Discover, along with us and Renaud Salmon, Creative Director of Amouage, all the secrets of oil-based perfumes and the 10 best Attar fragrances.
Oil-based perfumes represent an exceptional niche in the world of fragrances. Highly concentrated, they lead to unique olfactory experiences tailored to individuals.
Let’s explore, together with Renaud Salmon, the Creative Director of the exclusive artistic perfumery brand Amouage, whom we recently met in Milan, the secrets of this formula and the top 10 oil-based perfumes of the moment.
Unlike classic perfumes offered in hydro-alcoholic solutions, composed of diluted fragrant essence in alcohol and water, oil-based perfumes have a concentrated formula based on oily essence.
While the focus is sometimes on the projection of the perfume in spray format, when it comes to Attar, the possibility of giving a new dimension to one’s identity by wearing a fragrance rich in nuances on the skin is revealed.
It is also essential to note that in the Middle East, Attars are very popular because they offer an alcohol-free formula, ideal as a base for one’s favorite perfume: with a simple drop of Attar on the skin, a completely personalized fragrance is achieved.
Attar can indeed make any creation its own, giving it an even more sophisticated allure. On the skin, the oil-based perfume literally “blooms.”
What Are Attar Perfumes
Of oriental inspiration, oil-based perfumes distinguish themselves into fragrances with an oily dilution and true “Attars,” also called ittars, which, as explained on the Accademia del Profumo website, “is the essential oil obtained from flowers, according to an ancient extraction method originating from India.”
Creating an Attar involves an ancient and methodical process, including the extraction of essences through low-temperature steam distillation for a variable time that can last up to two weeks.
The creation of attar is artisanal and fascinating, providing pure, oil-based fragrances capable of revealing unique nuances on the skin.
Why Choose Oil-based Perfumes
Oil-based perfume is absorbed by the skin, leaving it soft and fragrant. Its particular composition makes the fragrance intense but in a different way than “classic” perfumes.
In this case, the oil-based perfume does not “leave a trail” but offers a vibrant second-skin effect. Moreover, its formula is extremely long-lasting: the base notes can be perceived for a considerable time.
Differences Between Oil-based Perfume, Attar, and Perfumed Oil
When talking about oil-based perfume, it is essential to make a distinction: Attars are created according to an ancient extraction ritual and represent the excellence of oriental perfumery, with prices commensurate with their exclusivity.
Oil-based perfumes, on the other hand, present essences in an oily dilution, with a base that can consist of coconut oil, argan oil, and so on. In this case, the selling price is more accessible.
There is also perfumed oil, which offers a moisturizing oily base enriched with fragrance. This variant is the least “precious” and is useful for moisturizing and scenting the body.
It is, therefore, important to pay attention during the purchase to select the right product according to one’s needs.
Attar Perfumes by Amouage
As mentioned, in recent weeks, we had the pleasure of meeting Renaud Salmon, Creative Director of Amouage, who held an interesting masterclass during which he revealed the secrets of the famous Omani brand.
Speaking of Attar, Salmon explained: “Compared to many others, our Attars offer 100% pure essence. This means that everything inside our small bottle ‘smells.'”
“Every Amouage Attar,” Salmon continues, “is named after its main note and the city in Oman from which it originates. Specifically, Vanilla Barka, a fragrance created by Master Perfumer Domininque Ropion, has vanilla as its main ingredient because the port of Barka, in northern Oman, in the past controlled the spice trade from India and China to Europe and the Middle East.”
The Creative Director of Amouage continues: “Vanilla was one of the most expensive spices in the world. It still is today: vanilla absolute costs between 20 and 25 thousand euros per kilo. In our compositions, we generally indicate three key notes, but the formula is decidedly more complex. In this fragrance, we find many spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, and woody notes, for a total of about 25 selected ingredients.”
Wearing an oil-based perfume represents a complex and intriguing olfactory experience. In this sense, Renaud Salmon explained, “I love wearing our Attars on my wrists when I go out to dinner with friends because they usually know that I wear fragrances, such as Reflections, and when we toast, the fragrance of the Attar spreads in the air following the wrist gesture, and they are surprised. Sometimes some of them have asked me, ‘did you go out to wear a new fragrance?’ It’s a very amusing thing!”
Oil Perfume for Layering and Unusual Pairings
Oil-based perfumes are decisive in creating olfactory layering. Applying the perfume in oil on the skin ensures maximum hold and emphasizes one’s spray perfume.
Alternatively, various fragrances can be applied to different areas of the body, as suggested by Salmon: “Sometimes I wear two or three fragrances at once, in different areas of the body, and it’s fun to see how others react. I like to do this because it’s interesting for someone like me who loves fragrances; it’s a beautiful world to ‘play’ with perfumes.”
Application Tips for Oil-based Perfumes
The application of oil-based perfumes is decidedly particular. Here are some tips from Joachim Nisen, Global Educational Manager at Amouage: “The application of Attars is very different from that of eau de toilette or eau de parfum. Attars have a millennia-old tradition; they are, in fact, the first quality of liquid fragrance ever invented.”
“When you open an Attar,” continues the brand expert, “you can appreciate the purest soul of the fragrance. It is important to apply it first on the skin with the hands because it represents a real beauty treatment. Of course, it is possible, subsequently, to apply it to the hair or beard.”
Here’s an interesting tip, suggested by Joachim Nisen and Renaud Salmon in person: “Attar can be applied to the tip of the nose: when you kiss your friends, they will smell it!”
Although it is an oily product, you can also consider applying it to clothes. After dabbing the product on the skin, you can gently pass your hands over the clothes.
The 10 Best Oil Perfumes of the Moment
Here is a selection of the best oil perfumes currently available on the market.
Note: Not all of them are Attars, but they can still provide unique olfactory experiences. Try it to believe it!
Note: As always, this is a list and not a ranking.
1. Amouage Vanilla Barka
Inspired by Barka, “the city of spices” near the sea in Oman, this oil perfume offers a concentrate of pure essential oils, obtained through an ancient and traditional extraction method. This precious fragrance, signed by Master Perfumer Dominique Ropion, embraces the senses with notes of vanilla, incense, and tonka bean, revealing hypnotic spicy nuances. Unmissable.
2. Acampora Musc Pure Essence
A carnal perfume that needs no introduction. A concentrated essence of sensuality that releases woody, “moist,” and clean notes on the skin. A must-have for lovers of musky fragrances, it is one of the most precious oil perfume offerings.
3. Byredo Bal D’Afrique Oily Perfume Roll-on
The famous Byredo perfume is also available in the oily variant, in a pocket-sized travel format. An excellent alternative to always carry this aromatic and eclectic fruity-floral fragrance with a solid amber and woody base.
4. Tauer Attar AT Pure Parfum Oil
An exceptional oily fragrance with a strong oriental and animalic connotation. Composed of 100% pure essence – not diluted in alcohol or oil – this perfume offers intense notes of vetiver, patchouli, jasmine, and black rockrose. Suitable for those craving strong olfactory emotions.
5. The Body Shop Perfume Oil
A flagship of the ’90s, the musk oil perfume from the British brand is an institution. With a particularly affordable price, it has an unmistakable clean touch on the skin and excellent persistence. A must among perfumes that “smell clean,” with aldehyde and jasmine notes accompanied by sensual cruelty-free musk.
6. Dior Patchouli Élixir Précieux
Part of La Collection Privée Christian Dior, this precious elixir boasts selected raw materials that give the fragrance a particular warmth and intensity. A must for lovers of pure patchouli.
7. Nasomatto NAS Set
Three of the most famous – and loved – Nasomatto perfumes, Black Afgano, Pardon, and Blamage, in concentrated oil-based format. The roll-on format makes application easy, while the miniature format makes them real collectibles.
8. Ortigia Sicilia Perfume Roll-on Zagara
With a natural coconut oil base, this luminous perfume of orange blossom is offered in a travel-friendly format. Small and compact, it fits in a handbag and is easily applied thanks to the roll-on sphere.
9. Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige Perfume in Oil
The famous fragrance from the Florentine brand in concentrated and oily version. “The scent of snow,” with a pleasant talc-like feeling, gently settles on the skin for absolute persistence.
10. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfumed Oil Capsules
Perfume oil in a novel format: single-use vegetable capsules stored inside a practical tin box. Daisy is an iconic designer fragrance, with floral and woody notes that ideally reproduce the scent of daisies.
Credits Photos: Getty Images + Ortigia Sicilia
