? Don't worry, it's the natural cycle of perfume raw materials that follows that of fashion: life, death, rebirth etc. Tomorrow, perfumers will replace you and you will be in the portfolio of classic materials.
Oud in Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes
As the oud is wooded, you can find similar notes in Vangelis from the Vanilla Collection, a spicy and woody perfume. You can try the whole Collection thanks to the Discovery Boxes.