With Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away and temperatures beginning to dip, I am starting think of some of my favorite incense perfumes.
There was a time not too long ago when I said absolutely no to any fragrances falling into this category. Even the word “incense” sent my mind running off to the 3 wise men showing up at the manger with frankincense, myrrh and gold or the scent inside of a Catholic Church. Though it’s a lovely scent it wasn’t something I particularly wanted to smell like.
The funny thing was that I’ve always loved candles, even candles that smell like incense. I guess it was just a matter of time before I’d open my mind up to giving incense perfumes a chance.
It didn’t happen overnight, but I’m finally embracing the allure and uniquely mesmerizing appeal of incense perfumes. The thing about so-called incense perfumes is that it’s a broad category which often gets tossed around as a blanket term. Just like with florals, there are subcategories: fresh, fruity, gourmand, etc. In other words, incense perfumes don’t smell just like any one thing. Incense perfumes tend to be longer-lasting and heavier in nature than most other perfumes and often contain notes of frankincense, myrrh, Dragon’s Blood, Nag Champa and amber, resin and wood.
Below are 7 sniff-worthy incense and incense accented perfumes :
- Demeter Myrhh – I love this warm, spicy and sensual straight up myrrh fragrance. It’s an uncomplicated evergreen winter scent that’s perfect for scenting your home or powder room. Priced at just $40 for a 3.4 oz bottle it delivers quite a bang for the buck.
- Donna Karan Black Cashmere – A spicy – woody blend of saffron, carnation, red and white pepper mixed with patchouli, amber and vanilla. Alas I’m pretty sure it’s been discontinued but if you can manage to finagle a bottle for a decent price on eBay you’re in for a treat.
- Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Cathedral/Holiday no.3 – I only had a chance to smell this once on a DSH devotee but that one time left quite an impact. It’s a spot-on rendition of the churchiest of scents – olibanum incense. It’s a wonderfully cozy scent that uses all-natural ingredients. A 60 ml bottle costs around $145 on the DSH Perfumes website.
Amouage Lyric Woman – This might be one of the most interesting rose scents I’ve ever smelled. A velvety and powdery red rose is hidden within the shadows of burning incense. There’s also a lovely sandalwood accord that blends into a trail of cardamom and cinnamon. A 3.4 oz bottle costs around $150.
- Armani Privé Bois d’Encens – Bois d’Encens is a fragrance that Giorgio Armani reportedly developed for his own use. I’ve read that the fragrance is based upon Armani’s childhood fascination with the incense burned when he attended church with his grandmother. The notes that stand out are vetiver, cedar, pepper and warm incense. A 3.4 oz. bottle is$270.
- Tom Ford Oud Wood – I was VERY surprised to like this as much as I do because I generally stay away from fragrances featuring oud. There’s no denying that oud is present here but the earthy quality is sweetened with tonka and smoothed out by amber and vanilla. TF Oud Wood manages to smell ancient and modern at the same time. A 50 ml bottle is $230.
- Jo Malone London Incense & Cedrat – This understated spicy and woody cologne is wonderfully subtle and soft. Delicious lemony and peppery notes compliment the resinous incense notes. Listed ingredients show there’s elemi in the mix, which smells similar to frankincense but is softer and less intense. A 100 ml bottle is $180.
Poll: Do you have a favorite incense fragrance that I left off this list? If so, I apologize but please leave comment below describing what makes it so special.
Until the next time,
One of my favorite fragrances is myrrh. Incense and perfumes can be overwhelming to me as I am super sensitive to smells that are not natural. However, myrrh is one that I totally love and can live with. Is there a special place where I can find these lovely fragrance online?
Hi Meherbani,
If you are seeking a straight up myrrh fragrance I recommend ordering it from the Demeter website but all can be found online and most on Amazon. I adore the Demeter myrrh and hope you’ll love it too!
Happy New Year!
Erica
Erica
Thank you so much for this article! I love it when we hit the cold weather and it becomes more acceptable to use candles in order to spice up my house. I think I’m going to go out and try my luck finding the Donna Karan Black Cashmere.
Thanks for the suggestions!
Lizzie
Hi Lizzie,
I just noticed yesterday that you can purchase Black Cashmere on the Surrender To Chance website. I’d look there before turning to eBay, which can be a mixed bag in terms of sellers. If you like incense scented candles you might want to try Diptyque’s Lames d’encens.
Cheers and Happy Holidays!
Erica
My Saudi colleagues love incense perfumes, I think most Middle Eastern women do. Personally, I do not prefer these kinds of fragrances because they’re so strong and quite costly too.
O well, after getting used to them, I thought they don’t smell that bad. Imagine working with several women wearing oud wood incense perfumes daily.
But if there is one among your list that I’d like to try, it would be Jo Malone London because I’m imagining it’s not as strong as the rest.
Hi Alice,
I used to hate incense perfumes so I get where you’re coming from. There’s no question that oud fragrances have always been huge in the Middle East but the popularity has spread to us westerners. Jo Malone would be a mellow start your incense journey.
Happy holidays:)
Erica
Thanks for the great post and info. Incense is a strong odor and I can see that it wouldn’t be right for everyone. I can tell that a lot of work and research went into putting this together.
Are these natural or more perfume (chemical) cased?
Do you use any of these your self?
Hi Jerry,
Demeter Myrhh is one that I spray often in my home as a room freshener though I’ve never sprayed it directly on my skin. I also have a bottles of Amouage Lyric Woman and Jo Malone London Incense & Cedrat which I spray on sweaters or blankets. The only perfume listed here I know is all natural is Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Cathedral/Holiday no.3.
Thanks for dropping by:)
Erica