One of the most searched questions before buying an attar is simple: how long will it actually last? The honest answer depends on the type of attar, your skin, and how you apply it.
On skin, a good quality attar typically lasts 6-8 hours, with the scent evolving through top, heart, and base notes as the hours pass. Musk and oud-based attars often perform at the higher end of that range because of their dense, resinous nature. On fabric, attars last significantly longer — often 16-24 hours or more — since fabric fibers hold fragrance oils much better than skin does.
Projection, or how far the scent travels from your body, is a separate factor from longevity. Some attars have strong initial projection that settles into a closer "skin scent" after 30-45 minutes — this is completely normal and doesn't mean the fragrance is gone, just that it's changed how it's being perceived.
Skin type also plays a role — oilier skin tends to hold fragrance longer than dry skin. Applying attar on slightly moisturized pulse points (wrists, neck, behind ears) helps the oils bind better and extends wear time.
At Maaz Oud, every attar is tested for real-world longevity before it reaches our collection — because a fragrance is only as good as how long it stays with you.