By Purva Grover
Every space—our homes, fitness centers, shopping malls, hotels and even children’s nurseries—carries a unique aroma. Some spaces hold scents that harbor emotions and memories, like the smell of our grandmother’s home, evoking feelings of warmth and love or citrus, used for revitalization.
In the United Arab Emirates, we daily encounter a motley of scents: saffron, orange blossom water, za’atar, sumac and more. Alongside these traditional odors lingers a bolder aroma, one that reflects the land’s culture and traditions, thought to have mood-altering properties.
Recently, the world has taken notice of this new kind of scent from this region, particularly in health and wellness spaces, because of its powerful qualities.
This bold, omnipresent scent does not come from rose bushes, desert shrubs, mangroves or spice souqs. Hold your breath, for its origin lies in mold.
This scent comes from oud. Oud, also nicknamed “liquid gold,” was once largely associated with traditional homes in the UAE. Today, its scent — a dense, ancient, and opulent woodiness — you’ll encounter wafting in wellness centers, spa rooms, and hotel lobbies internationally.
So, what is oud, and what aspects of its composition have elevated its status to that of an elixir for relaxation, a mood shifter and even an aid to a good night’s sleep?
Also called agarwood, oud is a rare, fragrant, dark and resinous wood that forms when Aquilaria trees are infected by a specific mold. It earned its namesake because pure oud oil is among the world’s most expensive natural perfume ingredients, owing to its scarcity and complex production process.
“If created naturally, the time span is between 20 and 50 years; with human intervention, it comes down to seven to 12 years,” says Mariam Kandeel, a Dubai-based perfume connoisseur and collector. The Egyptian national owns more than 200 perfumes, all displayed on her celebrated perfume wall at home. “I hear that lately, trees are being injected with mold and fungus to stabilize the oud supply.”
For many in the UAE, oud and bakhoor represent much more than precious perfume ingredients.
“Burning oud, bakhoor, frankincense and myrrh has long been part of my family’s daily life and is a ritual in many Arab homes, carrying deep cultural, religious and spiritual significance,” says Suzanne Saleh, a holistic health and women’s wellness coach, yoga teacher and natural living educator.
“Since I was a child, I remember frankincense being burned after the house was cleaned, traditionally believed to refresh the space, followed by bakhoor to fill the home with its beautiful scent. If one of us children was being naughty, out would come the frankincense, with someone joking that it would ‘make us good again!’ We were also always told that it helped chase away evil spirits.”
These rituals accompany significant moments, from welcoming a baby to celebrating a new job, wedding, home or car. Across the UAE and the wider Gulf, a kandora or abaya may be scented with oud or bakhoor before its wearer leaves home, while guests enter rooms filled with its fragrance.
“For me, scent can completely shift the atmosphere,” Suzanne adds. “If someone at home is feeling tired or a little low, I burn bakhoor to create a sense of comfort, warmth and uplifted energy.”
This understanding of fragrance as a force capable of transforming a space—and perhaps our emotional state—is now being reinterpreted through the language of contemporary wellbeing.
“To me, oud and bakhoor have never been simply about perfume. They are about presence, about transforming the invisible,” says Natalie Noor, founder and CEO of Maison Natalie Noor, a slow-luxury perfume, resort and lifestyle brand whose approach to fragrance creation is rooted in sustainability and environmental consciousness.
“For generations, they have been burned to welcome, honor and cleanse a space and to mark a moment. Their smoke rises slowly, carrying memory, emotion and intention through the air. Today, as our understanding of well-being expands beyond the physical, these ancient rituals are finding a new language. We are rediscovering the power of scent to shift the atmosphere of a room and, with it, our inner state.”
Natalie describes liquid gold as “an invisible force that can influence mood, presence and emotional perception.”
Early scientific research points to potentially calming, sedative, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, much of the evidence remains preclinical, with limited high-quality human research. Oud may not be a scientifically proven wellness remedy; for now, its strongest well-being case lies in its ability to create a calming, culturally meaningful sensory experience.
Its popularity has moved its impact so that it is no longer confined to the region.
Olfactory experts are not surprised by its growing reach. It smells ancient, opulent and raw all at once. Arabian perfumery has long stood apart, with an emphasis on projection, sillage and longevity, preferably through natural ingredients. Arabian homes have a deep-rooted tradition of hospitality, warmth and togetherness, shaped for generations by oud, bakhoor, Arabic coffee and dates. The hospitality and wellness industries are now drawing upon the comforting atmosphere of these homes, using fragrance to create a sense of relaxation, luxury and legacy.
Once largely found in the fragrance cabinet, oud is now entering treatment rooms. Oud is increasingly used in wellness for its warm, woody and grounding aroma, which may support relaxation, stress reduction, mood, sleep rituals and mindfulness. At Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal, an oud-based oil is used for a full-body massage. Verdala Wellness in Rabat, Malta, offers aromatic candle oils, including oud wood, which they melt and massage into the skin during a 90-minute sensory treatment designed for deep relaxation.
Examples are plentiful in the UAE, from the frankincense-and-oud massage at Rosewood Abu Dhabi to Banyan Tree Dubai’s Arabian Harmony Experience. Its long history in Middle Eastern and Asian traditions also gives it strong associations with ritual, spirituality and emotional wellbeing.
“Perhaps this is the future of well-being,” Natalie concludes. “Not always adding something to ourselves, but consciously transforming the spaces and senses that surround us—and transforming ourselves from within.”
