Wearing This Fragrance Always Makes Me Feel Rich—13 Perfumes I Recommend
Testing and trying perfumes for a living means that it becomes easy to jump to conclusions based off of a fragrance's name, notes, and even its packaging. Spot vetiver and you know the scent is going to be woody, whereas if vanilla features then it's likely to be sweet. Likewise, it's possible to tell if a fragrance will veer fresh or floral based on its balance of citrus and flower notes. So what I really love is when a perfume unexpectedly and pleasantly surprises me. There are certain notes in fragrance that I tend to avoid—and so until recently, I had written oud perfumes totally off.
What is Oud?
Oud is a fragrance oil typically featured as a base note because it's rich and woody, and it tends to be used in perfumes that are quite loud and decadent—the type that are best worn at night time. Since I gravitate towards fresh, green fragrances, oud isn't a note that features in a lot of my favourite scents, and my prior experience with the note led me to believe that it overpowered perfumes and would leave me with a pounding headache.
The thing about the fragrance industry however is that it's full of innovation, and perfumers love a challenge. Attempting to modernise a classic or reinvent an underrated fragrance note is a big trend in perfume right now, which means that oud is seeing a bit of a renaissance. I recently had a fragrance consultation with the perfume experts at Guerlain, and was passed a tester of Guerlain Oud Nude to try. Of course, I wasn't expecting to like it, which made it all the more interesting when I found that for the first time, I wasn't put off at first sniff. With notes of almond, raspberry, vanilla, and sandalwood—and just a touch of smoky, leathery oud, it's sweet, soft, and surprisingly subtle. On skin, it smells even better, and the oud really does take a backseat, while still giving the fragrance the rich warmth for which the note is so famous. It's undoubtedly one of the best oud perfumes I've ever smelled, and immediately inspired me to find more.
If, like me, you'd previously written off oud, here are the 13 best oud perfumes that aren't at all overpowering or headache-inducing—I promise.
The Best Oud Perfumes, Listed:
1. Maison Crivelli Oud Maracuja
2. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood
3. Byredo Mumbai Noise
4. Diptyque Oud Palao
5. Penhaligon's Halfeti
6. Guerlain Oud Nude
7. Juliette Has A Gun Another Oud
8. Jo Malone Oud
Bergamot
9. Killian Musk Oud
10. Cra-Yon Sand Service
11. Lancôme Ôud Bouquet
12. Guerlain Cherry Oud
13. Atkinsons The Other Side of Oud
Shop The Best Oud Perfumes:
1. Maison Crivelli Oud Maracuja
Key notes: Passion fruit accord, vanilla, saffron and oud
The juicy top note of passionfruit takes centre stage in this perfume, balanced by an oud base note that keeps it the right side of fruity.
2. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood
Key notes: Papyrus, chamomile, rose and oud
Smooth and radiant, this perfume has a perfect balance of rose and oud.
3. Byredo Mumbai Noise
Key notes: Davana, coffee, tonka beans and sandalwood
Woody and spicy, this fragrance features notes that are just as loud as oud—coffee, sandalwood, and tonka bean, which prevents the oud from overpowering.
4. Diptyque Oud Palao
Key notes: Wood, vanilla and rose
At first sniff, the rose and oud may seem overwhelming, but this scent quickly settles into a sweeter, creamier texture—thanks to notes of tobacco and vanilla.
5. Penhaligon's Halfeti
Key notes: Leather, oud, amber, resins, tonka bean, vanilla and sandalwood
Spicy and aromatic, this iconic perfume is packed with spicy and woody notes like cypress, bergamot, and grapefruit. Oud features, but without being too powerful.
6. Guerlain Oud Nude
Key notes: White almond, oud, raspberry accord and atlas cedar
A soft, sensual oud which subtly enhances skin's natural scent.
7. Juliette Has A Gun Another Oud
Key notes: Raspberry, bergamot, norlimbanol, oud and musk
A fresh and modern interpretation of oud, with notes of musk, bergamot, and raspberry.
8. Jo Malone Oud Bergamot
Key notes: Bergamot, cedarwood and oud
This scent really surprises—it's sparkling and woody, perfect if you're after a delicate, feminine interpretation of oud.
9. Killian Musk Oud
Key notes: Davana, geranium and oud
This is a really elegant, sensual scent, with notes of lemon, cardamom, coriander, and geranium. The oud gives it longevity and a richness which makes it ideal for evening wear.
10. Cra-Yon Sand Service
Key notes: Violet, papyrus and leather
A woody, powdery scent with cardamom, papyrus, and violet. The oud is subtle but intensifies a little more as it dries down.
11. Lancôme Ôud Bouquet
Key notes: Oud, guaïac wood, copahu wood, praline and rose
A fun interpretation of oud which pairs the note with the floral sweetness of praline and rose.
12. Guerlain Cherry Oud
Key notes: Cherry, rose and oud
Those who like sweet and fruity fragrances will love this cherry-based take on oud.
13. Atkinsons The Other Side of Oud
Grace Day is a beauty editor and content creator. She has over 10 years of beauty-industry experience, spanning editorial, retail, and e-commerce, which gives her a unique understanding into how people shop for their beauty routines. While studying for a history degree (specialising in the history of beauty) and working as a beauty adviser in department stores, Grace started writing her own beauty blog in order to share the products she discovered while dealing with acne. After graduating, she moved to Beauty Bay as beauty editor and content manager. Grace is currently a beauty contributor toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing . She has also written for Hypebae and PopSugar and works as a brand consultant and copywriter.
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