The niche line SoOud was launched in 2010 by perfumer Stephane Humbert Lucas, who is also the brain and nose behind Nez á Nez.
I never felt particularly moved to explore this line, because, frankly, the name irks me. I believe it is quite stupid to name an entire line after a (sadly overexposed) material, when half the perfumes not even contain it. There are four oud-less perfumes and four that contain oud, but I think it is safe to say the entire line is very French in style. So, as I see it, you discourage the anti-oud fraction from taking a look at the perfumes in the first place, and you frustrate the oud-seekers with not very Arabian perfumes, half of which do not even contain oud. That is a lose-lose situation if I ever saw one.
But that mini-rant aside, I received a sample of Ouris Parfum Nectar from the lovely Asali of All I Am – A Redhead, and despite not expecting anything much, I was floored by the beauty of Ouris. I should not have been surprised, Asali’s taste is excellent after all and we have many fragrant loves in common.
“A symphony of butterfly colors, including peach, blackcurrant and plum, shimmer against the blue sky – a rainbow of beating wings. This delicious mélange of sun-ripened fruit is folded into iris butter and almond cream and drizzled with pollen. Jasmine and white cedar add a lilting freshness and lightness, keeping this as frothy and yummy as a peach daiquiri, while sandalwood and tonka add a layer of sophistication and lasting power to the mix. A sublime summer cocktail of a scent – sensuous, delectable and utterly feminine.”
– via luckyscent.com
I don’t often cite PR material, as mostly it is not particularly relevant to the ensuing scent experience, and more often than not it is more on the funny side than helpful, but this paragraph about Ouris entices me from “symphony of butterflies” to “utter femininity”.
Ouris includes notes of peach, plum, blackcurrant, honey, tagette, jasmine, white cedar, pollen accord, almond, iris butter, vanilla, sandalwood and tonka and was created by Stephane Humbert Lucas in 2010.
Ouris, as well as all the other perfumes from SoOud comes in two cutely named concentrations, the lighter Eau Fine (comparable to Eau de Parfum comes in a white 60ml bottle) and the more concentrated Parfum Nectar (a 35% concentration in black 30ml bottles).
Ouris Eau Fine starts with the most delectable peach note, light, happy, impossibly juicy and utterly realistic. The peach becomes more plummy and a bit darker over time until it glides into a floral heart of jasmine, iris and honey so utterly yummy, it is very hard to detach yourself from your arm at any point during the first hour. That is not to say that the drydown makes it any easier to stop huffing your wrist.
But that is where the Parfum Nectar really excels. Starting out less uplifting, to borrow the words of a Perfumista friend – this is more of a peach liqueur – the Nectar is richer, deeper and really gets going on the iris-sandalwood-tonka front.
Try as I might, I am unable to recommend one concentration over the other, both are variations on a theme I can’t get enough of.
I recommend the Eau Fine for its top-notes and perfect summer-scent capabilities, but I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the depth and power of the Nectar either. Layered, the two bring you closer to a peach-hung heaven than most religions want you to be in this life.
Sometimes heaven is as close as the next breath.
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Wow. Your description of Ouris makes me really want to go where those peaches are! Great review! Sign me up now 🙂
I’m delighted you’ll come along. Peach-heaven is a great place to be! 😉
It sounds like it! I think I saw that they have the line at Henri Bendel’s . . . I will have to call and check . . .
Sounds divine! I haven’t explored this line either – I always find it sliiiiiightly worrying when a perfumer creates another brand – especially when their first line isn’t the most popular of the bunch…
Didn’t the guy from Boadicea do the same with Illuminum… Well, that says enough ey haha.
I think the only person I can forgive for doing this is Pierre Guillaume with Huitieme Art – JUST.
Anyway, yes, delicious stuff – peach liquer and iris sold me enough.
It is divine indeed!
I agree with your statements about the brands, especially since I didn’t have the best experiences with Nez a Nez (to be fair, I haven’t tried all of them though!), let’s not even mention Boadicea and Illuminum…
But I’m always willing to be educated, and SoOud has a new fan. 🙂
Juicy nectar in a form of a perfume. I want at least try that as you described it so vivid I can’t resist thinking of it. And you are absolutely right with the name of the line.
It is delicious, Civava!
The name is not doing the line any favors…
Forgot to add: the name is not so bad. They could have picked sogOud instead 😉
It is sorOud of me to pick on the name. 😉
Ha! 😀
Haha! Good one 🙂
:))
Your review came in as I wait patiently for my bottle to arrive, (not something I excel at, waiting patiently) I am now chomping at the bit to get my hot mits on this one after your review. I had never thought of myself as a peach fiend, I would have actively stayed away from the note, same goes for pear but it seems I am a fruity floral (yikes does that mean mainstream) kind of girl, albeit one with expensive tastes. 🙂
I hope you’ll get it soon! Which concentration did you order?
I think the kinds of fruity florals we like, are as far from regular mainstream fare as McDonalds is from Paul Bocuse. 🙂
I got the Eau Fine concentration in the end and it arrived last night, whoop whoop. Lovely peach fuzzy heaven. Laughed lots at your McDonalds comment, I thought that I was developing a mainstream fruity floral habit. 🙂
Eau Fin is perfect for summer!
I don’t think we have to worry about you going off the deep end into Britney Spears fume territory. 😉
Lovely review! Now I am going to have to return to the store to smell it. I love peach as a note as I lived for several years in Georgia.
Yes, you have to! The SA I met last time was extremely nice, I hope you get to see her. Let me know how you like Ouris!
Yummy! Looking forward to smelling this once I get over my LOOOOONNNNGGG testing list (I’ve literally stopped writing on it when I see a nice fragrance. I give up.)
Love your last line, beautiful!
I gave up on sticking to my list pretty soon as well, perfumes jumped the line left and right… 🙂
Thank you! It is a gorgeous perfume and that is always inspiring.
Guess who I just sent a package to…. 😉
🙂
I wear it today – all smiling and happy. To be honest, I don’t know of which concentration my sample is, but I get a very lovely creamy almondy concoction, with just a hint of iris, peach and tonka/vanilla. The scent reminds me innocent young girls in white dresses …
Most probably Ouris won’t last for long on my robust skin, but that never has been the condition for me for lovinge a parfum.
Your sample is of the Eau Fin, I’m sure your “robust” skin (BTW, more and more get the impression you don’t know how delicate and lady-like you really are) would love the Parfum Nectar even more, it is less girl in white dress, more woman in cashmere.
You make me blush, dearest B. 🙂
It’s the truth! 🙂
You’re making me crazy!
I hang again with my nose in my little sample of …
Let’s see how long I still can hold back myself ….! 😉
I’m sorry! But i think the fault lies entirely with the perfume. 😉 It’s just too addictive!
It must be! 😉
Because how could it happen that my fingers have a few moments ago, made independently and have pressed ORDER?! 😉 What a funny mysticism, very funny and very strange, isn’ t it? ;-),
Oh you did order it! Excellent! Which concentration? Enjoy, Evelyn!!! 😀
Wow, what a swoonsome review, this does sound heavenly. Asali did well to locate such a gem in this misleadingly named line, though I agree that their PR copy is exceptionally well-written for once.
I can see SoOud are making it very hard for you to resist owning both concentrations!
pssst, Tara … Asali had a little help locating this gem. Not that she doesn’t have great taste and the ability to sniff out wonderful perfumes on her own (she does, of course!), but a very handsome young SA at Printemps must be partially credited for helping her find this one! 🙂
And your husband Suzanne, too, has a hand in this, and made it a relatively, for me, easy pick. But it’s true the facial expression of the SA sniffing it from my skin, well, what can you say;-)
I remember, you sweet little man-magnet kitten of a thing! Love you!
Well done all round then!
Swoonsome is a great word! 🙂
Asali is really to be commended for her excellent taste!
I don’t see how I can resist either…
Birgit, spot-on review of the gorgeous nectar, which Asali kindly gifted me a decant of. This has to be one of the most beautiful fruity-florals ever made. The peach note is absolutely sublime — this is definitely summertime in a bottle.
I’m so glad you agree with me, one of the most beautiful fruity-floral ever made – absolutely! 🙂
hehe now I almost look like this
Hahaha, you deserve to look like this. 🙂
This is one of the line I was purposefully avoided because of the name… not of the line itself – though I agree with you, it was a strange idea on their part, but because I’m protesting their choice for one of their perfumes – Burqa. It doesn’t matter how great that perfume might be I won’t be caught dead wearing Burqa (or burqa)! And shame on a European brand who promotes it.
Having said that, I still want to tell you that your review sounds very nice, I like that perfume in your interpretation. If I ever come across this line in a boutique I’ll give it a sniff – just because you, Asali and Susan say it’s beautiful.
I understand your point, Undina.
Thanks for your trust though, it is a beautiful perfume, even if the whole naming issue is unfortunate at best.
I like the bottles very much… I cannot say anything about the juice, since I never tried anything from this line.
The bottles have a very pleasing heft, and the caps are weighted – a big plus inmy book. 🙂
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