What are oud perfumes

What are oud perfumes? and Where do Oud fragrances come from?

And now, this centuries-old fragrance ingredient has finally hit the spotlight. Oud became one of the key elements to use in beauty products brands across the globe. From (more traditional) perfumes like Tom Ford Oud Wood or Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud, to newer fragrances like Louis Vuitton's first oud blend or Ombre Nomade, the mysterious oud is having its unique moment of fame.

Where does oud oil come from?

When we talk about oud (or oudh), we refer to a very specific resin that comes from the wood of the agar (aquilaria), a tree usually grown in Southeast Asia. When this tree becomes infected with a particular form of mold, -the “Phialophora parasitica”-, the tree reacts by producing a dark, scented resin. And that is oud, which is often called “liquid gold.”

Oud oil and Oud resin-saturated agarwood.

Oud is used to refer to both; the resin-saturated agarwood and oud oil distilled from it. Some estimate that only less than 2% of the wild agar trees can produce it. And that explains at least partially one of the reasons why this “liquid gold” is so expensive. Plus, the experts claim that the very best oud comes from the eldest trees, which are even more scarce.

Oud in Perfume and Oud Perfume for her & him.

But oud is becoming more and more popular these days. In the last few years, both boutique stores and large companies have launched Oud fragrances. The world-renowned perfumer Laura Vera, founder of Chemarome and creator of Zaphir, considers that Oud is probably one of the most unique and luxurious fragrances ingredients in the world, and she considers it is essential in Oriental perfumes.

A very good example is Maison Francis Kurkdjian, whose Oud Velvet Mood contains cinnamon from Ceylon , oud from Laos and retails sells at around €275 (approximately $298).

There are also Kilian’s Rose Oud ($395) and Christian Dior’s Oud Ispahan ($300), both of which contain labdanum absolute (also known as Rose of Sharon) and Leather Oud, mixing Oud with guaiac wood, cedar and sandalwood.

Krigler’s Oud for Highness 75, a more traditional fragrance created in 1975 for King Hussein of Jordan, reaches a price of $565. It does not come as a surprise that oud has often been associated with royalty.

Even the British press reported that Prince William has gifted a bespoke scent on his wedding day that contained oud wood. Last but not least, NPD Group (an American market research company) reported that 66% of oud scents are actually artisanal.