There are a lot of exclusive ingredients in designer perfumes. But none can rival the most luxurious, expensive ingredient of them all; agarwood essential oil.

You may be more familiar with its other name – oud wood, or oud oil. Here’s more information.

Agarwood essential oil – what is it?

Agarwood is a resinous heartwood that occurs in Aquilaria trees (which grow throughout Asia). Sometimes called oud oil or oudh, it forms when the Aquilaria tree is under attack, from either bacteria or fungus.

When attacked, the tree secretes an oil into the wounded areas. It’s this oil that’s of so much interest to perfume houses across the world.



Over time, the oil changes. Initially a sticky liquid, it gradually hardens and turns dark. The heartwood (the middle part of the tree that is darker than the rest) also darkens after infection. The agarwood is harvested, then sent to expert perfume-makers to transform into an expensive fragrance.

Agarwood perfume – what does it smell like?

As you might expect from an Asian ingredient, agarwood oil carries a hint of the exotic. It’s a rich, evocative scent that’s very sensual – ideal for evening-wear!

A perfect example of an agarwood perfume is our version of Velvet Rose and Oud. Like all the best agarwood-based perfumes, it keeps the other ingredients to a minimum, letting the natural potency of the oud shine through. In this instance, it’s accompanied by rose, and a hint of praline and clove. The spice of the clove and the sweetness of praline create the perfect balance.

There are a few things you should know about oud fragrances. They are:

• They are potent and powerful. As such, you may prefer to keep them for evenings or special occasions. They’re ideal for a night out with a loved one.
• They’ve got good longevity. Providing you invest in a good-quality fragrance (like ours!), you can expect agarwood-based scents to last. Oud is one of those ingredients that lingers beautifully for hours.
• They’re sensual. Many people state that they find oud oil quite alluring, if not a bit arousing at times. As such, it might not be one to wear for your mother’s sixtieth birthday meal. However, it depends what the other ingredients are, as some counterbalance this effect.

If you haven’t smelt oud oil before, we recommend investing in a few samples. At the Copycat Fragrances website, you’ll find a range of 5ml sample sizes, which provide the perfect opportunity to test out the scents before you commit to buy a full-sized bottle.

Have a browse through the site – many of the perfumes and colognes on offer have oud as an ingredient.

Disclaimer: all products mentioned above, along with their labelling, are a guide and should not be confused with the actual fragrance brand. Any name trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective designers or makers. Please note, these perfumes and candles are not to be confused with the originals, and we have no affiliation with any companies mentioned. Our interpretations of the fragrances and candles were created through chemical analysis and personal development, and their description is solely to give the customer an idea of the nature of the scent. It is not designed to mislead or confuse the customer in any way, and does not infringe on the manufacturer's or designer's name or trademark.