In a previous article, I discussed the different forms of body perfume used by people in the Arab culture, one of which is Bakhoor. The composition of these perfumes in the form of smoke follows traditional recipes that are a true secret of each family.
The basic recipe includes a sugar syrup with rose water, pulverized sandalwood, pulverized oud wood, and attar oil, in varying doses according to the taste of each producer of these small fragrant tablets. The perfuming is done by burning this extremely fragrant material over a disc on burning charcoal, releasing a dense cloud of aromatic smoke.
The Bakhoor tradition is sacred to Arab culture. Perfumes serve, according to tradition, to make a deep connection with the spiritual world, in addition to awakening feelings such as joy, comfort, relaxation, and coziness. I particularly love to perfume my home, bedroom, and office with Bakhoor, and I also use this fragrance to create a layer of smoky perfume on my skin, hair, beard, and clothes.
From what I read in the comments, many of the readers of the previous article love the smell of Bakhoor but hate the smoke that is released during the burning of these tablets. I decided to research ways to perfume one's environment without emitting any smoke but still create that delicious Arab atmosphere. It took me a few weeks to find a brand that produced something that delivers scent without smoke, but I finally found it.
My search keywords were 'smokeless Bakhoor,' 'Arabic perfumes for the home,' and 'smokeless incense.' Several options appeared, but none of them were exactly what I was looking for. Many suggested scent sticks or home mists, but then I came across a brand called Dukhni that recommended using their Bakhoor tablets over a flame-fed burner using a candle. I decided that could be the solution, and in fact, it was.
The history of the Dukhni brand is inspired by the power and beauty of Arab perfumery, with a history of more than five generations! They made their first batch of Bakhoor in a home kitchen in the city of Aden, an important commercial port during the incense route. Today, new technology and knowledge about botanical oils are used to produce exclusive perfumes for the skin and home without releasing smoke.
After getting to know a little more about Dukhni, I decided to order a kit for myself with the option of an oud variety and including the described burner for smokeless burning. As soon as these Bakhoors arrived at my house, I immediately followed the instructions for use and started burning. Minutes after the candle flame heated the metal plate where I had put the Bakhoor; I could see that the release of perfume was superior to the traditional method with smoke, and there was also a gain in the burning time, which with charcoal was only 3 or 5 minutes and took about 50 minutes with this way of burning.
I confess that I was thrilled to be able to share with you a way to perfume the house without releasing smoke and still use the perfumes of traditional Arab perfumery. This kit with a variety of ouds was simply one of the best options, especially for new users curious about this way of perfuming the home and the skin, as it offers about 20 oud fragrances, with different themes, that can be burned individually or mixed.
Dukhni also offers alcohol-free home mists and attars. I would definitely recommend this brand to those who are curious about the universe of Bakhoor but do not want to breathe in smoke; it's a fascinating option to discover this ancient perfume experience.
Blog written by - Ítalo Pereira, Writer
Ítalo Pereira, Bachelor in Law and Public Relations, is a fragrance and perfumery enthusiast from Brazil, with experience in fragrance criticism since 2007, and currently a Digital Influencer in the world of perfumery.