Oude
by Ava Luxe

This doesn't capture oud to me at all. It smells overwhelming of a specific aroma-compound used to convey "leather." If true oud is in there it has been defeated and swallowed by this compound. There is no other layer to this..no contrast point..no development. The leather is butch and rough..not mediated by any other notes. I feel this is a cop out...very disappointed.

9th September, 2010.

Oud / Agarwood is my favourite note, but this is quite horrible in use : One of the very few fragrances which has cause me a terrible physical reaction. Not headache, but awfully dry and sore throat that lasted even after showering the scent off my skin. And I didn`t even use much!

This is interesting experience, and if you`re a fan of oud; I say get a sample or small decant of this...
But remember I told you so : Harsh, rude, raw, suffocating, extremely dry and resinous, and most definitely too much for even someone like me who likes oud and heavy scents liberally sprayed.

12nd September, 2008.

This is an aoud that I can wear. It doesn’t exhibit that powerful aromatic experience – that electrical fire smell – the smell that Montale aouds present to my nose. Ava Luxe’s Oude does have the aromatic presence of aoud (wood), but it is quite tamed, it is attainable, it is not at all shocking or aggressive. Oude eventually forms a quiet skin scent that is woody (of course), earthy, and grounding, and lasts for hours. It’s not the most exciting wood fragrance, but it is elemental, full, and satisfying. That’s pretty much what there is to this fragrance, and that is more than enough, because this aoud note is fulfilling. A meditation.

9th March, 2008.

While I agree with the 2 previous reviewers that Ava-Luxe Oude is an odd smell, and I'll even admit that it isnt exactly a good smell in the *classic* sense, I'm incredibly attracted to this scent! I have both the EDP and the lotion and wear them alone regularly. This exact smell is the dominant (the only?) note present in the drydown of Ava-Luxe's Moksha, another of my very faves from this line. Perhaps those who crave additional notes in their Oude would like that one instead.

4th December, 2007.

I'll concur with what Caltha says. It's an odd smell, woody but medicinal. Not pleasant, exactly, but would be great layered with something else. I tried it with a rose soliflore and it worked well.
It's potent stuff and long lasting - a good value oude, if that is what you are looking for.

17th May, 2007.

Smoky, leathery, chemical, medicinal, resinous, sharp... I don't know if Oud is supposed to smell like this since I have never smelled it on its own. This is, however, like CdG Garage Extreme: amped-up car interior, gasoline and tar. I couldn't possibly call it pleasant, but I'll go so far as to "interesting" and add that it might work as a layering note. It might also work worn as it is in very small amounts on the butchiest butch alive. I can imagine getting a faint whiff of this mixed with warm body odours from a hot leatherclad butch might work very well indeed... But too much of it and you get a headache and a sore throat from breathing it in.

18th April, 2007.