Incense across eras and lands theme

You can order all perfumes featured in this theme as a pack of samples.

In this theme

Incense is a material or mix that when heated produces fragrant fumes. This could be tree resin (frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, etc.), spices, ambergris, herbs, etc.

Each continent uses its own flora in incense. This edit is a fragrant compilation of beautiful blends inspired by incense fumes from across various places and times: South America, Africa (a recipe from Ancient Egypt; another offered to jungle deities), solemn Catholic church ambiance, or rich smoky air of Asian temples, and even a modern fusion incense you might expect to find at a perfume counter in a department store.

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PALO SANTO CARNER Holy wood /South America

Palo santo (holy wood) has been used in South America as incense for centuries. When Europeans first arrived and observed the local rituals, they proclaimed the wood used in these ‘holy’, turning it into a precious commodity to be traded across the ocean. Palo Santo smells calming, relaxing and sweet, and because of this stands out among other resinous dry incense options.

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X Oud SweDoft Oud with fragrant blue flames /India

Oud has been used as incense for centuries in many cultures. We picked X-Oud for this edit as this perfume main theme is oud and it also contains a rare exquisite Indian oud variety called blue. When heated it produces blue flames and fumes.

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Nefer Parfum Prissana Kyphi /Ancient Egypt

In the language of ancient Egypt, Nefer (as in Nefertiti!) meant beauty or goodness. If you traced the history of perfume back to the earliest records made by humans, you would probably land at Egyptian kyphi, the first recorded incense recipe. Nefer follows the kyphi mix in style and choice of notes, giving you a rare chance to experience the atmosphere of the Karnak temples thousands of years ago.

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Rien Intense Etat Libre d'Orange Fusion pop incense /Department store perfume counter

A fusion of various incenses legacy interpreted by a contemporary perfumer. It’s an incense perfume created for the sake of an incense perfume and it is not adulterated by romantic/historic references. Rien Intense Incense is designed for those whose religion is perfume.

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Megalium CARNER Lavish status incense /Ancient Rome

This blend of resins, spices and a drop of rose is inspired by a special recipe called Megalium. Those who could afford it in ancient Rome would burn this incense made with exotic (and very expensive) fragrant materials to show off the aristocratic status. The ingredients would come from far away mythical lands and would be an ultimate luxury only for the few.

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Maruyama Parfum Prissana Mountain shrine /Japan

Imagine the melancholy aroma of herbal incense in a solitary mountain Shinto shrine. Maruyama is blended from crisp herbs, cooling camphor and other incense materials. It’s quiet and meditative.

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Noir Okoume Pierre Guillaume Black Collection Okoume /Sub-Saharan rituals

In this formula the house pays tribute to the African continent: the precious materials it gives perfumers, its forests, the art and mystery of totem Fang statues, the rituals. Okoume is a kind of wood native to Gabon, and the perfume unites this material for sacred totems with its rich incense aroma.

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PG20.1 Sorong Pierre Guillaume - Parfumerie Générale Kyara / Asian temples

Sorong is a geographical reference to Indonesia. The materials in the formula are metaphorical scented references to the rich smoke produced by the kyara (Asian incense oud) and spice mixes burned in faraway temples to honour mystical deities.

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Sacreste Laboratorio Olfattivo Frankincense/ Medieval Europe