A particular fragrance can immerse us in a memory, or make us think of a particular person unlike any of the five senses can. And when it comes to ourselves, a whiff of the right scent can make us feel more authentically ourselves, and become something others remember us by. But with the chemicals in these perfumes’ concentrations make the cons outweigh the pros by a long shot. This is where oil-based attars come in. These are made with natural ingredients like essential oils, come in travel-friend bottles, and are very gentle on the skin too. So, if you have been looking to purchase some, here are 5 women-led brands with a range of attar perfumes that will become your signature scent.
1. Zikrr by Dea Srivastava
Dea Srivastava founded her brand of attar perfumes, Zikrr, as a remembrance of her father who introduced her to this aspect of the Indian heritage. Her products are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and have a list of ingredients that is free from any harmful or toxic raw materials that affect someone with sensitive skin. This woman-led brand has poetic names like ‘Jashn’ or ‘Kasturi’ for their fragrances. Here you will find a blend of scents like rose, oudh, orange, and tonka beans. You can check their website to buy different sizes of 6ml, 8ml, and 10ml bottles to suit your needs.
Price range- ₹699 to ₹1,599
Women Listed Profile: https://womenlisted.com/dea117639
2. Tatha by Divita Kanoria
Experiencing a near-death incident, and all the healing she had to do in its wake, led Divita Kanoria to use aromatherapy as a form of complementary medicine. This led her to launch her natural beauty brand, Tatha, which offers a variety of products, including her range of attar perfumes. You will find the classic scents like amber, mogra, and mitti at this woman-led brand. These are made with the essential oils from herbs and flowers, and are all available in 10ml bottles, with a roll-on that makes applying them very convenient.
Price - ₹1,500
Women Listed Profile: https://womenlisted.com/divita.k
3. Attar Shastra Fragrances by Pooja Arvind
Instead of going down the route of quintessential scents, Pooja Arvind brought her own unique combinations of multiple notes when she launched Attar Shastra Fragrances. She gave each blend a name that fits the fragrance. Their catalog includes products like ‘Lolita’ that will give you a whiff of both chocolate and vanilla, whereas ‘Darling’ is all about the florals. This woman-led brand has separate fragrances for both men and women, and also has ‘Experience Pack’ which contains six different 0.5ml bottles for you to try before you commit.
Price range- ₹949 to ₹1,399
Women Listed Profile: https://womenlisted.com/poojaarvind
4. Kastoor by Esha Tiwari
Proclaiming that this venture is a way to pay off her ‘cultural debt’ of all the memories she made while growing up in Banaras, is Esha Tiwari, founder of attar perfume brand Kastoor. And it shows in the range of attar perfumes she offers. ‘Raah’ with notes of saffron and oud, ‘Armour’ with wood and vanilla scents, and ‘Daydream’ that is a fragrance blend of rose, lilies and lavender, are just a few items from the variety she offers. Apart from the 10ml roll-on bottle, she also has 50ml spray bottles for her vegan, alcohol-free attars.
Price range- ₹2,000 to ₹4,400
5. Aryanyam by Lalita Jadhav
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Aryanyam, founded by Lalita Jadhav, received the Maharashtra Ratna Puraskar for being the ‘Best Natural Fragrance Brand’ in 2024. Her chemical-free products are made sustainably, and come in three different categories, ‘Luxury Oud’, ‘Suvarna’, and ‘Premium’. You can find classics like sandalwood and rose scents, as well as more niche ones like ‘Ratrani’, ‘Kamal’ and ‘Kesar Kasturi’. This woman-led brand’s packaging of the 5ml bottles is another aspect that adds to the whole aesthetic of putting on an attar.
Price range- ₹900 to ₹3,800
