Real Oud (Aquilaria) costs $30,000/kg. You cannot put that in a bar of soap. Yet, consumers demand "Oud" products at affordable prices. The secret weapon? Gaharu Buaya (Aetoxylon sympetalum). Often dismissed as "Fake Oud," this Indonesian native wood (found in the swamps of Kalimantan) is actually a legitimate perfume material known as "White Oud."
Triefta Aroma Nusantara champions this oil not as a dupe, but as a unique ingredient with its own merit.
The Chemistry: Agarospirol Unlike real Oud (which relies on infection), Aetoxylon’s scent comes from its natural heartwood resin.
- The Profile: It lacks the fecal/animalic barnyard notes of expensive Oud. Instead, it is soft, smoky, woody, and intensely sweet (almost like burnt sugar and sandalwood).
- Key Compound: Agarospirol. This molecule gives it tremendous tenacity. It acts as a powerful fixative that smells expensive but costs a fraction of Aquilaria.
The Soap Maker’s Dream Real Oud disappears in the high pH of soap making.
- Aetoxylon’s Stability: It survives the saponification process beautifully. It imparts a creamy, smoky wood scent that lingers on the skin after a shower.
- B2B Strategy: For brands launching a "Men’s Grooming" line (Soaps, Beard Oils), Aetoxylon allows you to use the word "Gaharu/Oud" in marketing while maintaining a profitable margin.
Conclusion Stop looking for cheap, adulterated Aquilaria. Switch to the honest, sustainable luxury of Indonesian Gaharu Buaya. It is the smart choice for functional perfumery.