It’s decidedly autumn here. The heat has now gone on for a bit each day, starting from the 15th. I consider that an acceptable date. I have a feeling that there was a year in the past few during which it went on on the first of October. Which is just inappropriate.
I realised the other day that all of my autumn/winter trousers are corduroy. Two black, one blue, one dark green, one dark brown. I had not realised I’d gone this direction but there we are. The spring/summer stuff is much more varied.
We’re on to the last of the samples I bought recently.
L’Oudh … I’ve been making noise for a few years now about wanting to find an oudh to call my own. I had forgotten that Tauer Perfumes had released a fragrance so popped it into the cart.
Launched in 2018, the notes include jasmine, rose, cistus rock rose, Cypriol, Styrax, myrrh, tobacco, vetiver, patchouli, oudh and sandalwood.
I think Andy Tauer resisted the oudh bandwagon for a while before launching this. He tends to go his own way.
On me, this starts sour woods. I don’t mean that to be negative. It’s intriguing. I don’t get any flowers up top and the fragrance pretty quickly morphs into Band-Aid. I like the smells of Band-Aids.
And that’s where it sits for a good many hours. Until it become sort of leather/suede oud. Which is very nice but I’m not sure how it got there, given the notes list.
I don’t know what real oudh smells like and most of the other oudh named perfumes are far more mixy mixy with florals, particularly rose (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing).
It’s only once I hit the drydown that I get a hint of sweetness. Maybe the sandalwood.
It’s long-lasting and, as I said above, intriguing.
In any case, of all the oudh perfumes I have sampled over the years this feels most like what I would expect a ‘proper’ oudh to smell like.
When returning from a holiday in the Maldives in 2019, I had hoped to sample something less mass market with oudh at the Doha airport. But alas no. Most of the Duty Free offer was what you expect from DF in any airport.
This one is a bit challenging and the better for it.
However, I haven’t been in a ‘challenge me’ mood regarding perfume for quite a while.
I respect this perfume but I don’t think I want it probably for the reasons noted above.
Do you own this or any other oudh-based perfumes? Does Band-Aid smell make you twitchy?
Pics: Wiki, pexels
I’ve smelled a bunch of oudh perfumes but don’t think any of them caused me to actually buy, at least ones that were totally oudh. If it’s a component (a slight one) like in Sarah Horowitz’ aRitual then it’s great. When it’s front and center not so much. And how rare can this stuff be when it was in everything except floor wax and toothpaste for a while?
I believe Tauer uses an Oudh from Laos. Usually, he’s careful about how he sources his ingredients… I was thinking about Oudh mixes and the Dior one I recall being lovely. I think I reviewed it. I’ll have to re-check. I wish we could get US independents here. It used to be possible but now I wouldn’t ever try.
No oudh for me. I have not tried any oudh based perfumes and don’t plan on doing it. There are some perfumes that have some cleaned up subtle oudh blended in them that I’m ok with, but that’s it.
So, def not your note 🙂 This is the first Oudh I’ve felt was even remotely close to what I’d expect proper Oudh to smell like.
I was shocked when oudh became the new pink pepper years ago in terms of trendiness. I don’t care for it unless it’s in homeopathic dosage and buried in something complex and floral. Oud smells like a Band-aid in a barn to me. I don’t despise it, but it’s not my cup of … compost tea.
I ignored it for a long time. There are some really pretty florals with Oudh out there but I was/am interested in something more Oudh-y.
“became the new pink pepper..”
Brilliant. I bow.
Band Aid oud is interesting to smell if not something I’d want to wear. I have a couple of pretty Lancôme ouds, as well as a decant of Dusita Oudh Infini. The latter I really have to be in the mood for as the first hour is pure barnyard, but the next 23 hours are beautiful.
I don’t get barnyard — just Band-Aid, which I find interesting. I am not good at doing barnyard right now …
Oud is a bit, or much more than a bit, overpowering to me. I’m always trying to avoid a migraine in my scent journey so things like oud aren’t on my playlist. However, I was wearing 10 Corso Como the other day and it apparently has a drop of oud in it. It certainly gives scents oomph and longevity. I’m glad you found a possibility.
Ooooh! 10CC! That sounds perfect for today, I need to dig it out.
Yup, I can see this smell being problematic for a migraine sufferer. It’s very … there. I need to sample 10CC again. Actually, has it been discontinued? Will look.
I found a lot of manufacturer’s samples on ebay for a good price and snapped them up.
I’ll look on the sample sites here. Perhaps it will pop up somewhere.
Hey Cinnamon,
LOVE the medicinal, band aid-ish aspects of oudh. There are a few oudh related perfumes here but the one I wear most and love dearly is Midnight Oud by JHaG. It’s like a rough red wine and wears beautifully for me.
Portia xx
Red wine lees sounds good to me. I have this idea the spaceNK in town has JHaG. Will check on Friday when I’m getting braces adjusted (yet again).
Good luck with the dental work. XXX
Thanks. I expect all he’ll do is tighten yet again. Will take myself to do some sampling as a reward…