Reviews of Oud Silk Mood by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
I can't say that I am moved by this clamorous rose oud. It may have been more novel and exciting several years ago, but today it comes off as a passé luxury cliché like oversized statement sunglasses or upscale fro-yo shops. I am not one to ever generally say this as I am a huge vintage perfume fiend and can find timelessness and in almost any fragrance, but this somehow smells—dated, in 2024.
Dated as in I am over it, so over it. So over the combo of rose with a Givaudan/IFF/Symrise/fill-in-the-blank screechy, medicinal, sharp, burning electronics, cheese smudge oud. Over it. Kaput. The end. Finis.
I'll revisit it in ten years.
Dated as in I am over it, so over it. So over the combo of rose with a Givaudan/IFF/Symrise/fill-in-the-blank screechy, medicinal, sharp, burning electronics, cheese smudge oud. Over it. Kaput. The end. Finis.
I'll revisit it in ten years.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Silk Mood (2013) is the second released, and my favorite, of the "oud moods" series of fragrances, plus is one of three available in a slightly more-tame eau de parfum. All entries in this series would get extrait versions, and starting with Oud Velvet Mood (2013) most would be extrait only, although Oud Satin Mood (2015) would be the third and so far last of the "oud moods" delivered in an EdP version. Oud Silk Mood is as it sounds; we get a "silky" oud experience that as the brand describes brings the "orient" and the "occident" together thematically, displaying rose chypre formatting with oud as the anchoring base material rather than oakmoss and labdanum. Also as noted, Maison Francis Kurkdjian is using little to no noticeable oud in these fragrances besides maybe what trace amount may be required to legally call it an oud in some markets, so expect this to be the usual medicinal synthetic oud experience like in all the others. At least here, MFK tries to add more of an animalic quality to the oud, which translates as a sort of sour urinous leathery quality that Dior, Bogart, Le Labo, and a handful of others have achieved using the synthetic oud compound from Firmenich. If this isn't using that exact compound, it's pretty close, and I don't think the kind of person buying this is ordering samples of perfume molecules to blind test anyway.
Beyond this "pissy synth oud" which could very much almost be mistaken for civet at a passing glance, Oud Silk Mood is really all about its rose, which blends down with bergamot and chamomile in a novel well, supported by several aromachemicals to give it lift and transparency. The opening is going to be that bergamot and rose all chypre-like, pushed into place by that lumbering animalic synth-skank, that soon settles into more of a cypriol sour aromatic woodiness role. Hedione and salicylates lift and polish the rose, while a light deft touch of woody-ambers taking the guise of guaiac wood enter the heart alongside a touch of vanilla. The sweet chamomile comes next, being the X-factor which sets this apart from similar scents coming out of Tiziana Terenzi, By Kilian or Montale/Mancera. Appropriately "silky" at this point, the rose-dominated Oud Silk Moood only gently sways that slightly urinous and dry woody "oud" note back and forth, with sour leathery traces that also remind me of how isobutyl quinoline is used in leather chypres, even if ultimately Iso E Super is likely the culprit for the final woodiness of listed "papyrus". This is nice, lasts a long time, and projects well in most weather conditions, and really is more of a rose scent than an oud one, just like many Montale "aoud" scents tend to be. Most rose ouds can smell tiresome but this one pleasantly avoids feeling like it copied someone's homework.
The person who likes Oud Silk Mood is someone who wants the expense of a niche fragrance, the slightest touch of exoticism afforded from the subject of oud, but wants a fragrance that is still unerringly French and polite, sophisticated, plus mostly safe to use in most social spaces. In other words, more "occidental" than "oriental" but liking to pretend it's the other way around. I'm okay with this so long as it is done well and enjoyable, which it is here. MFK Oud Silk Mood doesn't smell cheap, doesn't particularly feel like a rip-off; a little bit of this stuff lasts forever and goes a long way so even at a steep $300 for 70ml, one bottle may be a lifetime supply, and you won't smell like you're wearing another ramshackle designer oud take a la poorly cassette-dubbed version of something Tom Fords did a decade beforehand but by another house. The original Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud (2012) flirted with that level of cynicism, but the line as a whole seems to avoid that particular cliche. Still, if you're looking for a barnyard oud or something more chocolatey and dense like an Artisanal maker can provide at this price point, Oud Silk Mood won't be for you. On the other hand, if you're after a rose oud combo from a Western brand that doesn't feel like "another rose oud from a Western brand", this may have you covered if the price is right; we're still talking a lot of money for just 70ml after all. Thumbs up
Beyond this "pissy synth oud" which could very much almost be mistaken for civet at a passing glance, Oud Silk Mood is really all about its rose, which blends down with bergamot and chamomile in a novel well, supported by several aromachemicals to give it lift and transparency. The opening is going to be that bergamot and rose all chypre-like, pushed into place by that lumbering animalic synth-skank, that soon settles into more of a cypriol sour aromatic woodiness role. Hedione and salicylates lift and polish the rose, while a light deft touch of woody-ambers taking the guise of guaiac wood enter the heart alongside a touch of vanilla. The sweet chamomile comes next, being the X-factor which sets this apart from similar scents coming out of Tiziana Terenzi, By Kilian or Montale/Mancera. Appropriately "silky" at this point, the rose-dominated Oud Silk Moood only gently sways that slightly urinous and dry woody "oud" note back and forth, with sour leathery traces that also remind me of how isobutyl quinoline is used in leather chypres, even if ultimately Iso E Super is likely the culprit for the final woodiness of listed "papyrus". This is nice, lasts a long time, and projects well in most weather conditions, and really is more of a rose scent than an oud one, just like many Montale "aoud" scents tend to be. Most rose ouds can smell tiresome but this one pleasantly avoids feeling like it copied someone's homework.
The person who likes Oud Silk Mood is someone who wants the expense of a niche fragrance, the slightest touch of exoticism afforded from the subject of oud, but wants a fragrance that is still unerringly French and polite, sophisticated, plus mostly safe to use in most social spaces. In other words, more "occidental" than "oriental" but liking to pretend it's the other way around. I'm okay with this so long as it is done well and enjoyable, which it is here. MFK Oud Silk Mood doesn't smell cheap, doesn't particularly feel like a rip-off; a little bit of this stuff lasts forever and goes a long way so even at a steep $300 for 70ml, one bottle may be a lifetime supply, and you won't smell like you're wearing another ramshackle designer oud take a la poorly cassette-dubbed version of something Tom Fords did a decade beforehand but by another house. The original Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud (2012) flirted with that level of cynicism, but the line as a whole seems to avoid that particular cliche. Still, if you're looking for a barnyard oud or something more chocolatey and dense like an Artisanal maker can provide at this price point, Oud Silk Mood won't be for you. On the other hand, if you're after a rose oud combo from a Western brand that doesn't feel like "another rose oud from a Western brand", this may have you covered if the price is right; we're still talking a lot of money for just 70ml after all. Thumbs up
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This is my secret weapon. It's my #1 most complimented fragrance from any house. I think it is the unique combination of rose and oud that creates it, but honestly I can't fully describe how good it is.
That being said, with great power comes great responsibility. It has a learning curve to it, and you need to know exactly how much to apply. Too much and it will be incredibly overpowering and feels like you're bathing in it (hence some of the negative reviews). But too little and it won't impress you either. I have tried all of the MFK Oud line and this one is by far the best, and the best overall oud frag from any house in my opinion. I would take it over Creed's oud as well. It's my favorite of the MFK masculine fragrances. The only MFK frag I like more is Baccarat, but only when my wife wears it because I find baccarat too feminine on me.
Oud Silk Mood is very powerful and only 2-3 medium sprays is all I need and all I would recommend. It reacts with my body heat to create the magic. I think it works best in fall/winter months and it's not something I would wear on hot days, because it would become too rich and cloying in that climate.
As I said, this is my most compliment-getting frag. I work in an office environment and one time last winter I was in a medium sized conference room with the heat turned up too high. I started to exude this fragrance as I warmed up, to the point where I became very self conscious actually, because I was afraid it was too overpowering and wondering if it would bother people. Then almost immediately one of my coworkers across the table announced to the group, "Wow, someone smells R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S-L-Y good!" and then the entire room of 10 people continued talking about how good it smelled in the conference room, until it was determined it was coming from me. One time I applied 3 sprays of Silk Mood at 7am in the morning, and then received multiple compliments at the gym at 6pm that night. Gym compliments are the holy grail for me because if you apply a frag and then hit the gym, it can easily offend people and make them upset, and you can even receive insults from it.
The best part of this scent is that it's something I enjoy wearing as much as other people enjoy it on me. It's a rare combination of scent, performance, and universal appeal. I don't know if it is just my body chemistry but I would definitely suggest giving this one a try. I have almost reached the end of my bottle and will promptly order a second. It could easily be a signature scent, at least for part of the year.
That being said, with great power comes great responsibility. It has a learning curve to it, and you need to know exactly how much to apply. Too much and it will be incredibly overpowering and feels like you're bathing in it (hence some of the negative reviews). But too little and it won't impress you either. I have tried all of the MFK Oud line and this one is by far the best, and the best overall oud frag from any house in my opinion. I would take it over Creed's oud as well. It's my favorite of the MFK masculine fragrances. The only MFK frag I like more is Baccarat, but only when my wife wears it because I find baccarat too feminine on me.
Oud Silk Mood is very powerful and only 2-3 medium sprays is all I need and all I would recommend. It reacts with my body heat to create the magic. I think it works best in fall/winter months and it's not something I would wear on hot days, because it would become too rich and cloying in that climate.
As I said, this is my most compliment-getting frag. I work in an office environment and one time last winter I was in a medium sized conference room with the heat turned up too high. I started to exude this fragrance as I warmed up, to the point where I became very self conscious actually, because I was afraid it was too overpowering and wondering if it would bother people. Then almost immediately one of my coworkers across the table announced to the group, "Wow, someone smells R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S-L-Y good!" and then the entire room of 10 people continued talking about how good it smelled in the conference room, until it was determined it was coming from me. One time I applied 3 sprays of Silk Mood at 7am in the morning, and then received multiple compliments at the gym at 6pm that night. Gym compliments are the holy grail for me because if you apply a frag and then hit the gym, it can easily offend people and make them upset, and you can even receive insults from it.
The best part of this scent is that it's something I enjoy wearing as much as other people enjoy it on me. It's a rare combination of scent, performance, and universal appeal. I don't know if it is just my body chemistry but I would definitely suggest giving this one a try. I have almost reached the end of my bottle and will promptly order a second. It could easily be a signature scent, at least for part of the year.
An authentic masterpiece, the most seductive material in my collection. The rose, deep, black, grave, sinks into the strength of the oud with the silk vanilla of a sumptuous curtain, covering the secrets of a consummation of forbidden love. The particularity of this perfume, that for which it is distinguished from any other, is its "density": the skin is covered with a thick, almost palpable layer of scarlet fabrics and funereal exhalations of ripe rose.
Its simplicity, its imperturbable persistence (the aroma does not advance, does not recede, does not change in any way from its beginning) contribute to create an animal aurea of pure eroticism: baroque, exultant, romantic, without any evocation, without any refinement beyond those who reserve the wise charm of lust to the evocation of drunken sensuality (mature sensuality, but completely self-abnegated by the drunkenness of a bleeding perfume of criminal passion).
An incomparable piece of olfactory art that awakens impulses that she herself sleeps.
Its simplicity, its imperturbable persistence (the aroma does not advance, does not recede, does not change in any way from its beginning) contribute to create an animal aurea of pure eroticism: baroque, exultant, romantic, without any evocation, without any refinement beyond those who reserve the wise charm of lust to the evocation of drunken sensuality (mature sensuality, but completely self-abnegated by the drunkenness of a bleeding perfume of criminal passion).
An incomparable piece of olfactory art that awakens impulses that she herself sleeps.
Lovely rose, oud, chamomile, and papyrus combination. Lovely but, not overly memorable.
I'm giving it thumbs up b/c I like this type of fragrance. Having said that, the rose is gorgeous, but the oud is of the infamous "Urinal Cake" variety. This gives a sharpness that other reviewers have called Citronella-like. It could be great if the sharp urinal cake oud was replaced with a more animalic oud.
UPDATE: Drydown is much better, rose and stone dust. Very dry
UPDATE: Drydown is much better, rose and stone dust. Very dry
Stardate 20170630:
A typical oud rose combo of its era. There is a sour note like citronella candles - like in Baruti ouds(nooud). It is perhaps a note in the synthetic oud they both use.
I am a sucker for well balanced rose-oud. This one is. Development is good and it gets much smoother with time. There are others that are similar and cheaper - Tiziana Gold Rose Oud, Yurman Limited edition, nut OSM has its own charm.
This is perhaps the best from this line (I have not tried oud cashmere mood so can't be 100% sure)
A typical oud rose combo of its era. There is a sour note like citronella candles - like in Baruti ouds(nooud). It is perhaps a note in the synthetic oud they both use.
I am a sucker for well balanced rose-oud. This one is. Development is good and it gets much smoother with time. There are others that are similar and cheaper - Tiziana Gold Rose Oud, Yurman Limited edition, nut OSM has its own charm.
This is perhaps the best from this line (I have not tried oud cashmere mood so can't be 100% sure)
What Oud Silk Mood has to do with silk, I have no idea. This stuff is harsh. It lunges aggressively out of the bottle with searing notes of metal, rubber, smoke, and oh yeah, some thin and medicinal oud and rose in the background.
About 10 minutes after I applied it for the first time, my wife said, "What the hell are you wearing?! It's so strong I can *taste* it." I agree; it sticks in your nose and leaves a lingering taste of pennies on the tongue for about 30 minutes.
It does settle down a little bit as we enter the heart, but I still fail to see this is as a rose and oud dominant scent. The primary accord is arid like an industrial dryer: a papery (papyrus?), herbal (burnt chamomile?) accord with a backbone of, oh I don't know, but the word "acid" comes to mind. I can imagine a paper manufacturing facility smelling something like this. There's a twist of medicinal woody oud in there somewhere, and really very little rose to speak of.
In summary, I find it aggressive and unpleasant throughout.
About 10 minutes after I applied it for the first time, my wife said, "What the hell are you wearing?! It's so strong I can *taste* it." I agree; it sticks in your nose and leaves a lingering taste of pennies on the tongue for about 30 minutes.
It does settle down a little bit as we enter the heart, but I still fail to see this is as a rose and oud dominant scent. The primary accord is arid like an industrial dryer: a papery (papyrus?), herbal (burnt chamomile?) accord with a backbone of, oh I don't know, but the word "acid" comes to mind. I can imagine a paper manufacturing facility smelling something like this. There's a twist of medicinal woody oud in there somewhere, and really very little rose to speak of.
In summary, I find it aggressive and unpleasant throughout.
After having tried all of MFK Ouds barring Velvet Mood, Silk Mood comes across as the most easy to like. While the original Oud was severely underwhelming, the other three are well done and respectable compositions. Cashmere Mood is perhaps the most intriguing and intriguing, while Satin Mood disappointingly subsides into a boring amber-vanilla accord.
Silk Mood is perhaps the most conventional, with it being a straightforward rose-oud offering. The rose is lush, velvety, buttery and the oud is slightly medicinal but also very much on the subtle side. In fact, the oud is largely subdued and plays second fiddle to the rose. The texture of the rose is similar to the one in Noir de Noir, Ambre Nuit, or Lyric Man. There is no smokiness. There is a slightly green, austere nuance to the composition - perhaps from the papyrus and chamomile. There is considerable depth (mostly attributable to the ingredient quality), but not a great deal of complexity. I find it mostly linear on my skin, but there is actually a very slow transition as the rose eventually subsides over several hours. Sillage is moderate but persistent, and duration is excellent at over 7-8 hours.
While a commendable offering, it has a few shortcomings. Anyone looking for an oud or a rose-oud fragrance could be disappointed, as the oud is very underplayed. The non-rose components of this fragrance could have been further explored.
3/5
Silk Mood is perhaps the most conventional, with it being a straightforward rose-oud offering. The rose is lush, velvety, buttery and the oud is slightly medicinal but also very much on the subtle side. In fact, the oud is largely subdued and plays second fiddle to the rose. The texture of the rose is similar to the one in Noir de Noir, Ambre Nuit, or Lyric Man. There is no smokiness. There is a slightly green, austere nuance to the composition - perhaps from the papyrus and chamomile. There is considerable depth (mostly attributable to the ingredient quality), but not a great deal of complexity. I find it mostly linear on my skin, but there is actually a very slow transition as the rose eventually subsides over several hours. Sillage is moderate but persistent, and duration is excellent at over 7-8 hours.
While a commendable offering, it has a few shortcomings. Anyone looking for an oud or a rose-oud fragrance could be disappointed, as the oud is very underplayed. The non-rose components of this fragrance could have been further explored.
3/5
Yes - another rose & oud product. After all, no-one ever thought of this before?!..... The age of oud....
Still, the oud here is of a nice quality, and whilst strong, on my skin it is never to intrusive or cloying. Not that this a discrete oud; it is clearly present m and out in the open - this is no Royal Oud. And whilst having the distinct edge and aroma characteristic of oud, is is a comparatively rounded version of this wood impression.
The rose is pleasant and, unlike in many other rose-oud clones, is not overwhelmed by its counterpart and an equal partner most of the time; at times the rose is even a bit up in front. This rose is medium dark, smooth with touches of depth and texture.
Throughout the development I get a herbal undertone at times, with hints of weak tea towards the end.
The sillage is moderate, the projection very good, and the longevity adds up to nine hours.
A pleasantly balanced rouse-oud creation made of high-quality ingredients but limited in its originality. 3/5.
Still, the oud here is of a nice quality, and whilst strong, on my skin it is never to intrusive or cloying. Not that this a discrete oud; it is clearly present m and out in the open - this is no Royal Oud. And whilst having the distinct edge and aroma characteristic of oud, is is a comparatively rounded version of this wood impression.
The rose is pleasant and, unlike in many other rose-oud clones, is not overwhelmed by its counterpart and an equal partner most of the time; at times the rose is even a bit up in front. This rose is medium dark, smooth with touches of depth and texture.
Throughout the development I get a herbal undertone at times, with hints of weak tea towards the end.
The sillage is moderate, the projection very good, and the longevity adds up to nine hours.
A pleasantly balanced rouse-oud creation made of high-quality ingredients but limited in its originality. 3/5.
Not surprisingly, the extrait concentration Oud Silk Mood by Maison Francis Kurkdjian is a powerhouse of a fragrance.
Scent-wise, it is more of a traditional rose/oud pairing in the sense that it's not so sweet like Oud Satin Mood, but rather the rose and oud without the sweetness. The oud also factors more strongly than in Oud Satin Mood, as the rose is somewhat subdued, not very heavy or dominant at all. I've heard some argue that it's a fresh rose, and that might be fair, as it feels brighter and more fleeting, while still being dominated by the oud component.
There's otherwise not a ton going on, apart from the woodsy undertones and use of chamomile, the latter of which does not factor in too much for me. It's mainly, simply, a rose/oud fragrance, and in that mix it can always lean slightly feminine, but as with Oud Satin Mood, I find it pretty unisex. It certainly works for women, but men who prefer rose (as I do) will be open to it.
I can see why this might turn some off--the oud is harsh, as it usually is, and while the blend is good, not much rose is present to shield non-fans of oud from the oud itself.
I prefer the sweetness of Oud Satin Mood but very much like Oud Silk Mood as well. I simply already own a very powerful rose/oud blend that I enjoy more: Armani Prive Rose d'Arabie. Still, Oud Silk Mood should be tried by fans of rose.
$375 for 70ml is steep, even for an extrait, so only those who really love it will buy it, but it's certainly a bomb that merits some consideration if you do love it.
7 out of 10
Scent-wise, it is more of a traditional rose/oud pairing in the sense that it's not so sweet like Oud Satin Mood, but rather the rose and oud without the sweetness. The oud also factors more strongly than in Oud Satin Mood, as the rose is somewhat subdued, not very heavy or dominant at all. I've heard some argue that it's a fresh rose, and that might be fair, as it feels brighter and more fleeting, while still being dominated by the oud component.
There's otherwise not a ton going on, apart from the woodsy undertones and use of chamomile, the latter of which does not factor in too much for me. It's mainly, simply, a rose/oud fragrance, and in that mix it can always lean slightly feminine, but as with Oud Satin Mood, I find it pretty unisex. It certainly works for women, but men who prefer rose (as I do) will be open to it.
I can see why this might turn some off--the oud is harsh, as it usually is, and while the blend is good, not much rose is present to shield non-fans of oud from the oud itself.
I prefer the sweetness of Oud Satin Mood but very much like Oud Silk Mood as well. I simply already own a very powerful rose/oud blend that I enjoy more: Armani Prive Rose d'Arabie. Still, Oud Silk Mood should be tried by fans of rose.
$375 for 70ml is steep, even for an extrait, so only those who really love it will buy it, but it's certainly a bomb that merits some consideration if you do love it.
7 out of 10
Oud Silk Mood is the only weak link in the truly excellent Oud Moods series and the only one I can't wear without wanting to scrub it off. I've tried several times now to locate the soul of this fragrance but I think I'm about ready to call off the search party.
A signature of the Oud Mood series is the use of unconventional (and kind of ugly or confrontational) accords suggestive of metal, architecture, dust, rubber, or smoke to upholster the rich Laotian oud Kurkdijan uses, but whereas in Velvet and Cashmere Oud Mood these odd notes imbue the perfumes with a funny sort of humanity, in Oud Silk Mood, the quasi-industrial note of photo-developing chemicals just bathes an already sharp, sour rose in an acid bath that does it no good at all.
The acidulated rose and the oud compete with each other for the title of most sour, while chamomile lops in a hefty dose of herbaceous bitterness, making things worse. Underneath it all, papyrus adds a dry, papery crackle that really does create a silk-like texture not the softness of silk but the rustling sound it makes when you rub it between your fingers. High-pitched and brittle, it feels like the fragrance would snap if you could fold it over.
Worse than the drone-strike of sour, though, is the chemical hangover every time I wear it. I don't know if it's synthetic oud or another woody ambery material, but whatever it is proves to bother my nose for hours on end, even when I think I've washed it off. In its unabashedly synthetic character, Oud Silk Mood is too similar to the lower-priced niche options for me to recommend it, and too inferior to the original Oud or even the Cashmere, Satin, and Velvet options for me to ever consider buying even a decant or further sample.
A signature of the Oud Mood series is the use of unconventional (and kind of ugly or confrontational) accords suggestive of metal, architecture, dust, rubber, or smoke to upholster the rich Laotian oud Kurkdijan uses, but whereas in Velvet and Cashmere Oud Mood these odd notes imbue the perfumes with a funny sort of humanity, in Oud Silk Mood, the quasi-industrial note of photo-developing chemicals just bathes an already sharp, sour rose in an acid bath that does it no good at all.
The acidulated rose and the oud compete with each other for the title of most sour, while chamomile lops in a hefty dose of herbaceous bitterness, making things worse. Underneath it all, papyrus adds a dry, papery crackle that really does create a silk-like texture not the softness of silk but the rustling sound it makes when you rub it between your fingers. High-pitched and brittle, it feels like the fragrance would snap if you could fold it over.
Worse than the drone-strike of sour, though, is the chemical hangover every time I wear it. I don't know if it's synthetic oud or another woody ambery material, but whatever it is proves to bother my nose for hours on end, even when I think I've washed it off. In its unabashedly synthetic character, Oud Silk Mood is too similar to the lower-priced niche options for me to recommend it, and too inferior to the original Oud or even the Cashmere, Satin, and Velvet options for me to ever consider buying even a decant or further sample.
I eagerly opened my latest perfume sample shipment and tentatively applied Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Oud Silk Mood after reading mixed (many negative) reviews here and on other websites. Anticipating the perfume's arrival, I deliberately did not apply any other perfume that day because I wanted to experience this expensive perfume in its full glory. Surprisingly, I really LOVE this fragrance; however given the hefty price tag, I may be forced to move on to similar rouse oud perfumes and rose oud blends, such as those produced by Jo Malone, M. Micallef, Montale and Tiziana Terenzi (to name a few).
I am NOT a perfume expert and I especially am not an oud expert. I've never smelled the true scent of a natural agarwood tree. With that said, I experienced and owned Killian's Incense Oud. Recently, I decided to re-explore floral ouds. I hope to find a floral (rose) oud that I can wear & enjoy on a regular basis...a departure from my favorite scents, Creed's Jasmine Imperiatrice Eugenie, Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur and Acqua di Parma's Magnolia Nobile. I like floral scents...I do...but I'm picky and I do NOT like solifleurs. I also do NOT like fragrances with straight or singular mossy and/or wood (resinous) notes (VETIVER, patchouli, amber, sandalwood, aged rum-oak barrel, etc).
MFK's Oud Silk Mood is a gorgeous fragrance but IMHO, you MUST wait for the dry-down! For me, the basenotes and dry-down are what make this fragrance stand out and shine. Even someone like me with limited perfume knowledge can tell this perfume is created with some fine ingredients...oud, rose, papyrus and chamomile...that's about it. Lovely.
I warn the opening notes are intense, loud and almost vulgar...rubber, SMOKE & metallic notes jump out of the bottle, onto the skin & through the nose, showing no mercy! After initial application, I thought "Uh oh...oh no...this is gonna make me ill...this is gonna be a SCRUBBER!" All I could smell after initial application was something akin to burnt rubber...oud!
Within 10-15 minutes, this EDP exposed its true glory with the longest lasting & loveliest wood (oud), musk-y, dark rose notes I have ever experienced. After 30-60 minutes, I could not stop enjoying the glow of the most gorgeous Bulgarian rose & wood-y oud fragrance I have ever experienced! MY husband kept commenting, "You smell GREAT when you walk by...is that the SAME PERFUME you HAD ON about 1 hour ago??? The SAME one??? Really??? You smell great...nice!" Silage!!!
One Basenotes reviewer, who gave this fragrance a decidedly "thumbs down" review called this fragrance "cheap, synthetic, dark, odd, etc with 'urban glossy darkness' & pretention, etc." I can understand this reviewer's experience, I really can because that is (sorta) the way this fragrance opens.
But give it time and delight in the dry-down. This EDP is long lasting and is a beautifully warm, comforting floral (rose) & resinous fragrance. Silage is great & really pleasant. Not sure I have the budget to spring for a full bottle. And unlike By Killian, not sure if this MFK fragrance is worthy of its hefty price tag. I'm going to take some time in the near future to re-experience "similar" fragrances, as mentioned above.
Definitely worthy of a sample try, if you like rose & oud AND you can wait for the dry-down!!!
I am NOT a perfume expert and I especially am not an oud expert. I've never smelled the true scent of a natural agarwood tree. With that said, I experienced and owned Killian's Incense Oud. Recently, I decided to re-explore floral ouds. I hope to find a floral (rose) oud that I can wear & enjoy on a regular basis...a departure from my favorite scents, Creed's Jasmine Imperiatrice Eugenie, Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur and Acqua di Parma's Magnolia Nobile. I like floral scents...I do...but I'm picky and I do NOT like solifleurs. I also do NOT like fragrances with straight or singular mossy and/or wood (resinous) notes (VETIVER, patchouli, amber, sandalwood, aged rum-oak barrel, etc).
MFK's Oud Silk Mood is a gorgeous fragrance but IMHO, you MUST wait for the dry-down! For me, the basenotes and dry-down are what make this fragrance stand out and shine. Even someone like me with limited perfume knowledge can tell this perfume is created with some fine ingredients...oud, rose, papyrus and chamomile...that's about it. Lovely.
I warn the opening notes are intense, loud and almost vulgar...rubber, SMOKE & metallic notes jump out of the bottle, onto the skin & through the nose, showing no mercy! After initial application, I thought "Uh oh...oh no...this is gonna make me ill...this is gonna be a SCRUBBER!" All I could smell after initial application was something akin to burnt rubber...oud!
Within 10-15 minutes, this EDP exposed its true glory with the longest lasting & loveliest wood (oud), musk-y, dark rose notes I have ever experienced. After 30-60 minutes, I could not stop enjoying the glow of the most gorgeous Bulgarian rose & wood-y oud fragrance I have ever experienced! MY husband kept commenting, "You smell GREAT when you walk by...is that the SAME PERFUME you HAD ON about 1 hour ago??? The SAME one??? Really??? You smell great...nice!" Silage!!!
One Basenotes reviewer, who gave this fragrance a decidedly "thumbs down" review called this fragrance "cheap, synthetic, dark, odd, etc with 'urban glossy darkness' & pretention, etc." I can understand this reviewer's experience, I really can because that is (sorta) the way this fragrance opens.
But give it time and delight in the dry-down. This EDP is long lasting and is a beautifully warm, comforting floral (rose) & resinous fragrance. Silage is great & really pleasant. Not sure I have the budget to spring for a full bottle. And unlike By Killian, not sure if this MFK fragrance is worthy of its hefty price tag. I'm going to take some time in the near future to re-experience "similar" fragrances, as mentioned above.
Definitely worthy of a sample try, if you like rose & oud AND you can wait for the dry-down!!!
Kurkdjian's Oud Moods are arc lights, blinding in their strength. To make any kind of sense of them a light hand in application is required, otherwise one is cowed into submission by their knuckledustered punch.
Oud Silk Mood resolutely refused to work for me the overriding impression was of an acetone/glass cleaner blend with oud, curiously not displeasing but hardly worth tracking down and parting with hard earned cash for.
Whereas some have got an intensely rosy potion from Oud Silk Mood, I don't. For me the vegetal tones of the camomile and papyrus listed are the most natural aspect of this perfume, providing a bitter undertow that works well with Kurkdjian's aerosol oud. I kept thinking of a quinine pill crushed into marzipan for some reason. It's the solvent-like haze that hangs over this one that I can't reconcile to, glimpses of soft rose silk notwithstanding, making this a rather soulless affair.
Oud Silk Mood resolutely refused to work for me the overriding impression was of an acetone/glass cleaner blend with oud, curiously not displeasing but hardly worth tracking down and parting with hard earned cash for.
Whereas some have got an intensely rosy potion from Oud Silk Mood, I don't. For me the vegetal tones of the camomile and papyrus listed are the most natural aspect of this perfume, providing a bitter undertow that works well with Kurkdjian's aerosol oud. I kept thinking of a quinine pill crushed into marzipan for some reason. It's the solvent-like haze that hangs over this one that I can't reconcile to, glimpses of soft rose silk notwithstanding, making this a rather soulless affair.
Genre: Floral
Oud Silk Mood offers what has by now become a familiar combination of rose and oudh. Variants on this structure have been offered in numerous Montale releases, and in the superb Amouage Homage Attar, to name but a few. In this regard, Silk Mood is perhaps the most conventional of the three Kurkdjian Oud Mood fragrances. It is certainly less dry, less smoky, and less animalic than either of its two siblings. While it smells richer, softer, and more luxurious than, say, Montale Attar or Royal Aoud, Oud Silk Mood feels less complex and sophisticated, more linear in its development, than Homage Attar.
When such powerful and elemental notes as rose and oudh constitute the core of a fragrance, the experience hinges largely upon two factors: the quality of the ingredients and the proportions of the blend. Despite its name, Oud Silk Mood leans much more heavily toward rose than oudh. In this case it is a very fine, sweet, liqueur-like Bulgarian rose, and your enjoyment of the scent will depend almost entirely on how you feel about this sort of rose. If you enjoy the jammy rose in Serge Lutens's La Fille de Berlin or Amouage's Lyric Woman, you're liable to enjoy Oud Silk Mood. If not, you'll have to look elsewhere for a drier, crisper rose-oudh composition.
Oud Silk Mood offers what has by now become a familiar combination of rose and oudh. Variants on this structure have been offered in numerous Montale releases, and in the superb Amouage Homage Attar, to name but a few. In this regard, Silk Mood is perhaps the most conventional of the three Kurkdjian Oud Mood fragrances. It is certainly less dry, less smoky, and less animalic than either of its two siblings. While it smells richer, softer, and more luxurious than, say, Montale Attar or Royal Aoud, Oud Silk Mood feels less complex and sophisticated, more linear in its development, than Homage Attar.
When such powerful and elemental notes as rose and oudh constitute the core of a fragrance, the experience hinges largely upon two factors: the quality of the ingredients and the proportions of the blend. Despite its name, Oud Silk Mood leans much more heavily toward rose than oudh. In this case it is a very fine, sweet, liqueur-like Bulgarian rose, and your enjoyment of the scent will depend almost entirely on how you feel about this sort of rose. If you enjoy the jammy rose in Serge Lutens's La Fille de Berlin or Amouage's Lyric Woman, you're liable to enjoy Oud Silk Mood. If not, you'll have to look elsewhere for a drier, crisper rose-oudh composition.
Another perfect MFK scent. He really makes oud and rose shine from beginning to end. Both are super high quality which makes them both last from beginning to end, oud more toward the end. It smells rich and it is. Of all the moods this is most people's favorite, I don't know about mine though. Cashmere is stronger oud and so is velvet. This is my girlfriends favorite though. The florals really make it desirable.
For my money, 375$ (!!!), I would go for jo Malone rose oud. Just as luxurious, but maybe a little less staying power. That is only 150 or 175$ though for more juice. If you have enough money to burn to life to good life though, I'd go for MFK.
For my money, 375$ (!!!), I would go for jo Malone rose oud. Just as luxurious, but maybe a little less staying power. That is only 150 or 175$ though for more juice. If you have enough money to burn to life to good life though, I'd go for MFK.
I suspect Silk Mood contains some things I'm anosmic to, because all I got from it was an extremely bright, soapy, rose-tinged oud that stayed completely linear for hours. Have you ever bought a beautiful, almost-open rose from a florist and waited for it to start smelling of something other than the florist's cabinet? That was my experience with Silk Mood. If either the rose or the oud had opened up, it would have been a whole different thing. I detected the same, polite style in MFK's Oud. 'Seamless' seems to be a word used in describing these fragrances and I think here it's taken too far. Or perhaps I just don't get M Kurkdjian's interpretation of oud.
Silky smooth floral Trust Msr Kurkdjian when it comes to florals. In Oud Silk Mood a lush Bulgarian rose note acquires an almost indolic presence, enhanced perhaps by the partnering oud accord. But a rose soliflore this is not despite the strongly rosy opening, the blend turning into a wonderful if mildly soapy woody floral. While I have absolutely no idea what papyrus or blue chamomile smells like there is a certain coolness, a slightly sweet tea-like aspect to the fragrance that I truly enjoyed.Pros: Perfect for a brideCons: Not short of competitors"
A bit too floral for me... I've been obsessing over Oud for the past year non-stop, all-day all-night every-day every-night, at this point it's verging on problematic for my finances, but it's inherent characteristics are _still_ beyond fascinating to me... As far as Ouds go, this one is very nice, it is most definitely masterfully blended, and it's anything but nondescript or generic.. Although it can come off as a bit simple and linear, and it isn't very aggressive or masculine, it is at the very least at all times pleasant and comforting and rewarding.Pros: Delicate, but not feminine...Cons: A bit expensive for a curiosity..."
Nothing extraordinary. Of the three, its probably the most wearable but I wouldn't fork out £275 on any of these. Montale does much better versions of oud.
This is a big floral rose with a very strong oud backdrop. If you have ever wondered why rose makes such a great partner with animalic medicinally zingy rotting vegetation sap - oud - specifically Laotian Oud, then you must smell this fragrance. The papyrus note enhances and magnifies the cool dry wood side of the oud in here. Bulgarian Rose is that very big red perfume rose scent and here is amplified by blue chamomile bridges to the slight floral aspect of Laotian Oud. There is a seamless flowing aspect to this. Nothing is left hanging out there from beginning to end - smooth as silk. I have tried to match this up with anything else similar in my history of sniffing things and I am at a loss. It is a little like Rose Oud By Killian but bolder and rosier and there is no saffron in this mix. This is probably the reference oud for a pure rose and oud scent. It does read feminine to me but I could see a man wearing it too. 4 of 5 stars!