October 02, 2023

Lux Lifestyle

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ALTAIA Any Day Now Eau de Parfum as seen in Lux Lifestyle Magazine...

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Bold and Bewitching - Welcome autumn with a fresh face, bold hues, and fall scents.

Autumnal Aroma

With rich notes of rose, oud, sandalwood, and amber, ALTAIA's newest artisanal fragrance Any Day Now brings a seductive edge to fall. The perfume was inspired by the love story of Marina Sersale and Sebastian Alvarez Murena, the husband-and-wife duo behind the essence of the legendary Le Sirenuse Positano (which Marina's family owns). Any Day Now will be your everyday obsession this season.

September 22, 2023

September 19, 2023

Women's Health

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Eau d'Italie Signature Scent Hand & Body Lotion as seen in Women's Health...

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Meet The Winners Of The 2023 Women’s Health Skincare Awards

Solutions for every skin type and concern, chosen by experts.

In some ways, we are living in the golden age of skincare. With just a few clicks, you can discover hundreds of new products that promise to resurface, renew, filter, glow, glaze, you name it—and get the box delivered by tomorrow, dopamine rush included. But we know how that story usually ends: Disappointment, even anger, at less-than-stellar results.

In truth, the most effective skincare routines are simple and strategic. For a lifetime of healthy skin, dermatologists advise prioritizing three non-negotiables: moisturizer, gentle cleanser, and sunscreen. After that, the trick is to find targeted treatments with proven ingredients to help skin thrive from head-to-toe.

So for our annual Women’s Health Skincare Awards, we cut through the BS to give you a streamlined list of high-performance staples and innovative extras, all reviewed and vetted by best-in-class experts, including top dermatologists, aestheticians and the intrepid WH beauty team. Reference these winners whenever you need to revise, supplement, or maximize your own skincare routine. After all, you don’t live in a bubble; skin goals and needs evolve. You may want to swap to a sensitive formula in the winter. Or level up with a potent serum after a big birthday.

Read on for the insider picks that our pros use to the last drop and recommend to patients and clients. If you are a newbie, minimalist, skinfluencer or fall somewhere in between, rest assured that you can “add to cart” with confidence.

Body: Skincare doesn’t stop at your neck! Soft, smooth, and happy results for your birthday suit.

Best Scented Body Lotion: Eau d'Italie Signature Scent Hand & Body Lotion

"It's amazing to me, the visceral power of scent. One whiff of something familiar and you're instantly transported back to a specific time and place. That's what this lotion does for me: As soon as it hits my nostrils, I'm back in Italy, basking poolside at the famed Le Sirenuse in Positano. That's the point, of course—this line was inspired by picturesque hotel and developed by members of the family who've owned it for decades. But you don't have to have been there to appreciate this bright, refreshing blend of incense, bergamot, blackcurrant, magnolia, and patchouli. I highly recommend a visit though."

— Brian Underwood, Beauty Director of Women's Health

Photo by David Castillo (@davidcastillofotografo)

September 18, 2023

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TheCandidly.com

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Child Perfume Limited Edition Extrait de Parfum as seen on thecandidly.com...

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This Is The Prettiest Perfume In The World And Part Of Me Doesn’t Want To Tell You What It Is

WHAT: Child Perfume Extrait De Parfum

WHY: It’s a sort of daunting task, trying to describe a scent. It’s like explaining the color pink to you if you’ve never seen the color pink. Can I do it? Let’s give it a whirl, shall we?

I lived in England for a while when I was young and stupid and followed some guy back to his home country, even though he didn’t officially invite me to go with him. And even though I couldn’t find a job, the relationship fizzled, and the ramshackle apartment we lived in had only a doll-sized washing machine under the KITCHEN counter such that I basically wore dirty clothes for an entire year, I will always remember my time there so fondly. Because it was the year I discovered the most beautiful perfume in the world.

I think I was at a pub eating some supremely overcooked burger when I caught a very light whiff of something outside—it kept wafting in each time the door was pushed open. It smelled so beautiful, so evocative, so different than anything I had ever smelled, I felt compelled to stand up, leaving my “mates” at the table, and investigate. Was it some flower that only blossoms in the UK? Was it a light lingering shampoo that you can only buy at Boots? How had I been on the earth for 24 years and never smelled such a thing?

And here is where I attempt to describe it to you.

You know the impossibly joyful scent of a lilac bush? So floral, so clean, and almost juicy with the promise of Spring?

Well, it has that.

It also has that almost candy like scent of Violet. Sweet and young. And then, just below that candy, is the painfully beautiful note of night-blooming jasmine—musky and dreamy and gives you a longing for something, but for what you don’t entirely know.

Next comes the Magnolia. Bright. Crisp. Shimmering. Almost like champagne.

And finally, you’re at the beach. And it’s sunscreen. And it’s the baking sun. And it’s the end of a long day of nestling your hot skin in the hotter sand, and you feel almost drunk from the heat.

But then, magically, it’s also something else entirely. Something almost mysterious and unknowable. And so when wearing it, you feel mysterious and unknowable. And that changes you. Just slightly. And you feel the way you felt when you were younger after watching a movie on the big screen where the characters were so big and so charming that briefly, maybe just for a night, you took on their mannerisms, their speech patterns, and you felt the world open itself up to you and only you.

So I followed the scent outside the pub that night, 21 years ago, and it lead me to a pretty, brown-haired woman with short bangs and big eyes, and I asked, my god, what perfume are you wearing?

And she answered: Child.

Photo by Anthropologie

July 15, 2023

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May 18, 2023

Fragrantica.com

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Eau d'Italie Mystic Sunset Eau de Parfum as seen on Fragrantica.com...

and available online at Beautyhabit

Eau d'Italie Mystic Sunset - Plus Some Insights From Sebastian Alvarez Murena

Mystic Sunset by Eau d'Italie

Mystic Sunset is a modern gourmand fruity-floral fragrance that joined the Eau d'Italie collection in 2022. Officially described as irresistible and unforgettable, the scent blends osmanthus, cassis, jasmine, saffron, sugar, and cedar wood, pervading a thoughtful, artistic expression of calm and happiness. It is an homage to the soul-warming sunsets of Positano - among the most famous in the world. Watching the brilliant red orb of the sun slide behind the cliffs in Positano is a nightly ritual in the Summer from the terrace at the iconic Le Sirenuse - still owned by the Sersale family after 70 years.

Viewed from the sea, the cliffside village of Positano is set in a breathtaking vertical panorama of colors: the green of the Monti, the white, pink, and yellow of the Mediterranean houses, the silvery grey of pebble beaches, and the blue of the sea. In this beautiful location, Sebastian Alvarez Mureno and Marina Sersale, the founders of the lines Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA, find inspiration to create their perfumes. Through her father, Marina Sersale is part of the Sersale family that founded and still owns the famous and award-winning 5-star hotel, an individual, eclectic, and beautifully curated place. Movie stars such as Grace Kelly, Liz Taylor, Richard Burton, Fellini, but also Jackie Onassis, and many others used to enjoy staying at this little corner of Paradise and have been an endless source of inspiration for Eau d'Italie perfumes (see Un Bateau Pour Capri inspired by Grace Kelly boarding a wooden Riva speedboat headed to Capri). As I understood, also David Bowie was a guest of Le Sirenuse and became a fan of the signature Eau d'Italie perfume.

Mystic Sunset is a scent that has been well-received, and it is not hard to understand why. It captivates me so readily. Moderately sweet, slightly juicy, and comfortably warm, Mystic Sunset is right up my alley, as I am fond of perfumes that exhibit cozy and relaxing themes, such as the smell of vacation and sun-kissed skin.

There are several olfactory ways to depict the feeling of solar warmth in which you let your body soften while dozing on a sandy beach after a swim in the refreshing waves. Usually, these perfumes contain accords reminiscent of sun cream: tropical flowers, vanilla pods, amber, and sometimes some salty notes to reproduce the idea of seawater. I think Mystic Sunset conjures up far-away, white sand beaches and sun-tanned warm bodies in a sophisticated and serene way without being too forceful with the theme. I imagine the murmur of the voices of those who leave the beach late, slowly heading towards the bar by the sea for a cocktail before dinner, pleasant muted music in the background while the increasingly incandescent sun is about to set in the calm sea. And while enjoying the first sip of Aperol Spritz with eyes closed, you find yourself relieved to know the loud notes of coconut, tiare, and vanilla were forgotten by the boatmen on the island of Mainstream Summer Flankers—no trace of those in Mystic Sunset.

On the one hand, I feel caressed by the honeyed, ripe, and at the same time effervescent tones of osmanthus combined with a completely non-indolic solar jasmine, and on the other, I'm warmed by a firm structure offered by saffron and woody notes with some decadent crème-brûlée breezes towards the base. The perfume brings a delicious aroma that will remain on the skin from sunset to sunrise. Since the multifaceted saffron can be quite a difficult note for some, I must specify that here, despite being pronounced, it doesn't feel metallic, leathery, or medicinal, but it arises at the surface to suggest warmth through its piquant quality.

As I see it, this is a delightful scent, luxuriously rich and long-lasting, that artfully braids together character, passion, and fun, and I would love to keep it at hand in a large canvas bag on my next holiday.

I had the opportunity to ask Sebastian Alvarez Murena (one of the founders of the Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA lines) a few questions about his brands and would like to share with you his answers:

Could you please tell us how it all started for you?

Eau d'Italie was born over twenty years ago for the 50^th anniversary of Hotel Le Sirenuse. We decided to make a fragrance that would encapsulate the sensations of being on the terrace of the hotel, and we did so by working around a note of terracotta heated by the sun, the terracotta of the tiles and vases on the terrace. ALTAIA was born later on when Marina and I discovered the extraordinary connection between our families well before we met in Positano in 2001. In the mid-nineteen century, my great-great-great grandfather, General Bartolomé Mitre, became Argentina's first president. He passed a decree allowing foreigners to invest in Argentina, and there entered the scene a remarkable man called James Morrison, Marina's great-great-great-grandfather, who, from humble origins at the age of 32, had amassed one of the greatest fortunes in the United Kingdom. His family went to Argentina and built the railways, acting on the decree my ancestor had issued.

And so we came up with the ALTAIA brand name, which stands for 'A Long Time Ago In Argentina.'

What role did perfume play in your life before you founded your brands?

We've always been perfume lovers and enjoy both personal and home fragrances.

How would you define the style of your perfumes?

Contemporary, elegant, balanced (or at least we hope so!)

How do you source your ingredients?

We don't; the suppliers we work with do.

What is your favorite raw material?

We have no particular favorite raw materials. Rather, I would say that each fragrance calls for some specific raw materials to tell its story.

What inspires you?

For the Eau d'Italie fragrances, well, Italy! And in particular, Positano and Le Sirenuse, which are a world on their own. Whereas for ALTAIA, both England and Argentina are sources of inspiration, as well as memories of our families.

Are there particular people you have in mind when you think of a new fragrance or a place or moment in time?

People, no, not really. Whereas places and moments, yes, as explained above on how Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA were born.

What are the challenges you face when working on new creations?

The challenge is to make fragrances that not only please us but also the audience we are playing for, so to speak.

How do you explain the success of your brands?

I guess we have happily managed to speak to an audience that appreciates what we do.

Often brands collaborate closely with perfumers giving them specific briefs and suggestions with abstract ideas like emotions, nuances, and olfactive terms. Yet, there are cases when they give carte blanche, which allows the creator total liberty. Can you please describe to us what your approach is in the creative process?

It changes from case to case, but I would say we are more of the first type.

I know it is impossible not to be biased about your Altaia and Eau d'Italie collections, but what fragrances do you like and wear the most from these two lines?

Both Marina and I have a special affection for the signature Eau d'Italie fragrance, as well as Acqua Decima and Jardin du Poète. We also wear Wonder of You and Yu Son from ALTAIA. That said, we most often wear the fragrances we are working on.

What are your projects for the future? Are you working on a new composition right now?

Yes, of course! We are working on a new fragrance for Eau d'Italie and one for ALTAIA, but it's still a work in progress.

Photo by David Castillo (@davidcastillofotografo)

May 18, 2023

Fragrantica.com

ALTAIA Any Day Now Eau de Parfum as seen on Fragrantica.com...

and available online at Beautyhabit

Any Day Now by ALTAIA - Plus Some Insights From Sebastian Alvarez Murena

Any Day Now by ALTAIA

Any Day Now has joined the collection of ALTAIA in 2022 and is a spicy-woody rose featuring black pepper, Damask rose, Oud, patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood, and amber.

"Nothing but a miracle could have produced a love story a hundred and fifty years in the making, and this proves that no matter what we think as we make our way through life, love is always just 'round the corner, ready to woo us away. All we have to do is keep our hearts open, and love will be caressing like the petals of a rose, deep as the roots of an oak." -Brand website.

This fragrance is a study in chiaroscuro where the bright side is provided by a high-spirited and passionate rose that contrasts with the darkness surrounding it. Nothing new, in theory, you might think; we've seen this before. The neo-gothic rose drenched in dark oud, all muddy and murky at the base from patchouli oils and bitten by flames of hot ambers, is a recurring template in all perfumery sectors with few, barely there, twists. It's as if all the combinations of this chypre type have already been tried, right? It requires an extensive imagination to avoid redundancy when working with these elements. Still, some houses, like Altaia, move away from the regular pattern of dark and murky combinations to break new ground, depicting a new, exciting biography for their rose through a well-thought-out dosage of each note surrounding the flower.

Any Day Now skips any ephemeral preliminary tones, diving directly into the charms of a kaleidoscopically rich rose, a rose with a hint of sweet spice and a fascinating, untroubled, and effortless charisma.

Towards the base, the texture becomes silky, and a deep, ripe sweetness, like rose nectar, takes shape. It's precisely because of this that it appears beautifully candid to me, as I lose myself in my own thoughts while observing how it develops on my skin. The strength of this fragrance comes from its certainty of not having to be intrusive through a massive sillage. This is the type of lightness that I seek, especially when it comes to roses, combined with control and clarity, which seems so rare to encounter. Because usually when the oud joins the rose, things get too bold and heavy, yet here the peculiar, funky barnyard dimension of oud is absent, and only the quietest musky animalic shades, soft as kitten paws, are prevalent. In fact, lacking its raw authenticity, the oud only paints a diffused ombré effect on the delicate petals, creating depth and volume, while the touch of patchouli registers to complement the formula by subtly anchoring the scent in a fertile forest ground, like spreading a black velvet voluptuousness at the feet of the beloved, majestic rose. Therefore, the darkest elements are present but feel hushed, conspiring from underneath to create the best environment for this rose to bloom and shine in all its glory.

I had the opportunity to ask Sebastian Alvarez Murena (one of the founders of the Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA lines) a few questions about his brands and would like to share with you his answers:

Could you please tell us how it all started for you?

Eau d'Italie was born over twenty years ago for the 50^th anniversary of Hotel Le Sirenuse. We decided to make a fragrance that would encapsulate the sensations of being on the terrace of the hotel, and we did so by working around a note of terracotta heated by the sun, the terracotta of the tiles and vases on the terrace. ALTAIA was born later on when Marina and I discovered the extraordinary connection between our families well before we met in Positano in 2001. In the mid-nineteen century, my great-great-great grandfather, General Bartolomé Mitre, became Argentina's first president. He passed a decree allowing foreigners to invest in Argentina, and there entered the scene a remarkable man called James Morrison, Marina's great-great-great-grandfather, who, from humble origins at the age of 32, had amassed one of the greatest fortunes in the United Kingdom. His family went to Argentina and built the railways, acting on the decree my ancestor had issued.

And so we came up with the ALTAIA brand name, which stands for 'A Long Time Ago In Argentina.'

What role did perfume play in your life before you founded your brands?

We've always been perfume lovers and enjoy both personal and home fragrances.

How would you define the style of your perfumes?

Contemporary, elegant, balanced (or at least we hope so!)

How do you source your ingredients?

We don't; the suppliers we work with do.

What is your favorite raw material?

We have no particular favorite raw materials. Rather, I would say that each fragrance calls for some specific raw materials to tell its story.

What inspires you?

For the Eau d'Italie fragrances, well, Italy! And in particular, Positano and Le Sirenuse, which are a world on their own. Whereas for ALTAIA, both England and Argentina are sources of inspiration, as well as memories of our families.

Are there particular people you have in mind when you think of a new fragrance or a place or moment in time?

People, no, not really. Whereas places and moments, yes, as explained above on how Eau d'Italie and ALTAIA were born.

What are the challenges you face when working on new creations?

The challenge is to make fragrances that not only please us but also the audience we are playing for, so to speak.

How do you explain the success of your brands?

I guess we have happily managed to speak to an audience that appreciates what we do.

Often brands collaborate closely with perfumers giving them specific briefs and suggestions with abstract ideas like emotions, nuances, and olfactive terms. Yet, there are cases when they give carte blanche, which allows the creator total liberty. Can you please describe to us what your approach is in the creative process?

It changes from case to case, but I would say we are more of the first type.

I know it is impossible not to be biased about your Altaia and Eau d'Italie collections, but what fragrances do you like and wear the most from these two lines?

Both Marina and I have a special affection for the signature Eau d'Italie fragrance, as well as Acqua Decima and Jardin du Poète. We also wear Wonder of You and Yu Son from ALTAIA. That said, we most often wear the fragrances we are working on.

What are your projects for the future? Are you working on a new composition right now?

Yes, of course! We are working on a new fragrance for Eau d'Italie and one for ALTAIA, but it's still a work in progress.

Photo by David Castillo (@davidcastillofotografo)

May 12, 2023

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April 27, 2023

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February 27, 2023

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December 23, 2022

December 22, 2022

December 20, 2022

December 08, 2022

December 04, 2022

BeautyMatter.com

Eau d'Italie Mystic Sunset, Jasmine Leather and Un Bateau Pour Capri Eau de Parfum - opens in new tab

Eau d'Italie Mystic Sunset Eau de Parfum and MORE as seen on BeautyMatter.com...

and available online at Beautyhabit

Between History and Avant-Garde: The Italian Perfumery Landscape

From the opening of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella in Florence in 1221, to Eustachio Celebrino, a well-known author and engraver from the Province of Udine, writing one of the first-documented collections of fragrance formulas in 1551, the history and legacy of Italian perfumery spans centuries. Journalist Marika Vecchiattini even dedicated an entire book to the subject: The Handbook of Great Italian Perfumery. But as the country’s $1.27 billion industry shows, one can’t solely rely on pedigree to stay afloat in the competitive market.

A vast variety of strong talents across the board is where its national scentmaking shines: the finest and up-and-coming artisanal talents showcase their ranges at Esxence in Milan annually, while long-standing blockbuster scents like Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana or Blu Mediterraneo by Acqua di Parma continue to see steady sales numbers. Similar to France, a distinctive portion of Italian perfumery is rooted in the country’s strong fashion roots, a natural branding extension, with iconic houses like Gucci, Versace, and Valentino.

La vita è bella (Life is beautiful)

What is the secret proverbial sauce that defines the country’s olfactory style? “Italian perfumery is an art informed by landscape, history, and fashion,” Creative Director of The Merchant of Venice, Nicola Pozzani, explains. “It is defined by iconic raw materials such as the king of citrus, bergamot, which only grows in the south of Italy, Calabria, and others such as iris, which was a favorite of Caterina de Medici, a Renaissance power lady who influenced the French courts and is credited as the one who brought perfumery to France when she became queen of it.”

When it comes to his own creative process, Pozzani, who takes a self-described “minimalist but experimental” approach, has developed creations like Venetian Jade, a Harrods-exclusive amber floral fragrance with notes of quince, pecan, suede, rose, and tonka bean; Gyokuro, a fruity green composition of black pepper, tea, peach, tuberose, and ambergris; and, in honor of minimalism, the Accordi Di Parfumo range, a line of various accord fragrances that can be layered or worn as stand-alone perfumes.

Whether it’s the aforementioned Calabrian bergamot or the ancient architecture of Rome, there are certainly many geographical references turned creative ingenuity to be found. “Italy remains a country uniquely rich in arts and culture which are always the inspiration of perfumers,” Pozzani adds. “The proximity of breathtaking natural landscapes, the rich food culture, and the constant celebration of beauty… it's a constant celebration of the senses, just like fragrance is.”

Sebastián Alvarez Murena, co-founder at Eau d’Italie, states that “The essence of Italy can be partially defined by the consciousness of beauty and elegance. The beauty and elegance are not necessarily a personal feature of individuals, although of course it can be, but rather that of everyday life in Italy, where beauty is a main defining factor. ‘Il senso del bello,’ ‘The sense of beauty,’ is something that governs everyday life in Italy, and it’s something with a proper weight and values, same as, say, moral or economic factors.” After all, wasn’t it the Anchiano-born Leonardo da Vinci who developed the recipe for beauty when he coined the golden ratio?

Honoring the Old with the New

Lush, although a UK-based brand, recently decided to make Florence the home of its first stand-alone Perfume Library, housing not only an exclusive range of fragrances alongside the company’s existing fine fragrance range, but also more than 70 publications exploring aromatherapy, the history of perfumery, and regenerative practices.

The brand recently launched a collection of five Florence-exclusive scents—Fresh As, Nero, Frangipani, Sappho, and Confetti—which take inspiration from said Italian city and the Renaissance, citing inspirations such as the traditional sugared almond wedding confectionery referred to in Italy as confetti, and Princess of Nerola’s neroli-fragranced gloves, as reference points. Furthermore, fragrance consultations at its Italian Perfume Library are conducted using Hippocrates’ theory of the four humors (blood, yellow bile, phlegm, and black bile), a belief system guiding medical approaches during the Renaissance period. All of these humors also have coinciding elements—from sweet to salty, bitter to earthy—which translate into the aromatic realm.

“The Perfume Library had to be in Florence because it was the birthplace of modern perfumery during the Renaissance. It is hard to not take inspiration from such a place and we really indulged ourselves in its history, art, and iconic sights," comments Mark Constantine OBE, Lush co-founder and perfumer.

For Eau d’Italie—which launched in 2004 with the Le Sirenuse hotel in Positano as the muse for its namesake debut fragrance—beauty and elegance are the North Star of product creation. That equates to scents inspired by the floral grandeur of Capri (Un Bateau Pour Capri ), the practice of scenting homegrown leather goods (Jasmine Leather), and the sights of sundown on the Amalfi coast (Mystic Sunset). When asked what defines Italian perfumery, Alvarez Murena responds: “A fresh approach to ideas, a lack of prejudice, a frank, unencumbered disposition that allows for fragrances which are always contemporary, never old or stale in their conception.”

It’s not only brands that the country is offering the world of perfumery, but noses aplenty too: Luca Maffei (who has created fragrances for the mass and niche market alike, such as Cupola for Salvatore Ferragamo and Parfums Quartana’s latest creation, Ierofante), Lorenzo Villoresi (founder of the namesake fragrance line), and Alessandro Gualtieri, the perfume provocateur behind Amsterdam-based fragrance house Nasomatto, to name a few. “Leaving aside the wealth that popped up from the 1960s onwards, Italy has historically been a poor country, a country of emigration. That constant struggle with life has somehow sharpened the Italian’s imagination and their capacity for coming up with beautiful illusions,” comments Alvarez Murena.

The Italian Avant-Garde

All things classical and picturesque certainly hold a place in the heart of any Made in Italy perfume lover, but there are also more unconventional affairs to be found. Masque Milano, founded by Riccardo Tedeschi and Alessandro Brun in 2013, applies an operatic approach to fragrance production, with scents released in acts. Ray-flection, described as “an alien flower,” is nourished by notes of mandarin, aldehydes, a solar rays accord, and beeswax absolute, while White Whale tells the tale of Moby Dick with facets of salty rope accords, ambergris, osmanthus, orris, and cedarwood.

UNUM, the brainchild of Filippo Sorcinelli, began in 2014 with the frankincense bombshell LAVS, a fitting entry into the fragrance category given the heavy Gothic art origins of the brand: Sorcinelli’s The Sacred Vestments Atelier, used for the study and manufacture of objects for sacred liturgy, such as the robes of Pope Benedetto XVI. The olfactory creations are not for the faint of heart, as UNUM’s existing range of products are described as “eleven fragrances to describe the uniqueness of a journey suffered and intense.”

Antonio Gardoni’s brand, Bogue, described as “contemporary fragrances with ancient techniques and modern intuitions,” has released perfumes such as Douleur (which is the French word for “pain”), a metallic-notes-meets-cotton-candy scent created in collaboration with tattoo artist Freddie Albrighton, and Lita, an amber floral perfume with smells of coriander, tobacco, champaca, and myrrh, created with band Duo to replicate the mood of their album release with “a dark and smoky aroma.”

Regardless of which aesthetic avenue one wanders down, the rich creativity of Italian perfumery, past and present, shows that all roads do indeed lead to Rome, at least olfactorally speaking.

November 27, 2022

November 25, 2022

InStyle

ALTAIA Any Day Now Eau de Parfum as seen on InStyle.com...

and available online at Beautyhabit

Why Oud Is the Ultimate Holiday Scent

Experts break down one of the richest and most intense fragrance notes.

When you want a deep, luxurious fragrance experience, you turn to an oud. But this intoxicating wood scent is more than just a lovely aroma — it’s a cultural staple for many.

“I always say that in perfumery, complex scents have a complex story,” says Givaudan perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux. “Perfumery is a lot of nuance about cultural reference, and oud is basically a scent of culture.”

Steeped in history, oud has existed for centuries and has been a mainstay in Asian and Middle Eastern markets. It’s used in perfumery, but it is also integrated into many spiritual practices such as burning incense. But the west is just catching on.

“Oud has been recognized in the western markets as a new warm and woody note that adds depth to a fragrance,” says Frank Voelkl, principal perfumer at fragrance company Firmenich. “[It] is so unique in its character and not as recognizable to all consumers that the use of it in formulations can provide an air of mystery to a fragrance making it intriguing and particularly attractive for consumers.”

So why is this rich wood note having such a renaissance as of late in the west? What makes it everyone’s go-to when the temperatures start to drop? And what is next for oud in 2023 and beyond? To see what exactly makes this fragrance note so special, both Flores-Roux and Voelkl break down what it is, how it’s harvested, and where oud is going.

Oud is a rare — and expensive — fragrance note

Oud is a raw material. According to Voelkl, it is a “prized ingredient” that is extracted from one of the rarest and most expensive woods: the Agar (Aquilaria) tree. A rich and warm wood note, he says it is the epitome of luxury and extremely coveted.

“Oud is a note that adds a unique woody warmth to a fragrance with a slight leathery and animalic aspect,” he says. “When featured in a fragrance can add significant depth and sensuality.”

To harvest oud is a complicated and long process

The main reason why it's expensive is because of the complicated way it's harvested. Flores-Roux explains that when an Agar tree gets sick, which is usually caused by fungi in the inner part of its trunk, it begins to release a very rich and strong smelling essence. You then strip and distill the infected bark after it has fallen and that becomes the oud oil.

“I like to compare it to when a very small [particle] gets inside an oyster, which has a very soft body, and then the oyster produces material in order to cover the grain of sand and that produces a pearl. It’s like a secretion is happening in order to protect the body [of the oyster] from something harmful. This is more or less the same principle with the essential oil of oud,” he says. “Oud is basically an oily medium that lubricates and protects the sickened tissue of the tree.”

The process is a long one. For a tree to be considered a true Agar trea, Voelkl says it needs to be at least 25-years-old. Plus, Flores-Roux adds that the tree must be infected to produce oud. A perfectly healthy and young Aquilaria tree, he says, will not have the scent present.

It’s the quintessential winter fragrance — but only in the west.

At least in western consciousness, ouds make for the go-to fragrance for many during the colder months. “Oud notes add depth to the back of a fragrance and it is one of the most long-lasting ingredients we use in our palette, so it really increases longevity when worn, “ says Voelkl. “That said, I believe that in western markets, the long-lasting warm feeling it evokes makes it an attractive scent for consumers to wear in colder weather; feeling warm on the skin is the kind of comfort we all seek during the holiday season.”

"Because it's darker, heavier, warmer, a little bit sweeter, a little bit more ominous, [and] more nocturnal, if you will, those things connect more to the weather that is colder," adds Flores-Roux.

But in other parts of the world, an oud is popular for different reasons. Voelkl notes that ouds are huge in the Middle East, where the weather is very warm. Here, people turn to ouds for intensity and sensuality. That said, Flores-Roux recommends using fragrances whenever you want to rather than sticking to traditional pairings, such as warm woods for fall and citrus florals for spring. “I love breaking the [seasonal fragrance] rule,” he says. “I recommend [breaking] it.”

The future of oud is all about evolution.

What will become of traditional oud is a bit uncertain. Voelkl explains that the low yield of oud through the traditional extraction process has caused some to begin provoking infection onto the trees so that they can be cut and distilled for oud oil. This has all led to the Agar trees becoming incredibly scarce and raising the price of production.

But that doesn’t mean that traditional oud is going away completely; there are ways to harvest the natural oud in a more sustainable way. Voelkl says that Firmenich is working to sustainably extract oud oil without destroying trees. “This incredible family business [that Firmenich has partnered with] manages over 600,000 Aquilaria trees (hundreds of which are over 80-years-old), along with planting a significant number of trees ranging from five to 50-years-old.”

“The perfume industry has actually achieved, quite well, [a way] to cultivate the tree and then, through a very complicated process, inoculate the fungic tissue (the infection agent) in order to infect the tree and [have] the tree produce the scar tissue that will exude the essential oil,” Flores-Roux adds. He also says that they are constantly growing new trees.

There are even ways to replicate the scent or expand on the original wild ingredient to give consumers many different interpretations of it. He points to 1970s men’s fragrance Yagatan by Caron as the first entry of an oud impression. “[Caron] made a very interesting composition that is very wooly and sensual; it’s a little bit enamelic and a little bit leathery,” he says. “It had also kind of a texture of raw wool.” Made with notes of pine, lavender, patchouli, incense, and musk, Yagatan, he says, has been considered very similar to oud by Middle Eastern clientele. (Though, whether Caron intended Yagatan to be an oud dupe or not is unknown).

Flores-Roux also calls out Tom Ford’s first fragrance for Yves Saint Laurent, M7, as the western’s market first real introduction to oud as a scent. Though it doesn’t contain the essential oil of oud, Flores-Roux says that this oud-inspired fragrance helped opened up oud as the fragrance category that we know today.

“Oud has become a category of perfume that replicates a very specific mixture that is Middle-Eastern driven, but still universal,” he says. “These elements [to what makes a modern interpretation of an oud fragrance today] are very rich, with notes of amber and patchouli and in many cases, accompanied with top notes of rose and spices (in particular saffron). That’s more or less now what the oud category has become and is.”

Fragrance in general is always evolving. And while oud has been the main focus in ingredient lists since its inception, Flores-Roux says that the possibilities of how to incorporate it in the background while another note takes center stage is something that has yet to be explored. He personally would be interested in seeing oud as a supporting note to an unconventional match that he hasn’t seen paired with oud before, such as citrus and marine.

But regardless of where fragrance trends will go, this rich ingredient is most likely going to be a mainstay in perfumes to come.

After all, “Oud is here to stay,” he says.

Our Favorite Oud Fragrances

ALTAIA Any Day Now Eau de Parfum

This woody floral contains a touch of oud and patchouli mixed with warm sandalwood, amber, Damascus rose for a sweet spicy scent perfect for cozy weather.

Photo by David Castillo (@davidcastillofotografo)