لؤلؤة

لؤلؤة (Lu-lu – ‘pearl’, in Arabic) is an elegant semi-bespoke featuring Chugoku Naga, an exquisite wild Nagaland oud we distilled 12 years ago. One of the most beautifully floral Hindis you can hope to smell, with that signature Naga rooibos note immersed in Tibetan musk and sandalwood.

Here’s what Lance, whom it was made for, had to say after spending some time with his newfound love:

“Before I speak about the composition, I’ll speak about the raw materials. If I began to estimate how many sandalwood oils I’ve tried, I’d likely be telling an underestimated lie.

But I can say that Santal Royale is the longest lasting, most projecting, and best scent profile I’ve smelled in a sandalwood oil. As far as the musk tincture, you really know your stuff concerning how it would behave in the composition. By smelling the Tibetan musk tincture neat I would have never thought it would incorporate so seamlessly. The musk tincture neat is obtrusive and piercing, not something I’d ever wear neat but it’s brilliant in the composition.

I’ve had a few days with the composition and I can say that I’m very disappointed that it is not what I envisioned or expected. But don’t fret, fear nor worry because it is EXACTLY what I was looking for and needed!!!!

I wanted something that is not intrusive but at the same time persistent. I wanted something that is not purple, blue, red, green, or fruity but rather brown, and that shade of brown is more of an earth toned khaki; supple rather than dry, and perfect.

If you recall, I asked about Chugoku Senkoh when deciding on an agarwood oil to use, and despite the composition being a blend, it reminds me so much of Chugoku Senkoh. There is a quality in some agarwood oils that I can only describe as medical, it doesn’t have anything to do with the quality or grade of the feedstock that made the oil or the scent profile.

For example, Oud Yusuf does not have that medicinal quality on one end nor does EO Nha Trang on the other end. EO Port Moresby is medicinal, EO Sultan Sufyan is a completely different profile and is medicinal, Assam Kinam a different profile is medicinal, Chugoku Naga & Senkoh while different profiles to the prior mentions are medicinal quality oils in my opinion. Chugoku Naga neat is clean and has a mild dark dry fruit undertone but not as much as in oils like EO Yoshi and Royal Imphal, or Agar Aura Nashila. That fruity undertone is muted in the composition but gives the composition a supple juiciness.

The composition is medicinal, sanitarily clean like petrichor after a rainshower; smooth, balanced, refined, and non-intrusive. The oud is certainly dominant, the sandalwood and musk are still evident, especially in the first few hours the creamy redness (not the same as redness in agarwood oil) of the sandalwood oil runs parellel with the oud.

I’m not only sensitive to certain ingredients in many parfums, I’m also sensitive to how they behave and the characteristics of the scent. For example, you can have a fragrance that projects well, is ever perceivable, but is still subtle. Likewise, you can have a fragrance that projects well, is ever perceivable, but is loud and intrusive. Many consumers prefer the latter whereas due to my sensitivity, tolerance, and preference, I find many to be loud, intrusive and cloying. Lulu’a is strong and lasts all day, easily, with one spray but is in no way intrusive. EO has some fantastic parfums but many are just too much for me, they seem to wear me rather than me wearing the fragrance no matter how much I try to modulate the sprayer. Funnily enough, while there are many compositions I don’t tolerate due to loudness or cloyingness, I’ve been able to wear any pure agarwood oil without issue.

Now for the problem I have with Lulu’a. I have some other EO compositions that I wear sparingly enough as it is. Now with Lulu’a and how it resonates with exactly what I wanted, my style sensibilities, preferences in scent profile and characteristics of the scent’s behavior, I see myself wearing those others even less. 

So Adam, in a nutshell, I am thoroughly impressed with the outcome of the Lulu’a project. Experimental as it was, everything aligned to make an absolutely gorgeous yet simplistic composition. Just like there are oils and parfums I’ve let go of, there are some that I craved from the beginning. Agar Aura’s Camelia, Ayu, and Hindustan I were like that, as well as EO Sultan Sufyan and Oud Mostafa 5. I’d be a few hours into the wear and I would crave to put more on even though it wasn’t needed. I had a bottle of Chugoku Senkoh and it was the same way, a few hours in and I’d be taking another big swipe when it was not necessary. I decimated my bottle of Chugoku Senkoh in 4, maybe 5 months tops whereas others I barely put a dent in over years of owning. Lulu’a is like that for me already, I keep wanting to put more on when it’s grossly unnecessary, and unlike those oud oils it’s a spray so much easier to apply than the process of taking a clean, hygienic swipe.

I appreciate your assistance and opening up the atelier to me.”

Only a couple of bottles available.