Catherine Omai at Pitti Fragranze 2019, photo by Lauryn

One of the brightest new stars at Pitti Fragranze 2019 was Catherine Omai, a classically trained perfumer from Nigeria who makes her home in London (the first African woman to exhibit at Pitti). Her debut fragrance, Contagious, is an ode to her homeland and the heart of its people. Contagious references Omai’s Nigerian heritage; bottle’s wrapping is a traditional, handcrafted fabric called Aso-Oke, used by the Yoruba people for special occasions.  A specially extracted oud is the centerpiece of Contagious, imbuing it with fireplace warmth, smokiness, and an unexpected, roasted nuttiness. If you could bottle the feeling of sitting near an ebbing fire, a feeling of safety and contentment warming the pit of your stomach, the feeling of home – you’d be close to way Catherine Omai Contagious smells.

Photo via the Annenberg Center

Contagious is intended to be a fragrance that draws people in, according to Omai. And it achieves this goal. Its blend of childhood campfire notes and earthy woods and resins is warm, immediately accessible and addictive. It opens with a crackle of firewood and smoke, accompanied by an offbeat, subtle walnut note. It takes me a moment to recognize that the combination of smoke, dry kindling and tree nut aspects are all different characteristics of the oud, since none of its usual medicinal quality is present. Contagious could have stopped here and been content to remain a well-made, comforting woody oud, but it has other plans.

Those Without Shadows, photo by Cristoph Koslin

 Catherine Omai Contagious moves into more sophisticated territory with the arrival of a generous dose of oakmoss that adds a chypre-like quality when it meets that earthy oud. Some heated, animalic labdanum joins in, raising the temperature of Contagious from waning fire to savannah in daylight. Sandalwood, with its touches of sandpapery powder, rounds out the fragrance and softens its edges. From this point on, Contagious remains linear. But while it is not a complicated fragrance, Contagious demonstrates that only a few well-chosen notes, good-quality ingredients can turn into something delicious in the hands of a perfumer with heart.

 Catherine Omai Contagious courtesy of Catherine Omai

Cozy, toasty, comforting as glowing embers in a in midwinter fireplace, with just a hint of faraway, Contagious is perfect for days when you want a blanket wrapped around your soul. It is one of my top ten fragrances of 2019.

Notes: Sandalwood, oud, oakmoss, ambergris, labdanum.

Disclaimer: sample of Catherine Omai Contagious kindly provided by Catherine Omai at Pitti Fragranze. My opinions are my own.

Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor

Catherine Omai Contagious samples courtesy of Catherine Omai

Thanks to the generosity of Catherine Omai, we have a 2ml sample of  Contagious for two registered readers  on in the USA and one in the EU. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what strikes you about Contagious based on Lauryn’s review and where you live. Draw closes 1/8/2020.

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