How to use perfume oil: the complete guide to attar

Perfume oil – attar or ittar in Arabic – is the oldest form of perfume there is. No alcohol, no water, just concentrated fragrance in a carrier oil. That makes perfume oil smell more intimate, last longer on skin and suitable for people who prefer not to wear alcohol. But it does need to be used differently from a spray.

1. How much perfume oil should you use?

Very little. A perfume oil is often 3 to 5 times stronger than an eau de parfum. One or two small swipes with the roller or glass stick is usually enough. Start with less than you think you need – you can always add more.

2. Where do you apply perfume oil?

Oil diffuses through warmth, so apply it to the pulse points:

• the inside of the wrists (don’t rub them together – that crushes the top notes);
• the sides of the neck and behind the ears;
• the inside of the elbows;
• on the chest, under your clothing, for a subtle scent cloud that lasts all day.

A traditional Arabic tip: a drop in the beard or hair gives a soft scent for hours. Avoid silk and light fabrics – oil can stain.

3. Dab, don’t rub

Dab the oil gently onto the skin and let it absorb. Rubbing warms the oil and makes the opening disappear faster. Give the scent twenty minutes to develop before judging: the real dry-down comes later.

4. Layering: oil + spray

The best trick from the Gulf: apply the perfume oil to your pulse points first, then spray an eau de parfum of the same or a matching scent on top. The oil acts as a base that holds the spray. Many of our fragrances exist in both forms, such as Royal Gold and Royal Gold EDP, or Choco Musk oil and Choco Musk EDP.

5. How long does perfume oil last?

On skin, 6 to 12 hours on average depending on the fragrance family. Musk and oud oils last longest; fresh citrus oils the shortest. On clothing, an oil can linger for days. A 6 ml bottle often lasts two to three months with daily use.

6. How to store perfume oil

• Keep the bottle cool, dry and out of sunlight.
• Close the cap tightly – oil oxidises slowly on contact with air.
• Stored well, a perfume oil keeps for years; some oud and musk oils even improve with age.

Which perfume oil should you start with?

These are the oils our customers bought most in the past year:

Browse the full perfume oil collection, the Perfume Oil Top 25 or the Al-Rehab perfume oils. Want to know more about the difference between oil and spray? Read our article on perfume oil vs. eau de parfum.