How to Use Perfume Oil (Attar): A Beginner's Guide

Perfume oil, often called attar, is a concentrated fragrance in an oil base rather than an alcohol spray. It comes in small bottles, is applied in small amounts and sits close to the skin. This guide explains what attar is, how it differs from a spray, how to apply it and how to choose and store it.

What is attar?

The word attar comes from Arabic and Persian and refers to fragrant oils. Traditional attars were made by distilling flowers, woods or resins. Today the word is also used, as it is in many shops, for concentrated perfume oils made by fragrance houses such as Al-Rehab, Nabeel and Ard Al Zaafaran.

Perfume oil is usually sold in small bottles. Most of our oils come in 6 ml or 10 ml roll-on bottles.

Roll-on oil or spray: what is the difference?

Because the oil is concentrated, the same scent can smell denser or warmer as an oil than as a spray. Some of our product pages note where the oil and spray versions of a scent differ.

Not every perfume oil is made the same way. Where a product is alcohol-free, its product page says so. For example, the Oud Perfume Oil Trio is listed as alcohol-free concentrated perfume oil.

How to apply perfume oil

Start with a small amount

One or two light strokes of the roller is usually enough. You can add more later; it is harder to take it away.

Apply to warm points on the skin

Common places are:

• The inside of the wrists
• The sides of the neck
• Behind the ears
• The inside of the elbows

Warmer skin helps the scent develop.

Don't rub it in hard

Let the oil sit on the skin. Pressing the wrists together lightly is fine, but hard rubbing is often said to change how the opening notes come through.

Apply to clean skin

Apply after washing, on dry skin. Some people apply a little to the beard or hair ends; test a small amount first.

Take care with clothing

Oil can mark some fabrics, especially light-coloured or delicate ones. If you want scent on clothing, test on a hidden area first.

Test before wider use

Try a small amount on the inside of the wrist first and wait. If your skin reacts, wash it off and stop using it. Keep oils away from the eyes.

How long does perfume oil last?

There is no single answer. How long a scent lasts depends on the oil, how much you apply, your skin and the weather. In general:

• Heavier notes last longer. Oud, amber, musk, sandalwood and vanilla tend to stay longer than citrus or light florals.
• The scent changes over time. Top notes come first, then the middle (heart) notes, then the base notes, which remain longest.
• Oil stays close. People near you notice it more than people across a room.

Each of our product pages lists the top, middle and base notes where the fragrance house or its distributors publish them.

Choosing a scent family

A scent family is a broad group of fragrances with similar character. Three families make a good starting point.

Floral

Built around flowers such as rose and jasmine. Examples in our range: Ward (Rose) by Nabeel, Red Rose by Al-Rehab and Jasmine by Nabeel. These three come together in the Floral Perfume Oil Trio.

Musk

Soft and clean, often with sweet or fruity notes alongside. The Musk Perfume Oil Trio contains Musk by Nabeel, Tooty Musk by Al-Rehab and Choco Musk by Al-Rehab.

Oud

Oud (agarwood) is a dark, resinous, woody note. It is often paired with spice, amber or rose. The Oud Perfume Oil Trio contains Sultan Al Oud and Musk Oud by Al-Rehab, and Dahn Al Oud Amiri by Nabeel.

Not sure which family?

A set with several scents lets you compare them on your own skin. The Perfume Oil Discovery Set has six 6 ml oils across different families: floral, oriental, fruity floral, gourmand, woody spicy and woody oriental.

All four sets are in our Gift Sets collection, and the single oils are in the Perfume Oil collection.

How to test a new oil

• Test one oil at a time, on one wrist.
• Smell it right away, again after about 30 minutes, and again a few hours later. The scent changes as it wears.
• Try it on your skin, not only on paper. Skin changes how a scent comes through.
• Don't test too many in a row; your nose tires quickly.

Storing perfume oil

• Keep the cap on tight. This keeps the oil from drying or picking up dust.
• Store upright, so the roller does not leak.
• Keep away from heat and sunlight. A drawer or cupboard at room temperature works well. Avoid leaving bottles in a hot car.
• Wipe the roller with a clean tissue now and then.
• Keep out of reach of children.

Frequently asked questions

Is all perfume oil alcohol-free?

Not necessarily. Check the product page. Where one of our oils is alcohol-free, its listing says so, as the Oud Perfume Oil Trio listing does.

How much perfume oil should I use?

Start with one or two light strokes on the wrists or neck. Concentrated oil needs only a small amount.

What size are the bottles in the perfume oil sets?

Each bottle in our four perfume oil sets is a 6 ml (0.2 oz) roll-on. The trios hold 18 ml in total and the Discovery Set holds 36 ml.