Description
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OUD in Chiaroscuro :: Black and White
As a fascination with all things OUD is one of the fragrant phenomenons of our time, it has inspired countless expressions of olfactory art and niche perfumes. With all of this it might seem that everything oud has all been done before, right? Well, maybe not.
For me, it felt perfect in every way to come to ‘OUD’ to express something new and distinct for the Holiday Edition of the new Heirloom Elixir collection. I decided to create an ‘Oud Story’ as seen through the lens of the Italian artistic concept of Chiaroscuro (is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modeling three-dimensional objects and figures)*. Oud’s ability to express unlimited gestures and attitudes, as well as unequaled opulence and refinery, was a wonderfully compelling inspiration. Indeed, my aim was to create a sense of volume and dimensionality as well as dramatic contrast between the two perfumes, and yet illustrate their relationship and even layer-ability.
As the name implies, the set includes an expression of ‘light’ or white oud (Aoud Blanc) and its ‘shadow’ or black side (Oudh Noir). There’s no easy way to present all that the ‘oud spectrum’ has to offer in a 2 part set, considering all of the different genus, growing regions, and the varying grades of the natural oil, but to present it in such dramatic contrast is a rich and glorious experience. I invite to you to dive in.
* definition from wikipedia
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Aoud Blanc:
Walk into the light. Yes, it’s beautiful in here; I feel glorious.
Aoud Blanc is decidedly light and modern, and yet quite ‘oud’ in character. Even without the smoke.
I wanted to create something very wearable… just really joyful, and GORGEOUS. For me, this meant accenting the fruity nuances, as well as the dry woody aspects of oud, pairing them with the traditional Ta’if rose, and providing a soft bed of white suede in the drydown to allow the animalic qualities to rest and feel peaceful. The floral-animalic notes purr and murmur on your skin for hours… and you feel almost gilded in rose gold. Notes: Ambrette Seed, Arabian Jasmine, Australian Sandalwood, Bergamot, French Beeswax, Honey, Mysore Sandalwood, Orris Concrete, Osmanthus Absolute, Oude / Agarwood, Peach Skin (accord), Saffron Absolute, Ta’if Rose, White Oud (accord), and White Suede (accord)
Oudh Noir:
On the dark side.
Passion, smoldering, puts the focus of this design on the deeper, more incense-y qualities of oud with traditional Arabian facets of saffron, leather, and musk. The shadowy effect of accenting the exotic wood and smoke characteristics with the animalic nature of oud is in full force with Oudh Noir. In addition, there is a merging of the old world with modern sensibilities by weaving in a curious rubber note into the fabric of Oudh Noir. Is it menacing? Just a little. We find it captivating. Notes: Aldehydes, Ambrette Seed, Atlas Cedarwood, Australian Sandalwood, Bakhoor Oudh (accord), Bergamot, Black Leather (accord), Brown Oakmoss, Carnation, Castoreum, Cinnamon Bark, Civet, Clove Bud, Damask Rose Absolute, East Indian Patchouli, Frankincense (Olibanum), Grandiflorum Jasmine, Holy Basil, Incense, Indonesian Vetiver, Labdanum, Leather, Lime Peel, Mysore Sandalwood, Orris Root, Oude / Agarwood, Oude / Agarwood, Rubber (accord), Saffron Absolute, Sensual Musk, Silver Fir, Smoky, Tobacco Absolute, and Woody.
juniperlatte –
For Aoud Blanc: Rich, sensuous, and opulent is the perfect description of Aoud Blanc. A distinctly oud scent but without the oud being too overwhelming or too animalic. The Ta’if rose is well suited for the oud oil creating a very rich honeyed scent. Dry woody background supports the scent.
Cerulean Sky –
Full disclosure: I am not an oudh fan! I can’t think of an oudh by any nose that I like…
That being said, if you like oudh, the Oudh Noir is a quintessential oudh; it is exactly what comes to mind when I think of oudh: Dark and intense. However this one had medium longevity, not quite as long as I was expecting.
I enjoyed the Aoud Blanc slightly more than the noir, as I prefer the oudh note to be diminished by other notes.
If you are a fan of oudhs, check these out!
manummasson8 –
For Oudh Noir: perfect; dark and complex but not overbearing.
I asked Dawn for a recommendation for the following request: “I am looking for something Masculine, Dark, Animalic, Natural (both in ingredients and smell).”
She recommended Oudh Noir, and it fits this description incredibly well. It smells very natural, not at all chemical, I have been told it smells like a “sexy campfire”. Very wearable, I get a headache from many perfumes but never this one.
It does seem to be however a little controversial, with my friends who smell it either loving it or disliking it.