Oud vs Musky Perfume: Which Scent Suits You Best?

Oud and musky perfumes are two pillars of oriental fragrance culture. Rich, sensual, and long-lasting, each offers a unique olfactory experience. Discover their origins, differences, and how to choose the perfect scent for your personality and season.

Two fragrant worlds, one intense sensory experience

Just as you switch your wardrobe when winter arrives, your choice of perfume should follow suit—moving from light, citrusy top notes to deeper, muskier scents like oud. Oud is one of the most expensive woody perfume ingredients in the world. It has a rich, intoxicating musky aroma that can be very powerful and has been used for centuries in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Today, many Western perfumers use it as a base to create stunning fragrances for both men and women.

The components of oud and musky perfumes are extremely pure and therefore have no side effects on the body or mind. They are a better choice than synthetic perfumes.

What Is Oud?

Oud comes from the wood of the tropical Agar tree, which includes around 15 different species. It’s believed to originate from the Assam region in India and has spread to Bangladesh and much of Southeast Asia. When this tree’s wood is infected by a specific parasitic mold, it reacts by producing a precious, dark, and fragrant resin.

Agarwood is rare in many ways. Since the resin is only triggered by mold, it’s estimated that only 2% of these trees produce it. This rarity drives up the price of oud perfume, making agarwood one of the most expensive woods on the market. Additionally, several of these tree species are now considered endangered.

What Does Oud Smell Like?

Oud is highly valued by perfumers for its warm sweetness blended with woody and balsamic tones. It’s a very aromatic and complex scent, used in the form of oud oil or resin. In perfume compositions, oud is most often a base note. Unlike top and heart notes, base notes tend to linger on the skin long after the others fade. With an oud base, you’re likely to catch whiffs of it hours after application.