In the last few years, oriental and oud-based fragrances have been flooding the European fragrance market. Some brands began to launch more opulent ambery-woody-spicy scents and many have come out with exclusive oriental range extensions featuring precious ingredients like oud, saffron, rose, resins, incense and woods. A welcome new olfactive direction in a market that was saturated with overly sweet scents.
The first oriental fragrance that I’ve ever smelled was the iconic Shalimar from Guerlain. A sensual and warm ambery scent. Then I discovered Santal Royal, another beautiful oriental scent from Guerlain, which celebrates sandalwood but also has a prominent oud note. Since these two encounters, I’ve felt rather intimidated by the heavier oud-based fragrances and tend to shy away from them. That was until recently, when I had the pleasure of discovering fragrances from Fragrance Du Bois.
Fragrance Du Bois is a luxury fragrance brand that celebrates oud in all of its compositions. All their fragrances contain 100% natural Thai oud, and they even have a pure oud extract! I was fortunate enough to have been invited to discover their collection at Jovoy Mayfair. I was expecting to smell overly powerful fragrances, that frankly I would probably never wear. I couldn’t have been more wrong…
Fragrance Du Bois fragrances are not your typical heavy oriental oud scents. They are very wearable (at least to me!) and much more agreeable than what I had anticipated. The brand has a core collection which features oud in every composition, and there’s also a Nature’s Treasures collection that has lighter scents without oud. What I like about these fragrances is that they explore oud in so many different ways. At times it’s made green or aquatic, and others it can be gourmand with a chocolate twist or floral. One of my favourites in the core collection is Oud Violet Intense, an oriental woody scent, that marries the juiciness of fruits with mysterious woods. An ultra luxurious, sexy and addictive scent…
Key Notes
Top: Mandarin, black pepper, elemi
Heart: Frankincense, tonka bean, nutmeg
Base: Oud, cistus, musk, amber
Olfactive Classification: Oriental Woody
What to Expect
Oud Violet Intense by Fragrance Du Bois opens with a very strong smoky and bitter oud note. You don’t get much of the mandarin and the oud showcases it’s beastly dark side with a resinous aftertaste. Its presence can be a little overwhelming… But fret not! The magic happens in the dry down. The oud develops a softer, more agreeable character that is warm and sensual. A beautiful woody note that reminds me of the scent of a natural oud chip but without the resinous feel. The oud is wrapped in a blanket of musks and the addictive almondy, powdery sweetness of tonka bean.
Oud Violet Intense is a mysterious and very sexy scent. The projection and longevity is stellar (+8 hours wear on the skin), and the sillage is amazing. So much so that I’ve received many compliments! If you like oriental scents that are heavy on the woods and musk with a hint of sweetness, you must try this one out!
Availability
Oud Violet Intense by Fragrance Du Bois is available in 15ml, 50ml and 100ml Eau de Parfum for £115, £345 and £595.
Disclaimer
Sample gifted by Fragrance Du Bois. I was not paid for this review and all views are my own.