Yes, yes, my title refers to the fact that I used to find oud fragrances a bit too special and sometimes even overwhelmingly strong. In the past, I didn't like oud at all, but over time, I've come to see that a subtle or well-measured oud can actually be a nice enhancement to a fragrance when the interplay with the other notes is right.
It's actually a relief that I no longer find oud so terrible, because just a few years ago, there was a real oud boom... almost every new fragrance, especially new flankers, had to include oud. Well, sometimes that was good, sometimes not, and sometimes it was really awful (which led me to the saying "oud not good!" :D). Despite some intense fragrances, I have, as mentioned, discovered some nice oud scents over time and realized that oud doesn't always smell as bad or exhausting as I always thought; otherwise, I probably wouldn't have tried so many fragrances...
And now I've arrived at a Creed fragrance with oud. So instead of shuddering at the fact that it's an oud scent, I'm looking forward to the test, especially since Creed is a brand that offers many good fragrances (oh, I just can't help myself and must say again: Yes, yes, Creed has other great fragrances besides Aventus!!! Remember that! Once and for all! I won't say it again!... oh,... who am I kidding,... I'll mention it over and over again, mu ha ha ha!!! :DD) and it's just enjoyable to sniff through this brand.
Well then, I'll start sniffing and hope for a lovely fragrance as always!
The fragrance:
In the top note, you can actually smell exactly what is listed in the fragrance pyramid: roses, bergamot, and violets. But I feel like I'm also perceiving additional fruity notes, one of which even faintly reminds me of apples. The roses seem to fade quickly, at least they soon fall into the background. Alongside the fruity tone, a slightly earthy note is slowly emerging, which I think is the beginning of the patchouli. An iris also appears gradually, whose scent is recognizable, but the fragrance (probably still) doesn't come off as powdery.
A bit later, the fragrance is no longer fruity but more floral. Additionally, the sweet component increases, which is likely a combination of jasmine and violet. And then the fragrance also becomes more powdery, which can be attributed to the aforementioned iris, while the patchouli remains rather weak.
The oud holds back relatively here; you can hardly smell it properly over a longer period unless you focus on it. Because even in the base, this fragrance is mostly floral and powdery for me. From the flowers, I still smell a mix of jasmine and violet, as well as, of course, the iris.
In the later base, you can also detect very light, resinous notes along with soft sandalwood.
The sillage and longevity:
The projection is okay. It is neither particularly strong nor really weak and can be smelled at a normal distance for some time.
The longevity for me is about ten hours, which is okay, even quite good!
The bottle:
The bottle is, as always, high-quality and elaborate. It tapers upward, becoming rounded and wider (like wings, similar to the Shalimar bottles from Guerlain) and has a gentle red gradient. The front features the Creed logo embedded in the glass, and you can also see the name of the fragrance in golden letters. Below the logo, you see the well-known Creed inscription. The cap is gold-plated and has a curved shape on the top. A beautiful bottle.
Hmm, I find the fragrance good. It is beautifully feminine with its floral and powdery notes, but for having "oud" in the name, it offers hardly any of that note. This means that anyone who really likes oud should definitely test this fragrance first before being disappointed that oud is less prominent. However, there really isn't a reason to be disappointed, as the fragrance generally smells lovely.
In any case, the fragrance is a spring and summer scent, as it smells light and airy. Since it gives me a very "bright" impression, I think it is best suited for daytime use, but of course, that's just my opinion :)
You ladies will surely smell wonderful with this fragrance, although not really edible (or... well, maybe?! You never know! :D), as I sometimes write about some, especially the sweeter fragrances (*sigh* they always smell so delicious...), but still very feminine and even elegant. In my opinion, it is definitely worth a test, even though Princess Oud isn't strictly speaking very extraordinary. And as mentioned at the beginning or in my title, this fragrance thankfully hasn't turned out to be a runaway... :D
Top Notes 
Violet
Rose
Sicilian bergamot
Heart Notes 
Florentine iris
Patchouli
Jasmine
Vanilla absolute
Base Notes 
Indian sandalwood
Styrax
Oud
Siam benzoin
ScentedSalon
GeorgeReid
FlowerFiend3
Gandix
SchatzSucher
Gold
Dibella
Yatagan
Lilienfeld
Poesiefanny
