Amber Paste

* UPDATE since last post on Jan 9 2025* I am Pleased to report back that this most-beloved Amber Paste is alive and well, and is available for retail purchase on the Kuumba Made website as well as Amazon (perhaps even elsewhere). After my phone communication with the Kuumba Made staff, on Jan 9 2025, the future of Amber Paste hung in the balance...depending solely on the raw materials becoming available once again to enable production of this LEGENDARY ‘holy grail’ Amber Fragrance. Surely the Fragrance Gods were smiling down on us when the raw materials were acquired to run (at that time) a limited batch of Amber Paste for retail sale only available on the Kuumba Made website. I purchased 10 of the 3.75ML Amber Paste glass-bottle/plastic applicator units and am so very pleased to know that in the event it discontinues I have an emergency supply. With that said, onto the actual Amber Paste fragrance: The fragrance HAS NOT changed since limited re-production of it has begun.... which is always a valid concern in the circles of customers that comprise the Cult Following of a ‘Holy Grail’ status or “LEGENDARY” status fragrance. The very first time I experienced the Amber Paste fragrance was in 2019 with the purchase of the single, square glass 0.50oz bottle with plastic applicator. My mind was blown by how perfectly this composition captured Amber as a powerful ‘single-note’ so perfectly and with such depth, and rich quality! So potent, thick, long-lasting and strong...a durable fragrance with serious lasting power even in the smoldering heat of summer...and I do particularly enjoy wearing this in the summertime because it performs so well in that climate! In its simplicity lies it’s charm..but has a complexity about it, like a symphony of sensual accords at work behind the scenes. The “Honey-Nutmeg-Pine-Peru Balsam” accord brings out all the best attributes of the Amber, and all of those being so resinous in nature...create a superb base for everything else to anchor onto while adding serious staying power on your skin. The “Lime-Maple-Geranium-Vetiver” accord is very subtle and uplifts the composition and brightens it, never letting it get too heavy and creates a warm glowing luster that perfectly accentuates all the best qualities of the resinous base materials. It is Blended so well, it may be difficult to discern these brighter notes as individuals ....as opposed to just being a single “uplifting top-note”. If you have never tried Amber Paste, and are truly looking for an Amber fragrance that is beyond comparison in quality....I would encourage you to try it today! THE VERDICT : L E G E N D A R Y

This is pretty much the only scent I can wear around my nose-sensitive, allergy-prone loved ones! I used to spray a tiny bit of hand-me-down L'Heure Bleue on my wrists because I liked the antique-y smell; but I wore it in a car with my mom once, and it bothered her so much that she handed me a water bottle and a napkin from her purse. We were at an organic grocery store together some other time and browsing the little display of fragrance oils. When I asked what she thought of the Amber Paste, she said it reminded her of me, so I bought it. It's been a few years since then and AP is still my go-to. Sometimes I'll layer it with Vanilla Bean (also Kuumba) but more often I prefer the dark, unsweetened warmth of AP alone. I use the applicator stick to draw a few lines across my wrists and rub them together until the friction and heat draws a spiciness out of the resin. I use my wrists to spread a light scent behind my ears, inside my elbows, and between my collarbones. I've seen reviewers compare this paste to honey, but the smell is more flora than fauna, more conifer than beehive. What I love most about the scent is how warm it is. It keeps you warm on a freezing day and blends easily on sweaty skin in July. I love it when reviewers compare fragrances to songs or works of art, so I'll add that Amber Paste smells like "Liquid Lady" (by Hope Sandoval and the Warm Intentions) sounds. It's a sexy smell, but maybe more sensual than sexy. Mature but by no means matronly. I doubt I'll find a fragrance more basically appealing to me than this. I'd like to experiment with layering, as others have suggested, but AP will always have a special place in my makeup bag.

This is my ultimate amber fragrance. And, before Fragrantica, amber was the one and only fragrance I wore. So being my go-to amber is a big deal. I tried a sample of Amber Sultan once, and it seemed similar to me. Similar enough that I'll stick with Amber Paste, especially given the price difference. Despite my love for the smell of amber, it's hard for me to be interested in trying expensive niche or designer ambers when Amber Paste can be obtained for pocket change. What does Amber Paste smell like? Well, like amber, but a dirty, earthy amber: rich and warm and spicy, very sweet but not sickly sweet, with an herbal note that blooms best on my skin in cold weather. I love powder soft feminine ambers, but this is not one of them. Amber Paste is primal. Its odd paste consistency seems fitting. I wear Amber Paste year round, but I love it best in the dead of winter, when its notes seem to sing the clearest, and the herbal note is strongest on my skin. I've read that a little dab is enough for some people, but I slather it on. Yum. I love mixing a generous swipe with unscented moisturizer, too. I wore nothing but Amber Paste mixed that way for over a month last winter. My perfumes were packed away for a move that was delayed. I used up the little 4ml bottle in 5 or 6 weeks that way! At least I had such a delightful fragrance during those frustrating weeks. I didn't tire of it at all; although it is a linear scent, it has a complexity to it, and a whole lot of depth. Despite all the many wonderful perfumes I've found since joining Fragrantica, I still consider Amber Paste the equal of any them.

Maybe I'm dense for not knowing this, but yes, it's actually a paste and not a roller like the other products they sell. It's actually a very thick, somewhat sticky substance that stands up on its own before you rub it in, but with a little friction it rubs in pretty well. It definitely projects a lot more than most of my spray fragrances. Just received mine, along with a couple others to try. Right off the bat, I was impressed for the price. It does have a slight medicinal smell when you first smear it on, but within 15 minutes it's a smooth musk with a smoky, sweet background. I put some on in the car before a 40 minute ride, and it was pleasant the whole way there, and back. For $13 for a small 3.7 ml bottle of Amber Paste (their others are only $11) these products are a great way to expand a collection for cheap. I also got their Amber and Myrrh, and Arabian Musk, both of which are lighter and sort of a have a spiced citrus profile. The Arabian Musk one I can hardly smell at all, but Amber Paste is deep and rich, and projects much more than the other two I mentioned. I'd say these small bottles from Kuumba Made make a great gift. They're cheap, but potent and some of the scents (like Amber and Myrrh) are fairly broad appeal.

If witchy cottages, walking the cemeteries of Salem, visiting local spiritual shops that smell of incense, and dark, mysterious scents are your vibe, than this amber paste could definitely be a winner for you! This is NOT an "intense" or more concentrated version of amber oil. This is a separate scent on it's own. Top notes: Bergamot, Lime, Nutmeg, Honey Middle notes: Pine, Geranium, Maple Base notes: Peru Balsam, Vetiver, Amber The initial out of the bottle smell is NOT what it will smell like once it settles onto your skin after just a couple of minutes, so don't let the strength and immediate pine-forward smell turn you off. On my skin, after it warms up for just a couple of minutes, It smells slightly smokey, of faint incense, creamy balsam/woodsy, and a barely powdery whiff of the geranium/floral. It is an awesome addition to add to your collection to either wear on it's own or layered. I have layered it with Nemat Amber oil and I find that to be a perfect combination to soften it up for daytime wear. Don't fret over the tiny size of it, you only need a dap or two for ALL day wear! It can be hard to spread on your wrists so I put on an unscented or vanilla lotion right before to help with application.

I agree with the positive reviews a couple down. This is an amber lovers dream! I also have to stop myself from licking this stuff. Something about the thick resinous texture makes it so satisfying. It is exactly as described in that it feels like rubbing a thick sticky honey on your skin. Not to over use this analogy, but this smell also reminds me of sinking my teeth into thick caramel. I think this one is reserved for amber lovers only. You may even have to be able to tolerate a bit of patchouli as there is an earthiness that is reminiscent of patch. Being that I am obsessed with amber, resins, and patchouli this was made for me. I would describe this scent as if strong resins including benzoin, unsweetened vanilla beans and pod, and a bit of patch had a love child with extra salted caramel. I own two travel sizes and a slightly larger one for at home. I will never be without this liquid caramel gold! That said, this is not a gourmand. In fact, one of my friend thinks this stuff just stinks. I asked her what it smells like to her and she said, “just bad”. Lol, so it isn’t for everyone.

Sticky resins, comforting spice, a slight camphor undertone (maybe pine?) but nothing that cuts directly through the sweetness, just gives it a bit of an edge. I’m from the UK and so far I’ve found one stockist who retails this at an okay price for the glass vials, I wish they did the 1/2oz bottles. I tend to buy 4-5 vials at a time. I wear this alone or with other amber fragrances or any vanilla that tends to go a little flat. It offers added depth and dimension to other fragrances but alone is just as incredible. You apply with a stick and has a caramel-like consistency, but leave it for a couple of minutes and it will become less tacky as it warms on the skin. I’m known by this scent and although he’s never given a verbal compliment... my husband embraces me for longer and nuzzles into me when I wear this. I always catch him taking in more of how I smell. Sometimes you don’t need words, right? It’s warm, cozy, fuzzy. Feels like home to me and I think it makes me feel like home to those I love. Amber Paste will always be a staple in my collection, in my handbag and pockets.

This is partially a review, and partially a response to the review below mine. I received Amber Paste as a gift, and my first surprise was the strange, sticky, sap-like consistency. What a strange decision to not mix this with another oil to make it more easily wearable... And by that, I mean, it just doesn't go on the skin well without lotion or another oil. But I've learned to get past that. Now for the scent itself. This, to me, is a very resinous, woody, and non-sweet amber. I get little to no dominant vanilla, and essentially no sweetness. It is rich and very unisex. I am a person who prefers scents that lean unisex, and this does not disappoint. It is also dry and woody enough to make a fantastic base for layering. I'm wearing with Sofia Vergara Love, because to me, that fragrance gets so sweet, that it doesn't really work well alone for me. This base makes it quite nice. So to redeem the glowing reviews below the review below mine... This is an excellent, high quality scent that is very much unisex, and many men, both in and out of hell, would rock this nicely.

I like Amber paste to me it smells like a hippie amber to me but not in a bad way. To me it’s totally something I would of rocked all the time in the 90’s. Now I mostly wear it on cold days I like how this matures on my skin. It gets very pleasant as I wear this and turns into a great skinscent. It is very sweet so I can see why some men do not like this. My boyfriend said maybe he’s wear it if it had a lot of citrus in it. But as is he wouldn’t wear it either. For women though I find this so lovely! It’s spicy, sweet, and has a nice vanilla amber scent as it wears. To me this reminds me of the amber I burn which you can wear as a perfume if you rub it on. I really like this and Persian Garden these are my 2 favorites. Even though these are inexpensive I still think Amber Paste can smell pricey and quite niche like. I wear it sparingly as it’s super strong. For 10$ it lasts forever too a little goes a long way. It’s really a lovely amber that I so enjoy.

I happened upon this at Whole Foods today, never expecting to find a fragrance that I would swoon over. I think I may have gasped out loud upon smelling this. Spicy, woody, sweet, sultry. I wanted to bury my nose in my wrist for the remainder of my shopping trip. (I'm probably on their security camera doing just that.) I had a little bottle in my cart and then put it back thinking there is no way that an $11 bottle of slightly sticky "oil" can smell better than the Tom Ford fragrance I just purchased. Hours later, it still smells terrific. A cozy and rich scent that I have been longing for. Guess where I'm heading tomorrow? Back to Whole Foods to make my purchase. ETA: I can't get over the stickiness of it. I'm always afraid it will stain my clothes. Tried putting it behind my ears, and my hair stuck in it. Oh well, at least it was only $11.

Amber Paste is a lush beautiful amber perfume! I am head over heels in love with this one! All this time right under my nose and for $10 a bottle this gorgeous perfume has been sitting on the shelves of Sprouts! I bought this recently and I have been smearing it on the back of my hand at night to sniff like a perfumista's aromatherapy. It is thick and goes on with a wand applicator. I can still smell it in the morning before showering. I will wear this full-on in the fall and winter months as my perfume and for layering. I think it would amp up many scents with amber in them or add an amber note to some more linear fragrances. My last evening's experiment combined Amber Paste and a linear coconut fragrance and it was divine. Can't wait to try other KM oils and I am so happy to have found this! Thanks Fraganticans! Great recommendation!

I had been thinking about picking this up after seeing the rave reviews and how cheap it was, but I wasn't ready to take the plunge ordering it online..until I luckily spotted it on the bottom shelf of my local crystal shop!! So lovely, smells like a warm, spicy, woody vanilla on me. Nice strength- you catch whiffs of this throughout the day, and when my sister wears this I can always tell. It lasts ages! I spent like 5 hours doing intense and repetitive lithography printing; I thought I smelled terrible by the end of it, but as soon as I got in the car, my mom told me I smelled good! I was shocked :0 Definitely suitable for the colder seasons, but I think it suits summer too. It reminds me of pine trees warmed in the sunshine. I will definitely repurchase whenever I manage to make my way through this stuff!!

Amber Paste is definitely a throwback fragrance, but that doesn't for a second mean it's not absolutely amazing. It's not sophisticated, but it's definitely magnetic. Casual observers will first be confronted with pine and patch, but if they stick around, the pleasures of wine barrel, dried stonefruit, and rich spice will reward them. Teenyboppers need not apply. The texture is only unfortunate insofar as you are squickishly reminded of where you have applied it from time to time, but the matter is minor since the juice is so perennially pleasing. EDIT: Official notes don't include patchouli -- for HOW?! That's a very pivotal component here, to my nose. It's so deftly combined with the resins and vanillins. Labdanum unlisted too, but that's more excusable since I'm less sure of its inclusion.

Please message me on here if you have one that you would be willing to sell!! *** From Kuumba Made directly : I spoke with them on the phone today (Jan 9 2025) and the representative stated that one of the raw materials used in the production of the Amber Paste is no longer available making it impossible to manufacture, so they opted to discontinue its production. She further stated that if that raw material becomes available in the future, they will resume production. She made no indication on the likelihood of that happening. It saddens me to no longer have it in my collection and regret not re-ordering another bottle while it was still available. Again, if you have one and want to get rid of it, or do not care for it...please reach out! I would be so happy to have it once again!

Amber Paste is a severely overlooked fragrance and possibly one of the best amber solinotes in the market. It’s mildly sweet, earthy, woody, and richly textured with a strong resinous aroma. True to the nature of a pure amber fragrance, it comes off as unisex on my skin and from the bottle as well. One word of caution: The consistency of the perfume is a brown-colored paste, meaning that it is a very soft but highly sticky substance that can also stain fabric. I usually dab some on my wrist then proceed to spread it around my pulse points. One tiny drop of application fills the whole room and lasts well over 12+ hours on me. This delicious paste garners compliments from both men and women. Recommended for all amber lovers!

When I was sampling the brand earlier this year, "Amber Paste" was unavailable. Supply is limited, and the brand only restocks this scent when they're able. It must sell quickly, because the larger sizes were all sold out. I was able to buy the 3.7 ml roll-on of Amber Paste alongside large bottles of my beloved Lavender Lace & Tunisian Patchouli. The name reflects the viscosity and the odor profile accurately. It's deeply pigmented, dense, ambery paste. From two feet away: vanilla, skanky honey, labdanum. Sniffing close up: spicy resins, turpentine, woods, and smoke. Per the note pyramid, it does smell a bit like maple syrup. What a beautiful bottle of treasure. This will make a phenomenal Christmas scent.

Right at the start, there is an herbal quality to this. I'd also say it borders on an astringent quality, but only at the very first outset. Then, this just simply melts into your skin in the most delicious, warm ambery fashion you can imagine. I really think this is actually one of THE BEST amber scents out there. It's got lots of resins, a tinge of something piney undergirds the whole thing. I feel it's relatively strong considering that it's not made in alcohol and that the sillage is substantial. Very distinctive and natural. This has sweetness to it, but I would not describe it as sweet and it is as far from department store ambers as you could hope to get. Vegetal and a bit primal is more like it.

This is a new favorite for me. I am a big fan of alkemia’s sigil ultime which has a lovely bitterness to the amber. This is that! I can see why people brought up pencil shavings because this has a grainy bitterness that is missing from more gourmand ambers. Kind of herbal. For me this isn’t truly sweet, it’s dry and resinous and woody. What sweetness there is is resin-sweet, almost medicinal-sweet. It even borders on being skanky at times. Very sultry, very powerful. This is DARK amber. I think I will have to save this for colder weather though. Putting it on in a hot car made me nauseous. I also like to temper it with Black Flower Mexican Vanilla to add gourmand sweetness.

In the beginning I had mixed opinions about this scent. It was something pretty unique to my nose. Smelled like syrupy plant medicine at first. I enjoy perfume oils more because they are better for my nose and less allergy or headache inducing. After a while, I started to love it a lot. It's a scent that stands out and it feels so warm after it sits on skin for a while, then the notes start to reveal themselves. It's indeed deep and rich. Resinous and gives me vintage, woody notes which I like. I grabbed a few bottles because they are limited edition. If Kuumba decides to release this even once a year, I will be happy. It has a scent profile which I grew to admire a lot.

Thank you SO much, dear Fragrantica staff, for adding this brand to the database! We appreciate you. :D Amber paste is a deliriously good, natural amber with a sizable amount of earthiness, possibly patchouli, in it's sillage trail. You will be enveloped in a warm, strong aura, redolent of real essences. Not for the faint of heart, or the average lover of all things sweet. Interestingly, I find a distinct correlation here to Jeanne Arthes' Patchouli Sumatra, even though in this case there is more amber. Both are excellent unisex choices, equally good alone or layered. Update - Yes, it is sweet too. But only sweet as in dark-sweet! A layering DELIGHT. Five Stars