I love my collection of designer fragrances, however, my love for fragrances didn’t begin with bottles of fancy perfumes. It started with being enamoured by an intense and rich scent I always smelled on my grandfather. It was an oudh attar that would always leave a trail behind. Growing up, most of us were exposed to those tiny, dainty glass flacons that reminded us of moments or memories.
With a sillage that stays etched in everyone’s memory, attar has been synonymous with a signature scent for as long as we can remember. Attars are extremely personal in a way where the one you choose often has nostalgic or comforting feelings attached to it. There’s no denying that the fragrance tastes of people have changed over time and signature scents have evolved into a fragrance wardrobe. A significant fact that makes attars stand out is that they aren’t gendered.
Here are a few attars to add to your fragrance shelf STAT
Kastoor Reign
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Kastoor’s attars are designed to reinvent the ancient art of perfumery whilst also suiting modern scents. Just as the name suggests, Reign is the scent that features the rich notes of white oudh, something that was only reserved for royalty. This is blended with sandalwood which adds an element of warmth to it.
ISAK Fragrances First Rain Attar
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Created using traditional techniques of infusion, attars from ISAK Fragrances capture the complexities of raw notes and translate them into scents which make one reminisce. Their First Rain attar is a classic example of this. All of us collectively have a soft spot for the smell of petrichor after the first rains. A homecoming feeling which feels as comforting as a warm hug. The natural smell of mitti makes this a mild attar which encapsulates the aroma of the first rains of the season.
Boond Fragrances Gulabi
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Created with an attempt to support local artisans in the perfumery business and globalise Indian fragrances, Boond Fragrances offers handcrafted attars made using the ancient Deg-bhapka technique of distillation. The Gulabi attar has notes of the Indian rose, it’s a mildly sweet scent which will transport you to a garden blooming with roses.
Ajmal 1001 Nights
Known for their extensive range of attars, Ajmal Perfumes has an attar for everyone amongst their collection of 300 attars. 1001 Nights is an intense attar which blends spicy and smoky notes that slowly evolve into musky ones. With hints of oudh and spices, this attar isn’t for the faint-hearted.
Olfa Originals Oud Noir
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Olfa Originals specialises in attars and perfumes that are created by blending oudh with other distinctive and powerful notes. Oud Noir is an opulent scent which features notes of rose mixed with ylang-ylang and oudh. The presence of leather amidst these notes adds warmth to this attar, making it a perfect evening scent.
Kannauj Attar Blue Lotus Attar
Using only natural ingredients that are sourced directly from farmers, Kannauj Attar creates compositions which elevate classic notes. The Blue Lotus Attar is a soothing one that induces feelings of euphoria and calms your nerves down. It’s a well-defined floral attar that lingers on for a long time.
Naso Profumi Basil Infused in Sambac
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Only using sustainable practices with pure herbs and indigenous spices, Naso Profumi’s scents and attars are a testament to traditional luxury. Basil infused in Sambac features enchanting aromas of jasmine and mogra intertwined with that of the basil leaf. The floral scent exudes elegance while basil leaves adds soothing energy.
