Edward Muller
True Ouddict
The Misses said something to me tonight, and that triggered me to write this post. I guess it's been brewing at the back of my mind but I never really articulated it.
I have the habit of swiping oud oils 2 hours or so before bed - it is an excellent study time of the scent profile and progression of the oils, no lights, no distractions - which I find personally a much better opportunity to appreciate the beautiful creations of the resident artisans.
Oud calms and soothes me (which is one of the reasons I swipe oud during daytime), and it just makes me sleep much better.
The best part of the experience, in my opinion, is up until just shortly after the dry down sets in - where the notes have all settled down and reached equilibrium. Just like the credits that appears at the end of the movie - the part after they had displayed the names of the actors and actresses, the part where the names of the sound and special effects team are about to roll up, the part where everyone stand up and leaves the cinema.
The dry downs of oud oils (Hindi is an exception - but they do smell similar as a group of their own in the dry down), gives me an impression of a slightly citrusy vetiver profile. Some might smell clean, some might have a rubber waxy feel to them, some might have a dusty undertone... No where near as interesting as the ”main event”. It doesn't have the same calming effect, nor the breathtaking wow factor. This is the only time those surround me are okay with oud, and this is not oud.
The reason why I wear oud, is ALWAYS for personal enjoyment. Yes it can be offensive to most, but how is more offensive than the smell of old cigarette smoke, or someone with bad oral hygiene? Oud might be an unfamiliar scent to those who are not accustomed to it, but surely it doesn't deserve the same scrunched up nose and forehead as the nasty synthetics (or how about a heavy handed application of designer perfume, like... Dior Poison?).
So yes - I wear oud to work (even Hindis!) but only on my wrists. My little ”guilty” pleasures - because if I have to deal with their stinky eau de whatever, they need to deal with mine.
Oud is an acquired taste, and it's highly unlikely that one will love the ”genre” on first sniff.
All this because the Misses said to me tonight - I love you but oud is THE scent that I simply can't stand.
Now I wonder - can she develop the same love like ours for it eventually? Fingers crossed. Time to start the electrical burner.
I have the habit of swiping oud oils 2 hours or so before bed - it is an excellent study time of the scent profile and progression of the oils, no lights, no distractions - which I find personally a much better opportunity to appreciate the beautiful creations of the resident artisans.
Oud calms and soothes me (which is one of the reasons I swipe oud during daytime), and it just makes me sleep much better.
The best part of the experience, in my opinion, is up until just shortly after the dry down sets in - where the notes have all settled down and reached equilibrium. Just like the credits that appears at the end of the movie - the part after they had displayed the names of the actors and actresses, the part where the names of the sound and special effects team are about to roll up, the part where everyone stand up and leaves the cinema.
The dry downs of oud oils (Hindi is an exception - but they do smell similar as a group of their own in the dry down), gives me an impression of a slightly citrusy vetiver profile. Some might smell clean, some might have a rubber waxy feel to them, some might have a dusty undertone... No where near as interesting as the ”main event”. It doesn't have the same calming effect, nor the breathtaking wow factor. This is the only time those surround me are okay with oud, and this is not oud.
The reason why I wear oud, is ALWAYS for personal enjoyment. Yes it can be offensive to most, but how is more offensive than the smell of old cigarette smoke, or someone with bad oral hygiene? Oud might be an unfamiliar scent to those who are not accustomed to it, but surely it doesn't deserve the same scrunched up nose and forehead as the nasty synthetics (or how about a heavy handed application of designer perfume, like... Dior Poison?).
So yes - I wear oud to work (even Hindis!) but only on my wrists. My little ”guilty” pleasures - because if I have to deal with their stinky eau de whatever, they need to deal with mine.
Oud is an acquired taste, and it's highly unlikely that one will love the ”genre” on first sniff.
All this because the Misses said to me tonight - I love you but oud is THE scent that I simply can't stand.
Now I wonder - can she develop the same love like ours for it eventually? Fingers crossed. Time to start the electrical burner.
