Luxury Oud Oil Revitalizes Spa Products

For thousands of years, Oud oil or Agarwood oil has been used in holistic therapies, particularly in Ayurvedic medicine. Known for its healing properties and therapeutic benefits, oud oil has long been used to enhance wellbeing. In today’s growing spa culture, many high-end spa ranges are adding more than a drop or two of this ‘liquid gold’ to use in wonderfully relaxing wellness treatments.

The sweet, deep and magical scent of oud oil stimulates the senses and revitalizes and relaxes at the same time. Oud oil evokes a wonderfully rich and balanced aroma that penetrates to your core; easily blended, it is a transformative ingredient in spa and aromatherapy massage oils and luxury face and body creams as well as bath products and incense.

Spa benefits of oud oil

• Relaxes the whole body: The heady scent transports as the ancient oil creates a laid-back feeling. Oud oil is also an anti-inflammatory and can be an effective way to relieve pain in the muscles.
• Restores balance to the mind: The spiritual aspects of oud oil are often attributed to its impact on clearing the mind and boosting consciousness levels and alertness. Used in meditative practices. It is believed that oud oil promotes inner peace and a feeling of clarity and meditative calm.
• Releases pent-up emotions: Spa treatments nourish not just the body but the whole mind, and the captivating scent used in an oud oil spa therapy can help release anxiety, emotional blockages as well as negativity. Spa treatments are about letting go of the past and future to embrace the mindfulness of now and it is this focus that de-stresses and creates space for a more positive outlook.
• Boosts libido: It is little surprise that the intoxicating perfume of oud oil is considered to be an aphrodisiac and agarwood has been used in the treatment of sexual dysfunction as well. Certainly, the relaxed state oud oil inspires does enhance your mood and enable you to connect more deeply with yourself, a relationship which is at the root of sexual healing.
• Detoxifies, improves digestion and alleviates respiratory problems: The potency of the agarwood essential oil reduces gas in the system, acts as a diuretic and is also reported as being anti-asthmatic. The health benefits of oud oil go hand in hand with the spa benefits.
• Improves the skin’s radiance: Oud oil helps repair the skin’s cells and fight free radicals. In doing so it rejuvenates and hydrates the skin and just a few drops added to a spa face product can really enrich the antioxidizing facial experience.
• Particularly in Thailand and Southeast Asia, the spa culture is highly developed and there are many incredible spa brands being introduced. Oud oil can be used in a diffuser to set just the right spa ambiance, massaged into tired muscles with a carrier oil or added to a wonderfully soothing bath or cooling, moisturizing cream.

Australian luxury skincare range, Sodashi retails an Arabian Oud Body Oil and has developed special oud oil products for exclusive spas. Agadire Men is a line of oud oil hair products for men with hair and body wash and even beard oil.  Natural beauty product chain, The Body Shop has also launched their Red Musk range with oud oil body lotion and shower gel. Oud oil gives spa product brands an added layer of luxury that resonates with the customers seeking a fragrant and indulgent spa treatment.

Big Brand Perfumers Love Oud

The mystical and mesmerizing allure of oud oil, the musky, evocative scent of Arabia has gone mainstream. Premier oud oil producer and supplier, Treedom, has experienced a surge of interest from Europe and the Western world for its trademark woody, intoxicating aroma. Now big-name fragrance brands are infusing their perfumes and colognes with the heady Oud notes, redefining the scent market and reaching new fragrance consumers who are falling for the luxurious quality of Oud.

Oud oil has been desirable in the Middle East and the Orient for thousands of years, but is a relative newcomer to markets in the West. Its popularity is due to its enticingly deep layers of complex scents which are rich and pungent. With so many fragrances introduced each year, Oud Oil is a key ingredient in creating innovative products that really have a standout quality. In turn, this appeals to consumers who welcome the tantalising individuality and unique characteristics of oud oil.  

Oud has become synonymous with luxury and niche, although high-profile brands are certainly introducing this so-called ‘liquid gold’ to a wider market. The oud oil trend began in the West when fashion perfumers such as Versace, Tom Ford and Calvin Klein developed an interest in oud oil, following some of the most renowned scent makers who were already developing oud oil concoctions and experimenting with different scents. From the catwalk fashionistas, the potential of oud oil has been realized with new scents that combine the highly fragrant oil with other ingredients to create an entirely new and exciting range of products.

Oud Oil, once considered rare and sought-after by Arabs visiting the West, has been adopted by perfume houses with gusto. Harrods in London launched H – The Exclusive Oud, a fragrance designed just for them only. Amouroud fragrances, born out of the Perfumer’s Workshop in the US, are penetrating Europe with their Dark Orchid fragrance a bestseller at Stockholm NK with Safran Rare, which was launched in 2016, selling out too.

The big brands are definitely marketing oud oil as an upscale fragrance choice, reaching out to the mainstream in luxuriant style. The combinations are exotic, with an air of off-beat mystery. Noted perfumes and colognes include, Jo Malone’s Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne, Gucci’s Gucci Intense Oud, L’Occitane Oud & Rose eau de parfum, Tom Ford’s Oud Wood, Armani’s Oud Royal, Honey Oud by Floris, with many other well-known brands too.

One reason why big brands are falling in love with oud is its versatility. Several years ago unisex fragrances hit the market with great success and oud oil lends itself to fragrances for men and women and scents suitable for both.  The rise of the metrosexual and blurred gender definitions undoubtedly has some impact on how the fashion and fragrance industries develop.

The brand-name oud oil scents may be far different than the rich aromas of Oud Oil’s Middle Eastern heritage, but they still retain the essence of what is a wonderfully enchanting ingredient.

Europe’s Love for Eau de Oud Oil

 Demand for Arabian oil is growing in Europe and Treedom produces the so-called liquid gold in Thailand for perfumers across the globe. The most expensive natural resource in the world, agarwood’s oud oil extract is regarded as a luxuriously mystical and powerful scent; an oil renowned for its therapeutic properties, its mood-enhancing effects and its incredible aromatic layers.

European perfumers smell luxury fragrance lines

The oil-rich monarchies of the GCC nations have a rich history of oud oil use, especially in perfumes for men and women. Now, Europeans are catching a whiff of the versatility and potential of the enticing, woody aromas of oud oil, particularly in creating high-value, luxury perfume lines and high-end fragrances.

The unique, mysterious qualities of oud oil and its potent scent are attracting more European fragrance houses. Those seeking to produce high-end perfumes regard oud oil as an exclusive, highly-valued and essential element in creating a special fragrance. Whilst the oil is an expensive product, demand for luxurious perfumes is high in Europe and as each perfumer explores the qualities of oud oil more follow.

Europe embraces the exotic qualities of oud

Whilst European countries such as France may have a global reputation for perfumes consumption for both men and women, in the Middle East the market demand is far higher. Oud oil is regarded as one of the most sought-after scents in this part of the world. The sweet, exotic complexity of oud oil has only really captured the attention of international fragrance houses in the last 10 years. Recognizing the wealth of the local Arab market and potential profits globally, European perfumers have embraced the power of oud oil and its rich scent.

Oud symbolizes the opulence of exoticness; a strong sense of heady passion and musky sensuality. Oud oil’s many layers lend itself to single-note fragrances for women and colognes for men, as well as discovering exciting combinations and innovative scents.

Whilst some European perfumers may have started out or still focus on fragrances for the Arab market, there is a growing demand for oud oil from European consumers too. To satisfy demand from this newly emerging European market, there is a real culture of experimentation with oud oil scents in Europe right now, with never-before-seen combinations expanding the allure of this ancient

Arabian oud oil to Europe via Thailand

With a global fragrance market estimated to be worth around $46 billion US dollars in the next year or two, the number of new scents hitting the shelves each year is rising significantly. New markets are emerging and old markets such as the Middle East and Europe are merging and crossing over. Celebrity perfumes may have reached saturation point, but there is a growing demand for unisex perfumes and greater choice in men’s colognes.

In the midst of these shifts, Treedom symbolizes a new age of perfume making. The production of Arabian oud oil comes from certified agarwood plantations in Thailand, with growing production and demand in the Western world.  With plantations and a distillation factory, Treedom is supplying the growing European market with high-quality oud oil, as well as the Middle East.

Oud oil retains its avant-garde perfume status in Europe, considered the hallmark of exclusive and exotic collections; regarded as a special ingredient that is unequivocally unique and exciting. 

Oud Oil’s Anticancer Properties

Could oud oil offer a pioneering treatment in the fight against cancer? A recent study suggests that oud oil possesses anticancer activity toward MCF-7 breast cancer cells. These latest findings from a Malaysian research university study back up the use of agarwood essential oil as a treatment for inflammatory related diseases.

Breast cancer cell control

The study revealed that oud oil concentration of 44 μg/ml was able to inhibit 50% of control cell growth.  The results could mark further investigation into the medicinal capabilities of oud oil as an alternative cancer treatment.

Anti-pancreatic cancer properties

A separate study in Malaysia also found agarwood essential oils to have anti-pancreatic properties too. The inhibition of mastastasis and induction of apoptosis in the pancreatic cell line was investigated. The results revealed that the oils used exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against these cells, inhibited cell migration and at a certain dosage could significantly obstruct the colony formation properties of the cell line.

Oud oil compound properties

The unique compounds found in oud oil in high concentrations are believed to be the key to its wide use to treat a great number of health and wellness issues. Carvacrol, trepans and phenols attack viruses and bacteria within the body and the oil has an anti-microbial property which researchers have looked into as a possible treatment source for illnesses such as MRSA and staph. The oil has an anti-oxidant and anaesthetic effect too. The potential that oud oil could act as a cell-killing agent to cancer could lead to powerful medical breakthroughs.

Oud oil’s medicinal uses

Agarwood has long been revered for its therapeutic properties throughout the Arab world and Asia. Oud oil extracted from agarwood has a rich history of medicinal use, treating a wide range of health issues.  The anti-inflammatory effects of oud oil mean it has been used widely in the treatment of arthritis as an anti-rheumatic, alleviating aches and pains.

Agarwood essential oils are also highly regarded in the treatment of nausea, pain and digestive complaints, as well as bacterial infections, asthma and even epilepsy. Whilst there is no scientific proof as of yet, oud oil has been used in the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver and kidney issues.  The latest anti-cancer findings could lead to the development of new, alternative treatments to one of the world’s biggest killer diseases.

Oud oil can be applied topically, inhaled or sprayed on as a fragrance, giving it greater versatility whether rubbed on the skin to alleviate a rash or its aroma used to lessen the symptoms of a common cold.

The mind and the body

Wellbeing is essentially holistic wellness and oud oil is known for its psychological effects as well as its impact physically. It has been used in many parts of the world as a treatment for anxiety, stress and depression, and is regarded as having psychoactive properties.

In Ayurvedic medicine, oud oil is used to sharpen and focus the mind, promote greater positivity and even raise EQ with its enlightening and thought-strengthening capabilities.

Oud oil, with its interesting culture of medicinal use, as well as the results of contemporary research studies into its properties and potential, add to its wonder and appeal.

Ref. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25002797

Treedom Welcomes NY Scent Designer

A world-renowned, award-winning French perfumer has tracked the enticing scent of Treedom oud oil all the way from his base in New York to Thailand. Fragrance designer extraordinaire, Christophe Laudamiel incorporates Treedom oud oil in some of his key signature perfumes and in June 2016, visited the Treedom agarwood factory and plantations. Here, he was given a genuine insight into the sophisticated oud oil production process.

A chemist, osmocurator and fragrance director at the Perfume School in New York, Christophe takes scent to a whole new creative level. Luca Turin, one of the very few true perfume critiques and judge on the Women’s Wear Daily Smell Test panel, recently wrote about him as being “the greatest inventor of novel perfume structures working today”.

Christophe’s passion for perfume has seen him establish a bespoke perfume enterprise DreamAir which partnered with Firmenich, a worldwide leader in fragrances and fragrance ingredients. He is also the founder of the non-profit tax-exempt Academy of Perfumery and Aromatics for the advancement and education of the art of fragrance-making. 

Christophe adds true artistic dimensions to perfume’s possibilities and has been featured in art galleries and collaborated on a ‘scent opera’, Green Aria, at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, pairing music, visuals and scents in high-profile events and exhibits.

Under the Air Sculpture® umbrella, Christophe creates innovative scent installations within the hospitality and retail industries. His knowledge of fragrances came from his learning experiences with legendary perfumers, Pierre Bourdon, Carlos Benaim and Sofia Grojsman.  With his trademark Mohawk. He has created fragrances for some of the most celebrated design houses, from Ralph Lauren to Estee Lauder; Tom Ford, Clinique and Michael Kors, to name just a few. 

Christophe, who first came across oud oil in Southeast Asia when no-one really knew about it in the Western world, gained treasured knowledge from his trip to Treedom’s unique distillery and trade-secret know-how.

“Although the true smell of 100% pure and natural Agarwood oil is still not so well known, I love the fact that we can now use that oil much more in fragrances. When I first showed it to collaborators in New York in very early ‘00’s they thought I was crazy to love such untamed smell.  There is still a long way to go. Oud adds another dimension of mystery and sensuality to perfume. There are not so many natural wood ingredients that can create this animalistic character of the wild.”

Enamoured with agarwood, Christophe believes men and women in the West should become connoisseurs of such specific ingredients as oud oil to really appreciate its nuances, complexity and variety much like they would value a fine whiskey.

“I'd like to encourage everyone to smell more and, just as with chocolate or wine, discover the differences and become more educated about Oud oil. This is a very so-called masculine oil and, actually, in Western cultures men should become as literate as women in the art of perfume. They should know their Agarwood as much as they know their wines or whiskeys. Not only for their own pleasure, but also that of others surrounding them, since a fragrance is to be noticed and shared by those closest to you.” 

With scent gurus such as Christophe introducing oud oil to new markets, its essence is permeating beyond the Arabic, Indian and Japanese traditions. It is enriching the culture of perfume across the globe and is writing an exciting new chapter in the history book of fragrances.

Important note:

Mr. Laudamiel is a client and user of Treedom products. He has graciously allowed the use of his name and trip for this story for educational purposes, without any other commercial arrangements.

British Perfumers Smell Eastern Promise

British perfumers are beginning to get a nose for the oil industry, breathing in the scent of possibility and profits thanks to Englishman Andrew Steel. The founder and CEO of Treedom brought the valuable scent of oud oil to members of the British Society of Perfumers Society (BSP) during a keynote speech in May 2016. 

The one-day event at Whittlebury Hall, in the rolling hills of England, was a great success as perfumers were introduced and seduced by the rare qualities of the agarwood oil. Originating in the Middle East, Treedom produces the luxury oil in Thailand.

Established over half a century ago, BSP has a strong history of promoting perfumers’ interests and this involves educating experts on interesting ingredients. Known as ‘liquid gold’, oud oil has a deep, complex and mysterious scent; a powerful, woody and musky fragrance that has been used in the East for thousands of years.

British perfumers are becoming increasingly interested in the intriguing ingredient which though non-gender specific is often favoured in men’s colognes. During his speech, Treedom’s Andrew Steel encouraged fragrance makers to follow their noses to oud oil producers and work directly with them, cutting out unnecessary middle contacts which pump up costs.

In recent times, oud oil, which is highly valued in the East, has become ever-more popular in other parts of the world. British perfume producers are also pushing forward with this trend as they appreciate the robust basenote of oud oil which has real staying power, creating a longer-lasting fragrance.

Andrew Steel believes perfumers in Britain and the rest of Europe will begin to integrate oud oil into more scents and introduce oud oil perfume and cologne lines in the future. “The British, and of course renowned fragrance-making countries such as France and Italy, have a long tradition of producing unique scents that stand the test of time. I truly believe that the depth and luxurious aroma of oud oil aroma, along with its versatility, will appeal to more and more perfume manufacturers. The strong, earthy scent perfectly complements the tastes of British men who embrace the spirit of fierce independence and individuality, and who understand high-quality.”

During the event, British perfumers learnt how oud oil has been used in holistic therapies and its purported wellness benefits. As well as being used in cologne for men, oud oil can also create exotic fragrances for women as well as unisex perfumes which have become a hugely expanding market in recent years, especially with younger scent-seekers. Powerful perfumes for women with a distinct, almost masculine scent are in demand and oud oil is starting to smell like productivity and profits for many perfumers across the globe.

An example of how oud oil is being incorporated into dynamic ranges is its use in UK brand, Boadicea the Victorious who create luxury perfumes with a focus on highly-concentrated natural ingredients. 

Oud oil is also the perfect, blissful scent for spa and beauty products too and is renowned for its nourishing, anti-aging properties.

With recent reports that a certain member of the British royal family was gifted with an oud oil fragrance, the signs are there that the scent is resonating with the unique spirit of the British.