Ouds and bespoke fragrances at Scent Salim

Imagine over 1,000 scents with inspiration and ingredients taken from traditional Arabian sources and blended in a way that combines East and West.
Ad Feature by Scent Salim
Published 27th May 2022, 4:48pm BST
Scent Salim offers traditional Arabian Oud products with a French twistScent Salim offers traditional Arabian Oud products with a French twist
Scent Salim offers traditional Arabian Oud products with a French twist

This is exactly what you have with Scent Salim – a company which draws its customers from around the world.

Fragrances created by Scent Salim are a delight for the olfactory senses. For those familiar with Oud fragrances this is a treasure trove of delights – bringing the best ingredients and superb customer service together. If you are not so familiar this is a chance to purchase a scent you may never have smelled before – or to have your own bespoke fragrance made.

The company, started a decade ago is now a multi-million pound global enterprise.

Ilyas Salim – the man behind Scent Salim – went to his local high school in Yorkshire but it was whilst he was at private school that he became interested in Oud fragrances and built up quite a collection. He has built the business over the past decade and it is one of a very few UK fragrance houses in the UK which sources its raw ingredients directly.

The company, which offers traditional Arabian Oud products with a French twist, now has seven shops, a manufacturing and wholesale side and an online shop selling around the world.

Story of success

“We were one of the pioneers for bringing in these niche products into the Western market,” he said. Ilyas explained that when he started the company there were very few people sourcing their own products and creating and blending their own fragrances here in the UK from these products.

Clients range from locals who return for their favourites to VIPs and discerning clients who require a bespoke fragranceClients range from locals who return for their favourites to VIPs and discerning clients who require a bespoke fragrance
Clients range from locals who return for their favourites to VIPs and discerning clients who require a bespoke fragrance

“We have over 1,000 fragrances,” he explains.

Clients can find these fragrances in a range of options – from spray-on scents to car fresheners, candles and. They have discerning clients and VIPs who travel from London and the south east to Scent Salim’s stunning stores in Manchester and Leeds, or who will fly in from abroad for an appointment to create a specific fragrance.

As well as an online shop and seven stores, he creates, designs and manufactures the products and has a thriving wholesale and distribution side to the business.

Giving back to the community

Some customers will travel from London or fly in from abroad for a consultation about a bespoke scentSome customers will travel from London or fly in from abroad for a consultation about a bespoke scent
Some customers will travel from London or fly in from abroad for a consultation about a bespoke scent

Ilyas acts as a mentor to many other individuals setting up in business selling perfumes and Ouds across the world – in UK and in Uganda, Gambia, Germany and Holland.

“I believe that competition is always healthy,” he explains. “Success is written for you and helping others to improve and find success is so important to me.”

He says providing quality products and a quality service is at the heart of what he does, and it has helped grow the business into the success it is today – with plans to expand and shops in London and Dubai on the horizon for later this year.

The company is involved in many charities and charitable events. It is part of the ethos of Ilyas’ culture and personality that puts this at the heart of the business.

About the perfumes

Scent Salim is one of very few shops in the UK to offer an array of niche fragrances, Arabian perfumes and Oud.

This is the home of over 1,000 scents – Ilyas says they can recreate any perfume for a client. The products are made from natural and oils and sourced from all over Asia and the Middle East.

It is this concentration on genuine, quality products, from the original source that make the scents so special.

“We concentrate on the quality and that’s why we don’t want to grow too fast,” he explained.

Oud is the generic Arabic term for incense, or resinous wood taken from the agarwood tree. The agarwood trees in question are located in specific areas in the world – Malaysia, India, Cambodia, Indonesia and Brunei. The wood in these trees is of tremendous value, as the resin within them is distilled to create pure Oud scents.

Oud itself has gained popularity among celebrities, Royals and artisans worldwide. It offers a depth of fragrance, which is mulit-layered and, Ilyas explains, lasts longer than a regular “French” style perfume.

But modern methods and a bit of a French/Asian fusion makes these fragrances so accessible and flexible. They are produced in a range of options from room fragrances to fragrant woods for burning.

There are many ready-made scents to choose from – as sprays or candles or room fragrances for example – and for the wholesale trade the car fresheners and beard oils are the most popular items.

Scent Salim is proud to boast a fabulous collection of Arabian, imperial and pure Oud sprays. These products are made from all different types of materials and natural oils and are sourced from all over Asia and the Middle East. To help us stand out from the competition and continue to create the best fragrances and perfumes we are constantly experimenting with our scents to find any new discoveries.

Scent Salim is always at the forefront of giving back to local causes. They have set up many foodbanks around the UK and also orphanages abroad. They never say know to any charitable cause, big or small.

Unique offer for National World readers

To find your local shop visit https://www.scentsalim.com and if you buy online you can get an exclusive 20% off your order by using the code vipoud.