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If there is one thing we learned through reviewing fragrances, it is that the best creations contain the most scarce ingredients.Â
While Oud is naturally extracted from the molding process of Agarwood, only 2% of Agarwood trees produce the fungi needed to extract the ingredient.
Therefore, it is difficult for manufacturers to find quality Oud, as it is such a rare and precious wood resin, and when they do, it’s very labour-intensive.Â
When the tree is attacked by certain fungi in its heartwood, the tree responds to this attack by releasing a type of resin to defend itself. This resin inside the tree gives rise to the formation of resinous heartwood which is known as Oud.
With the oldest Agarwood trees being the most valuable, quality Oud is usually extracted from a 10 to 50 years old infected tree bark.Â
In this guide, we’ve tested lots of fragrances to be able to present to you the ultimate list of the best Oud perfumes for women.
What are the Best Oud Perfumes?
How to find the best Oud perfume For you
Finding the best Oud perfumes can be a challenge for any gender, but making it even more difficult is the fact that not many great Oud fragrances for women exist.Â
Many fragrances are usually too bitter, smokey, or woody to be the perfect Oud smell for women.Â
Even though we were highly considerate of all factors that go into the perfect Oud fragrance for women, such as weather, other ingredients, and potency, there are still many people that are put off by the intense woody notes of this ingredient.
With that in mind, if you are not a fan of the dark woody or spicy rich perfume this list simply isn’t for you. Go check out our other lists of the best feminine fragrances such as The 8 Best Gardenia Perfumes, and the 9 Best Burberry Perfumes for women.
How we test the best Oud Perfumes for women
Testing the best oud colognes for women is a process that requires patience and a dedicated extensive timeframe.Â
Oud (like no other ingredient) takes a few hours to fully activate, it is one of those ingredients that will put you off when first smelling it, especially pure Oud oil.
We tested each oud cologne we reviewed, during the cold winter season, as it is the only season you can flawlessly rock any Oud cologne on our list of rich scent Oud perfume.
Apply the fragrance to your pulse points without taking a whiff until 10 minutes after you’ve applied it.Â
Most Oud perfumes on our list of mainly Eau de parfum are spicy and woody with highly aggressive openings and a long-lasting dry down.
Oud Perfume Reviews
Oud Ispahan by Dior
Oud Ispahan by Dior Review
In this fragrance, Oud Ispahan combines the smoky aroma of firewood with a sweet, floral essence to create a velvety woody fragrance.
Featuring rose, frankincense, and resin notes, this oud perfume pays tribute to the Orient, which has always inspired Christian Dior.
This unisex perfume reminds us somewhat of Frank Oliver Oud Touch a fragrance reviewed later on in this blog post. Except Oud Ispahan enjoys a higher concentration of florals and not as intense of an Oud oil potency. Â
The fragrance is named after the Iranian city of Isfahan, known for a variety of Damask Rose, which this fragrance is supposed to invoke.
The rose and floral in its dry-down are what balance out the intensely woody essences making it perfect for every charismatic, daring woman.Â
Out of over 40 Oud fragrances for her tested, Oud Ispahan was the softest and most admirable. It is flawlessly unisex and easily aligns itself with different natural oils and personalities.Â
Perfect for cold winters and windy fall seasons, this unique Oud fragrance ranks first on our list due to its outstanding longevity, pure natural notes, and unisex floral essences.
Top Notes: Labdanum, Leather
Middle Notes: Rose, Patchouli, Saffron
Base Notes: Agarwood (Oud), Sandalwood, Cedar
What we liked
- Balanced wood, rose, and smokiness.
- Addictive Vanilla notes in a woody fragrance
- A perfect cold season go-to
Oud Essentiel by Guerlain
Oud Essentiel by Guerlain Review
Given the name, this parfum takes its inspiration and main essence from the exotic, mysteriously ancient Oud wood. A bold but mellow tone is complemented with additional wood notes and leathery, incense oud aromas.Â
As one of the simplest formulations on this list of best Oud perfumes for her, Guerlain creates a pure Oud scent mixture of natural raw essences.Â
A bitter spicy scent with almost no other essences besides a subtle hint of musk, and white floral.Â
This fragrance ranks on our list of the best oud fragrances for her, due to its high-quality ingredients and superior longevity.Â
Bold, warm, and spicy, best describe the opening of this rich scent, if you’re looking for some pure qualities, Oud Essential by Guerlain is the Eau de parfum for you.
Top Notes: Olibanum, Saffron
Middle Notes: Rose, Pink Pepper, Leather
Base Notes: Agarwood (Oud), Cedar
What we liked
- Perfectly potent and bol
- Spicy take on rosey wood
- Uniquely formulated oud wood
Arabian Oud Kalemat Spray
Arabian Oud Kalemat Spray Review
Kalemat by Arabian Oud is an oriental fragrance for women and men under the niche category. With top notes of blackberry pear and grapefruit, the middle notes are rosemary, cashmere wood and floral notes are supported by the base of musk, amber and honey.
This luxurious fragrance is brought from an Arabian perspective on the best oud fragrances for her, Kalemat was the Gulf region’s number one go-to at a specific time.
A perfectly unisex fragrance designed for the prestigious and elegant, it’s almost disrespectful to wear this perfume regularly. Instead, this Oud fragrance for women calls for sophisticated attire and a lot of gold jewelry.Â
This opulent scent is Intensely sweetened with a lovely scent of honey and a balancing hint of floral and fruity scents.
Opening on sweet woody essences that are almost purely feminine and then working slowly towards the darker bitter notes, Kalemat is undoubtedly one of the best Oudy Middle East scents to exist.
Top Notes: Blackberry, Pear, Grapefruit
Middle Notes: Wisteria, Litchi, Jasmine
Base Notes: Musk, Coconut, White Wood
What we liked
- Balance of bitter and sweet
- Sweetly addictive notes
- Luxurious Arabian heritage
Oud Touch by Frank Oliver
Oud Touch by Frank Oliver Review
This smokey woody scent is one of our favorite Oud perfumes for her and him, as it is an extremely affordable top-quality intoxicating Oud wood scent.Â
The whole Touch perfume collection from the fragrance house is impressive, especially Blue and Black touch, but Oud Touch by far has the best fragrance notes from the collection.Â
Lasting anywhere beyond 24 hrs, Oud touch enjoys a strong concentration of Oud oil: something along the lines of Tom Ford creations that leave the bottle oily.Â
Despite its oily and sometimes annoying consistency, Oud Touch Eau de Parfum encompasses a woody fusion and strong scent of smokey rose and sweet essences of Oud wood.
Opening on a rather masculine note, it’s not until after the first 30 mins that you can actually get a sense of what this sweet scent smells like.Â
As we mentioned earlier in the article, Oud Ispahan by Dior reminds us very much of this scent, except Oud touch is less distilled, making it an intense fragrance.
Top Notes: Raspberry, Carmel, Orange blossoms
Middle Notes: Rose, Olibanum, Patchouli, Violet, Jasmine
Base Notes: Amber, Vanilla, Musk
What we liked
- Affordable price tag
- Sweet long-lasting notes
- Perfect for winter and fall seasons
Oud Palao by Diptyque
Oud Palao by Diptyque Review
While some would call this a masterpiece, others believe that is a false representation of how oud should be worn.Â
With its lighthearted characteristics, we’d assume that instead of using pure agarwood oil Diptyque used chunks of lightly infected barks to infuse the mix.Â
With a bold dark opening influencing a synthetic Oud scent that aligns with a solid smokey base working together to form an incense-like experience.Â
The floral notes are amazing in this fragrance, making it a great casual fragrance. If you’re not an Oud fanatic or are looking for an introductory fragrance to the world of Oud Palao by Diptyque might be the one for you.
Top Notes: Tobacco, Light Pink Pepper, Rum
Middle Notes: Camphor, Bulgarian Rose
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Patchouli
What we liked
- Bold and bitter
- Easy to wear Oud fragrance
- Spicy and Sensual
Cartier Oud & Musc
Cartier Oud & Musc Review
From a collection of three Oud-inspired eau de Parfum scents, this fragrance is the single best fragrance from Cartier’s Arabian-inspired fragrances.Â
The Oud resin unites with musk to produce a delicate and intimate scent while emphasizing the Arabian intensity.Â
At times other notes come up, such as the occasional very soft patchouli touch and whiffs of woodsiness. But overall, it is the dyad of Oud and Musk that gives the fragrance its distinctive Eau de Parfum touch.Â
Although this scent made our list of the best Oud perfumes for her, we still recommend something purer. The notes in Cartier are obviously synthetic and overpolished, leaving users in a stage between spicy green notes and Agarwood.
Top Notes: Blackberry, Pear, Grapefruit
Middle Notes:
Base Notes: Musk, , Coconut, White Wood
What we liked
- Bold and spicy notes
- Soft and calming essences
Versace Oud Oriental
Versace Oud Oriental Review
The seduction of a sunset in the desert; a warm breeze carrying thoughts away.Â
Oud gives life to Versace Oud Oriental Eau de Parfum with warm spices and fruity notes to create a distinctive scent with moderate sillage.
With a nice subtle leather base, this scent by one of the most controversial perfume houses makes a perfectly unique scent for every charismatic lady.Â
A luxurious floral mix of rose and freesia aromas, the fragrance slowly unravels deeper notes of patchouli and intriguing heliotrope. The earthy touch of saffron gives this elaborate bouquet a slightly bittersweet dimension.
Overall the spicy complexion of middle eastern essences is perfectly balanced in this lovely oriental rich fragrance by the house of Versace.Â
Zesty notes of bitter orange blended with fresh and sparkling scents of neroli, with a touch of vibrant black pepper.
Spicy cardamom and saffron, enriched by resinous notes of olibanum, create a burning and remarkable heart.
Top Notes: Blackberry, Pear, Grapefruit
Middle Notes: Wisteria, Litchi, Jasmine
Base Notes: Musk , Coconut, White Wood
What we liked
- The perfect luxurious blend
- Hints of Eastern incense
- Sensual and vibrant
Le Labo Oud 27
Le Labo Oud 27 Review
Oud 27 Eau de parfum is an amber fragrance in the purest form, overwhelming and disturbing in its signature and power. Imagine One Thousand and One Nights, distilled into 27 intense ones.
Despite smelling so sophisticated, the complexion of Le Labo 27 is rather simple and made from the purest natural ingredients such as amber musk, rose, and a strong Oud base.Â
Reflecting highly and lasting for an extensive period of time, Le Labo Oud Eau de Parfum 27 is one of the highly recommended unisex Oud perfumes.
Ranking for its purity and intensity, the Oud fragrance enjoys high projection levels and depicts an image of impeccable raw standards.
Top Notes: Civet, Natural Oud, Mandarin Orange
Middle Notes: Ambergris, Virginia Cedar, Oudy Musk
Base Notes: Amber, Leather, Vetiver, Patchouli
What we liked
- The pure natural essences
- Its unique complexion of ingredients
- Vibrant and attention-demanding
Dolce & Gabanna Velvet Tender Oud Eau De Parfum
Dolce & Gabanna Velvet Tender Oud Eau De Parfum Review
Wrapping up our list of best Oud colognes for her with a soft white floral-infused Eau de Parfum fragrance from the Italian luxury brand D&G.
The fragrance opens on sweet notes of almond which immediately stir the senses, trapping the instinct and then wrapping it in a potent and velvety serenade of Damask rose essence and Rosa Centifolia.Â
Almonds and roses coalesce in a suave and mellifluous masterpiece, intoxicating and preparing the senses for the masterstroke of the final mystery, where the intense, full-bodied Oud oil feeling fuses with the lighter Oud wood notes.
This scent along with its flanker Dolce and Gabbana velvet desert Oud shape the brand’s top Oud fragrances; other fragrances like the One and The One Royal Night lack the versatile qualities presented in the velvet collection.
Top Notes: Amond, Tonka Bean
Middle Notes: Rose oil, Oud
Base Notes: Musk, Coconut, Cedarwood
What we liked
- Perfection in its softness
- Long-lasting and potent
- Balanced with nutty essences