By accounts of some hard core agarwood enthusists, this is not true agarwood. But when I look at this oil with the lense of a perfumer, when I sniff it with the heart of an agarwood lover, when I swipe my agarwood beads with the soul of scented woman, I’m convinced this oil has a rightful place in our agarwood collection. Bouya is an affordable way to experiment with an oil that has a lot of the agarwood notes I look for when creating a musk based natural perfume. It’s smoky, musky and deep: all of the aromatic notes I love in an agarwood oil. It wears on the skin for a few hours and is widely respected in many cultures for ceremonial anointing. I use it ceremoniously in my own anointing ritual to calm my soul and feel connected to old earth things like Sequoia trees and sweetgrass.
Suggested use: Blends with Cedarwood, Frankincense, Black Pepper, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver, Ylang ylang and Vanilla oleoresin. Bouya oil calms the mind, treats skin issues and has been known to relieve allergies.
dwoodburd (verified owner) –
I adore this. Aquilaria ouds are so singular and precious in a way that makes me mostly inclined to wear them on their own, and I do love this by itself as well for a hit of steamy, smoky jungle heat and deep, leathery tang. However, the way it melts and merges into a blend without sacrificing its integrity or overwhelming the other components, but rather lending a massive touch of complexity and class– is really hard to overstate. I am truly impressed. It feels exotic and interesting in a way that might be construed as a bit heavy/ meaty… but I am here to say that this is an oil of utmost refinement and quality…. Rich, bright, umami smoke unfolds into layers of complex sweet woods, and yes, it is very masculine and dense and whatnot, but opens as it sits on the skin into an almost linaloic character– juxtaposed with a neroli-like floral bitterness, amongst the smoky, salty leather– that I just can’t seem to get enough of. It has inestimable value in perfume, and– to me– begs to be combined with florals and other woods into truly transcendent, universal luxury. Am currently swooning over it with Jasmine Sambac, Nootka Wood and Himalayan Cedar, starry-eyed. The possibilities! I highly recommend, and have only joyful, reverent gratitude for everything purchased here. It is a very special thing to have these outstanding aromatics made accessible in such a way, purveyed and showcased so beautifully, and shipped with care… by an ethically grounded person who really believes in providing quality. ! . All of the stars. :), <3.