Attar Shamama Essential Oil, 1 L

What Attar Shamama Is

Shamama is one of the most complex traditional attars of Kannauj, India. Attars there are traditionally produced by deg-bhapka distillation of botanicals in copper stills. Instead of a single plant, Shamama uses a large blend of herbs, spices, resins and flowers, so it smells like a finished perfume in its own right.

The product card lists the INCI name Shamama Essential Oil, India as the country of production and a 1 L container. The scent is described as complex, deep and earthy, with spicy, floral, woody and musky notes.

Lot documents

Every distiller has their own Shamama blend, so ask for the specification and safety data sheet of the lot before use. Those documents determine the permitted level under the IFRA Standards and the allergens you will need to declare on the label.

Why perfumers use it

Attar Shamama gives a warm, dense dry-down with long tenacity on skin and fabric. One material offers several facets at once: spice, wood, flowers and a soft animalic musk. It also has a natural affinity with resins, vetiver, patchouli, oud-style accords and musks.

Applications

Perfume oils

Roll-on perfume oils are the traditional home of attars. It blends straight into light carrier oils without alcohol.

Alcohol-based fragrance

In an eau de parfum it can act as a heart and base accent for oriental or spicy compositions. Run a clarity test in alcohol first.

Scented grooming and body care

Beard oils, balms, solid perfumes and body oils. Keep the final level within IFRA limits for the relevant product category.

Handling tips

Add the attar to anhydrous products during cool-down, at around 40 °C. In alcohol, blend at room temperature and allow the fragrance to mature for several weeks before chilling and filtering. Start low and build up gradually, as the material is very concentrated.

Example: beard oil, 30 ml batch

For a 30 ml batch, combine 12 ml of argan oil, 15 ml of jojoba oil and 2.7 ml of fractionated coconut oil, then add 0.3 ml of Attar Shamama.

Measure the carrier oils into a glass beaker, add the attar with a pipette and stir gently. Bottle in amber glass with a dropper and leave for three days before evaluating the scent. The attar level here is 1 %, which keeps the fragrance noticeable but soft on facial skin.

Compatibility notes

Like other essential oils, Shamama does not mix with water or glycerin. In emulsions, add it to the oil phase or stir it into the finished cream after cooling, pre-diluted in a little carrier oil. Clear gels will turn hazy unless a solubiliser is used. Attars are usually golden to deep amber in colour, so check the shade of light-coloured products on a pilot batch.

Specifications at a glance

The product name is Attar Shamama, and the INCI name on the card is Shamama Essential Oil. It is produced in India and supplied in a 1 L container. For the colour and density of this lot, see the supplier specification.

Other sizes

For development work there is Attar Shamama in 50 ml and a 5 ml sample size; the 1 L container is meant for production batches. See the full range in wholesale essential oils.

Storage

Keep in a dark, tightly closed container at a stable cool temperature. Stored properly, attars tend to mellow and round out over time.

FAQ

Where does Attar Shamama come from?

It is a traditional attar from Kannauj in India and one of the most complex made there.

Why check light-coloured products on a pilot batch?

The attar is amber in colour, so it may tint light products.

Which sizes of Attar Shamama exist besides 1 L?

There is a 5 ml sample size and a 50 ml bottle, while the 1 L container is meant for production batches.