{"title":"Light Blends","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"castore-rouge","title":"Castore Rouge","description":"\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\" id=\"model-response-message-contentr_734f9b96db1eead7\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis blend began soon after I settled on the \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/blogs\/approach\/creamy-leather\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eleather\u003c\/a\u003e accord. From the outset, I wanted a leather rose—aged and dark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving learned the combination worked well in \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/silk-rose\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSilk Rose\u003c\/a\u003e, I built a core using Tunisian, Bulgarian, Moroccan, and Turkish roses, balanced around the leather accord. Over time, I started introducing darkening elements to bring the hue down: black ambergris for its deep balsamic, mineral, and slightly powdery facets; and tonka bean for its molasses-like profile. The one I used had a nuance of red fruit leather—sour-sweet, not sugary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI then added Viet oud for its dark leathery profile. Working from the other end, I sought to amplify that red nuance in the tonka. So came raspberry, lending a lush bridge into the rose heart. After that, I let time do its thing, making only slight iterations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRose? Check. Red fruit? Check. Dark base? Check. Leather? Somewhat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou see, the leather profile I started this blend with is creamy, but it gradually began to feel buried. After weeks of working in that direction, I slowed down the changes. I was somehow stuck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen one afternoon, I could smell a strong castoreum-like note even though there was no castoreum anywhere in sight. Is my brain playing tricks on me? I asked myself. Perhaps. But I could already \"smell\" how it would work in the blend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrdering materials to Oman is rarely a simple click, buy, deliver journey given the current circumstances. So I ordered some and waited eagerly. When it finally arrived, it not only fit the blend—it amplified the leather profile I had been chasing and brought the right amount of darkness and animalic character to support the roses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater, I added a generous dose of vintage Indian rose (gulab) sourced from a collector's stash of Sultanate Palace oils, which made the red fruit, rose, and leather arrangement feel more coherent alongside the ambergris, tonka, castoreum, and Viet oud.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final addition was bitter orange. While the raspberry provided a beautiful transition into the rose heart, it needed an introduction of its own. Bitter orange gave exactly that: a bright opening that isn't sweet, leading naturally into the raspberry and the rest of the composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen I realized the structure had already existed in an earlier castoreum composition of mine, one that had split into two directions: raspberry with smoky oud, and another centered around roses and florals. Castore Rouge merges both.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHopefully, the next castoreum work will take a different path entirely. Until then, I hope you enjoy this one.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eConcentrations\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eFollowing the \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/approach\/lighter\"\u003eLight\u003c\/a\u003e editions, \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eCastoré Rouge now comes in \u003cem\u003eLight\u003c\/em\u003e concentration. It sits somewhere between Nightfall Neroli and Civet Prestige in terms of density — which, to my nose, preserves the identity of castoreum and leather as the centerpiece while still offering something lighter for everyday wear. As with the other Light editions, you'll notice a considerable drop in price, making it a good entry point if you're into red-Burgundy leather perfumes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"elkhaldi studio","offers":[{"title":"Light \/ 30ml","offer_id":49049152553113,"sku":null,"price":95.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Light \/ 50ml","offer_id":49049152585881,"sku":null,"price":155.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Original \/ 15ml","offer_id":46917934284953,"sku":"CRG15","price":135.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Original \/ 30ml","offer_id":46917934317721,"sku":"CRG30","price":255.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Original \/ 50ml","offer_id":46917934350489,"sku":"CRG50","price":415.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0720\/5866\/7161\/files\/CRL-30.png?v=1789742600"},{"product_id":"al-bahar","title":"Al Bahar","description":"\u003cp\u003eI wanted to explore an oceanic scent again after Ocean Kinam. This time, the focus shifts more heavily toward the scent of the sea itself: seaweed, salt, and seashells.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI brought in onycha for its dry, marine-animalic mineral facet, along with sage and yuzu. But I went a step further, developing a process to tease out saline facets from Mysore sandalwood. The result is a creamy, dense sandalwood with a natural salinity that sits perfectly alongside onycha and seaweed. I then supplemented the composition with black cardamom and beeswax, creating a bridge into what follows — an assortment of eight ouds:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere is what will be in your bottle: Aceh, Pahang, Prachin, Khanh Hoa, Hong Kong, Iriani, and a vintage Tarakan oud.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy so many ouds — eight of them? Isn’t that too much? There are two parts to my answer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the role of oud here is perhaps different from what some might expect. In many compositions, oud is used as the focal point — something bold, dominant, and immediately recognizable. Here, I am using it differently. Most of the ouds in this blend come from regions whose profiles naturally lean green, woody, earthy, herbal, and resinous. Those qualities allow them to connect naturally with the yuzu, sage, black cardamom, seaweed, and onycha.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than standing apart from those materials, the ouds weave themselves through them. The green facets of Pahang, the earthy depth of Tarakan and Iriani, the dry structure of Prachin, the leathery darkness of Khanh Hoa, and the floral lift of Aceh all reinforce different parts of the composition. The result is not an \"oud perfume\" in the traditional sense, but a scent where oud acts as connective tissue, linking the marine, herbal, spicy, and woody elements into a more coherent whole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecond, customers' noses. As my customer base has grown, I wanted to offer something for the more discerning oud enthusiasts. There is certainly enough oud here to appreciate and explore, but I was careful not to let it dominate the composition. The goal was never to overwhelm the marine character, but to support it. If anything, the oud serves the oceanic theme rather than the other way around.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor those who enjoy examining a blend layer by layer, the ouds are there to discover. For everyone else, they simply contribute to the atmosphere: green, salty, woody, and quietly expansive. If you're after a dialed up oud note, you can get your bottle topped up with a few choices available as add-ons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eI contemplated making this blend a standalone, one take. But each time I test it and trace the scent trail it offers, new ideas emerge. So, I decided to reserve part of the batch for a different take—an Oceanic Chypre, or even Rose. We'll see.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA needed update...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEven after bottling it, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was still more to uncover. So I returned to the drawing board, sourced additional oud, yuzu, and onycha, and reworked the composition. The goal was simple: to let the yuzu shine a little brighter and sweeter, while making its transition into the oud heart feel effortless.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThroughout this process, I remained true to the core identity of the blend and the prominent notes and materials presented on the label. Additional materials were introduced not to change its direction, but to refine the composition and bring it closer to the expression I had envisioned from the beginning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThose changes increased the cost of the blend considerably, but it was not a difficult decision to make at all. I'd much rather release something I'm genuinely happy with than settle for something that simply met the original plan. \u003cspan\u003eLooking back, I'm glad I trusted that instinct.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConcentrations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eI've finally settled on a lighter concentration of this blend, so every scent in the release now has a light version: Al Bahar, Civet Prestige, Nightfall Neroli and Castore Rouge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe light version of Al Bahar brings the yuzu and cardamom forward, giving it a more vivid, citrus-led character. The powdery, oceanic beeswax and oud gourmand heart follows smoothly behind. Overall, the experience is airier.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"elkhaldi studio","offers":[{"title":"Light \/ 30ml","offer_id":49061455560857,"sku":null,"price":145.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0720\/5866\/7161\/files\/Bahar_Light_30.png?v=1789999585"},{"product_id":"civet-prestige","title":"Civet Prestige","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is the second \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/civet-royale\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCivet Royale\u003c\/a\u003e perfume, after \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/civet-regal\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCivet Regal\u003c\/a\u003e. This one moves into a direction I hadn’t really explored before. Civet Prestige feels like a greener interpretation of a classic civet structure — powdery, soft, and floral, but also nutty, herbal-sweet-spicy, green, and lightly animalic with an oudy depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI didn’t initially intend for it to go this way. I was simply drawn to sesame and wanted to explore its nutty creaminess within the Civet Royale profile, without letting it drift too far into gourmand territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom there, I introduced star anise and fennel — one bringing a fermented-sweet aromatic depth, the other a green, sweet-spicy lift. Then came the florals: honeysuckle and osmanthus, followed by pink pepper, which gave the composition its first real definition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe structure finally locked in with golden champaca. On its own, it reads as pollen-like, creamy, with fruity-tea nuances and a subtle spice. It felt like a necessary bridge element, filling the perceptual gap between honeysuckle and osmanthus and tying the floral heart together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLater additions were oud — then more oud — and finally a deeper layer of Sylheti oud. If you’ve tried \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/products\/kasturi-cola\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eKasturi Cola\u003c\/a\u003e, you may notice a similar character in the drydown, t\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003ehough those familiar with Sylheti oud will likely detect it earlier, as it unfolds in the air.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eI kept a portion of this Civet Prestige to do a special project with it. I am contemplating what to do with it. Perhaps, something for the end of the year (as a special edition?) We'll see.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe final rendition of \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/civet-royale\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCivet Royale\u003c\/a\u003e is currently in development and may take a few months to complete. It will explore a civet–rose–oud profile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eConcentrations\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eI\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003en addition to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/nightfall-neroli\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eNightfall Neroli Light\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e, this is the second blend becoming ready as a \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/approach\/lighter\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLighter\u003c\/a\u003e concentration. Here, I went even lighter, which is reflected in the price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Original is strong. It’s among the most concentrated blends I’ve made. In sharp contrast, and much like \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/products\/civet-regal\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCivet Regal\u003c\/a\u003e, which I offered in different concentrations, I went with a much lighter dose here.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe result is airy, dark green, and still very much civet. Not fecal civet, but animalic, nutty from the sesame, with a touch of sweetness and gourmand character from the spices and florals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf you want an entry into green animalic blends, the Light edition is a good place to start.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"elkhaldi studio","offers":[{"title":"Light \/ 30ml","offer_id":49048723226777,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Light \/ 50ml","offer_id":49048723259545,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0720\/5866\/7161\/files\/CPL30.png?v=1789732839"},{"product_id":"nightfall-neroli","title":"Nightfall Neroli","description":"\u003cp\u003eI find that certain jasmines already carry a naturally leathery quality—especially Night-Blooming Jasmine, along with certain vintage jasmine oils, if you are fortunate enough to encounter a good batch. I did.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe idea of a jasmine leather composition was later confirmed during a trip to Jabal Akhdar in Oman, where I encountered a small Night-Blooming Jasmine growing in its natural environment. Experiencing it on the stem removed any abstraction. It was no longer a theory—it became certainty. There, it clearly expressed a creamy, slightly animalic leather facet. I kept thinking: jasmine is leathery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom that point, I began developing my own \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/blogs\/approach\/creamy-leather\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eleather\u003c\/a\u003e accord. After many iterations, it evolved into a genre of its own, of which this is the first release. It would later also lead to \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/products\/castore-rouge\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCastore Rouge\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBack to this one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the heart of the composition lies a triad of jasmine materials: a vintage jasmine acquired from a respected collector in Oman, Night-Blooming Jasmine, and Juhi. Around them sit osmanthus, peach, apricot, and a touch of saffron. The foundation is built on Prachin, Merauke, and Trat ouds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt one stage, the composition became too still and heavy. I wanted to preserve that Night-Blooming Jasmine’s weighted, perhaps slow-moving nocturnal quality. I turned to Kewra and Moroccan Neroli.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe effect was immediate. The composition shifted toward a curious fermented-fruit character—rich and expressive, yet without sweetness. It was a clear improvement, though it still lacked definition in movement. That is what Moroccan Neroli did: it brought air into the composition, sharpened the transitions, and ultimately sealed the blend into its final form.\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eA needed update:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI could not resist adding a generous amount of breathtaking Italian Jasmine (grandiflorum) that I recently managed to get my hands on. Thank God, the oil arrived just before I was preparing to release this blend.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the labels had already been produced, I had a choice to make: keep the composition as it was, create new labels to mention the Italian jasmine, or move forward with incorporating the jasmine while using the existing labels. I chose to incorporate the jasmine and move forward with the existing labels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe decision was ultimately about elevating the blend into a far more exceptional jasmine composition—one that is truly worthy of a place on your shelf.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eConcentrations \u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eI just \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/approach\/lighter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003epublished a short post \u003c\/a\u003e(after a few typo fixes) on going lighter for Nightfall, Castore, Al Bahar and Prestige. This is the first one ready.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe Original concentration is what you'd expect. The lighter version is airier, and you arrive at the honeyed jasmine notes earlier. It's a beautiful blend, and I'm honestly glad I went this route.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe Light is about a third as concentrated as the OG: one part OG to two parts perfumer's alcohol. Everything else is the same.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"elkhaldi studio","offers":[{"title":"Light \/ 30ml","offer_id":49046893691033,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Light \/ 50ml","offer_id":49046893723801,"sku":null,"price":115.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Original \/ 15ml","offer_id":47596562514073,"sku":"NFN15","price":100.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":false},{"title":"Original \/ 30ml","offer_id":47596562546841,"sku":"NFN30","price":190.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Original \/ 50ml","offer_id":47596562579609,"sku":"NFN50","price":310.0,"currency_code":"OMR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0720\/5866\/7161\/files\/NFN-L-30.png?v=1789707997"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0720\/5866\/7161\/collections\/Light-Blends.jpg?v=1790337186","url":"https:\/\/www.elkhaldistudio.com\/collections\/light-blends.oembed","provider":"elkhaldi studio","version":"1.0","type":"link"}