Posted on April 27th, 2022.

What is Attar or perfume Oil?

Attar is one of the Prized Posession of a Muslim. There is hardly any home where you won’t find Attar. Attar also known by the name “Ittar ”  are highly concentrated Perfume and therefore are usually offered for sale in small quantities and have traditionally been offered in decorated crystal cut type bottles or small jeweled decanters. Attrar is so concentrated that a small bottle will last the user several weeks, if not months. Due to the purity and the nature of oils, there is very little chance of spoilage unless a food based carrier oil is used to cut the concentrated pure oil.

Traditionally in the Eastern world it was a customary practice of nobility to offer ittar to their guests at the time of their departure. The ittars were traditionally given in ornate tiny crystal cut bottles called as itardans. This tradition of giving ascent to ones guests continues to this day in many parts of the Eastern world.

Difference Between Attar and Alcohol based Synthetic Perfume

The first impression of perfume is overwhelming to human senses, but it soon evaporates and loses power. Given its natural derivation, ittar lasts a long time. Body heat only intensifies its smell.A major difference between synthetic perfumes and ittar is that the oil-based ittar is worn directly on your body.  A small drop is enough to be used as a fragrance on the body but Perfumes containing alcohol evaporates away quite fast and most of them are not safe to be applied directly on the Skin.. A few drops can be added to water and used with aromatic vapour lamps. The Storage and Shelf Life of Ittar is much better than alcohol based Perfume.-Ittar has a permanent shelf life and some ittars become stronger and smell better when they are older. and they become very aromatic.

In Muslim World Perfume is more Synonymous with Attar. Attar are also known by the name Perfume Oil as they are Concentrated and need just a dab.Attar are much better than alcohol based Perfumes as they last longer. Attars have no side effects if directly applied on the skin or clothes and they may have therapeutic effects, but alcohol based perfumes cannot be used in a therapeutic way. They might be harmful due to the use of alcohol. Sometimes ,Attars can be more affordable and cheaper than other Perfumes because they are so concentrated that a small bottle will last the regular user several weeks or even months.

How to Apply Attar

The recommended way to apply attar is to Dab Attar on to your pulse points (wrists, under ear lobes, sides of the neck etc.) This is pretty potent so a little goes a long way. It is recommended to apply Attar on the ulnar artery to feel its fragrance and ruh (soul).Attar can stain clothes .So take care not to apply attar with applicator or roll over your clothes.Instead you can take a little attar on your finger and rub over your clothes .Remember little!  Attar are very strong scent and lasts a long time

Choice Of Attar. How to Choose Attar on the basis of Notes ?

Do you Know that Attars can be classified based on their effect on human body.

Attar for Winter Season

For Winters You need to Choose the Warm Ittars’ – Ittars such as Musk, Amber, Kesar (Saffron), Oud, are used in winters, they increase the body temperature and are perfect picks for the winter season.

Attars for Summer Season

For the summer, it’s best to choose one made from ingredients that lower body temperature like .These are called Cool attars which are mode of ingredients like –Rose, Jasmine, Khus, Kewda, Mogra, Sandalwood . These are Perfect Pick for  summers and are used keeping the body cool.

Best Attar for Men and Women

While most Attar brands comes for both Men and Women.A smart way to choose Attar for a specific gender is to know its notes.

Notes are separated into three classes; top/head notes, middle/heart notes, and base notes; which denote groups of scents which can be sensed with respect to the time after the application of a perfume. These notes are created carefully with knowledge of the evaporation process and intended use of the perfume. The presence of one note may alter the perception of another – for instance, the presence of certain base or heart notes will alter the scent perceived when the top notes are strongest, and likewise the scent of base notes in the dry-down will often be altered depending on the smells of the heart notes.

Top notes are otherwise called the head notes.

Perceived immediately upon application of a perfume,They form a person’s initial impression of a perfume and thus are very important in the selling of the product.

Middle or  “heart notes”.

The scent of a perfume that emerges just prior to when the top notes dissipate. The middle note compounds form the “heart” or main body of a perfume and emerge in the middle of the perfume’s dispersion process. They serve to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of base notes, which become more pleasant with time.

Base Notes

The scent of a perfume that appears close to the departure of the middle notes. The base and middle notes together are the main theme of a perfume. Base notes bring depth and solidity to a perfume. Compounds of this class are often the fixatives used to hold and boost the strength of the lighter top and middle notes. Consisting of large, heavy molecules that evaporate slowly, compounds of this class of scents are typically rich and “deep” and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes after the application of the perfume or during the period of perfume dry-down.Some base notes can still be detectable in excess of twenty-four hours after application, particularly the Oud and  musk notes.

CLICK HERE to visit the Original Article at "Islam Hashtag" and read through a comprehensive list of Attar organized by brands