Oud Wood
A faithful amber|woody reconstruction at Advanced difficulty — built from 44 materials and dosed for an eau de parfum near 20%.
The Notes
Composition
Top
Cardamom, Rosewood
Heart
Hedione HC, Helvetolide
Base
Patchouli Oil, Cypriol Heart Oil, Muscenone Delta
Specification
At a glance
- Ingredients
- 44
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Recommended Concentrate
- 20% EDP
- Fragrance family
- amber|woody
- Profile
- Unisex
The Build
Formula preview
The opening materials, with percentages obscured. The full weighable formula unlocks the moment you buy.
| No. | Material | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Iso E Super® (IFF) | 28–31% |
| 02 | Ethylene Brassylate | 14–17% |
| 03 | Linalool | 5–8% |
| 04 | Kephalis (Givaudan) | 5–8% |
About
About this formula
Oud Wood by Tom Ford is one of the most influential woody amber fragrances of the modern era, credited with bringing refined oud-forward compositions into mainstream luxury perfumery. Its signature lies in a seamless blending of warm spice, dry woods, and a quietly animalic depth that feels both approachable and sophisticated.
The formula opens with cardamom and rosewood, a pairing that sets an immediate tone of warmth and quiet elegance. The cardamom contributes a dry, slightly camphorous spice that prevents the opening from feeling sweet, while rosewood adds a soft, lightly floral woodiness that bridges the top and heart without any sharp transition. Together they establish the fragrance as something serious from the first moment.
The heart is built around two musk materials that define the modern woody amber aesthetic. Hedione HC brings a transparent, jasmine-adjacent radiance that lifts the composition and gives it luminosity without adding any conventional floral character. Helvetolide works alongside it as a clean, diffusive musk with a faint fruity undertone, providing the smooth skin-like quality that makes this type of fragrance feel like a second skin rather than something applied. This pairing is responsible for much of the formula's blending power, tying the spiced opening to the heavy base with remarkable fluidity.
The base is where the formula earns its depth. Patchouli oil brings an earthy, slightly fermented richness that grounds the entire composition without dominating it. Cypriol heart oil, derived from nagarmotha, delivers the smoky, woody, slightly leathery quality that many identify as the oud-adjacent character in the original -- it is one of the most technically interesting materials in the formula and requires careful measurement to balance correctly. Muscenone delta contributes a macro-cyclic musk character with a dry, mineral edge that extends the base and adds longevity.
This is an advanced-level formula, rated as such because of the precision required when working with cypriol heart oil and the musk pairing in the heart. Both Hedione HC and Helvetolide are highly diffusive and can overwhelm a formula if dosed beyond their effective range. Home perfumers with experience calibrating musk ratios and working with smoky wood materials will find this reconstruction genuinely rewarding. At 20 percent EDP concentration, the formula is designed for direct application with strong projection and lasting wear.
This fragrance suits anyone who gravitates toward warm, woody ambers with a professional or evening-appropriate character. It performs well in cooler temperatures and in settings where a composed, understated presence is appropriate. It is genuinely unisex in execution, leaning neither overtly feminine nor masculine.
ScentFormulas delivers GCMS-informed reconstructions with accurate material specifications so you can build with confidence.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Purchasers can leave a verified review from their account.
Questions
Frequently asked
What skill level does the Oud Wood formula need?+
This formula is rated advanced. It uses 44 materials and comes with step-by-step maceration and dilution guidance, so it suits makers comfortable with weighing materials on a precision scale. Every material is listed with its CAS number so you can source the exact item.
Where do I buy the ingredients?+
All of the materials are stocked by the major hobby-perfumery suppliers in the US, EU, UK and Australia. Each material includes its CAS number to make ordering unambiguous, and our free Ingredients Guide lists trusted suppliers by region. Specialty bases are flagged with supplier notes in the formula.
How much fragrance will this make?+
The formula is given per 100 g of concentrate, with grams-per-100g figures for every material, and our on-screen batch calculator scales it to 10 g, 50 g, 1 kg or any size instantly. Diluted to roughly 20% in perfumer's alcohol, a 100 g concentrate batch makes around 500 g of finished eau de parfum.
Is it legal to make a clone of a designer fragrance?+
Yes, for personal use. Fragrance scents themselves are not protected by copyright, and our formulas are original reconstructions — our own interpretations, not the houses' confidential formulae. Trademarks protect names and logos, which is why we describe formulas as "inspired by" a fragrance and never use brand logos. Read more on our blog about clone-formula legality.
What about IFRA compliance?+
Each formula includes IFRA notes. The percentages describe the concentrate; your skin-level exposure depends on the final dilution. If you ever sell or gift a finished product you should check the current IFRA Standards for restricted materials and confirm the maximum for your product category. For personal use, always patch-test and follow supplier safety data.
Can I get a refund on a formula?+
Because formulas are digital products delivered instantly, we do not offer change-of-mind refunds. We will, however, refund or correct any formula that contains a genuine material error within 7 days of purchase. See our refund policy for details.