The word “perfume” originates from the Latin “per fumum” which means “from smoke”. That’s because back in the day, before the use of personal fragrance, pretty much the only good smells came from things being burned to make sweet smelling smoke that more often than not would be covering up a bad smell. Frankincense was one of the first things people discovered smelt amazing when it was burnt, which meant it’s been used in perfume, well, since perfume has been used!
Today for Fragrance Friday, Laura has picked 3 fragrances that highlight frankincense, each in a different but equally compelling way.
THE HISTORY OF FRANKINCENSE
Native to the Arabian peninsula, the Boswellia sacra tree is extremely resinous and sap-filled, which allows it to repair itself and resist bugs and infection in the harsh climate it grows in. This sap, or resin, is known as frankincense! The Ancient Egyptians were the first to use it on a large scale – for mummification, spiritual practice and perfume. The Ancient Greeks used its resin for healing wounds as well as for its smell. As it began to be traded around the world, it became more and more precious and revered – frankincense is of course one of the three gifts from the wise men to baby Jesus! It’s still used by all of the Abrahamic religions today in spiritual practice, which is why it tends to be associated with places of worship.
FRANKINCENSE IN PERFUME
When most people think of incense, they think of the incense sticks you can buy at your local hippie or smoke shop. But actual frankincense resin has a very particular smell. It’s definitely ambery and resinous – which makes sense, it being a resin – but it’s also got this bright, sweet, almost citrusy warmth to it, which is what makes it so compelling. It’s got an incredibly calming, grounding quality to it, which we guess is why it’s been so popular for literally thousands of years!
MORTEL BY TRUDON
Mortel contains many of the ingredients typically used in the hanging censer incense used in France’s oldest cathedrals. Trudon as a house has actually been making the tapered candles used to light many of these cathedrals for nearly 400 years. A full circle moment!
NOTES
Top: Nutmeg, Pimento, Black Pepper, Incense
Middle: Woody Notes, Olibanum, Resins
Base: Cedar, Labdanum, Benzoin Myrrh
RIEN INTENSE INCENSE
Rien is, like Mortel, a true incense fragrance, but is a bit more gothic in feel due to the addition of leather and black pepper. Laura refers to this fragrance as “The Exorcist” perfume, due to its combination of churchy incense with leather – think leather restraints used to tie down the possessed person as they’re exorcised in a church.
NOTES
Top: Black Pepper, Safraleine (Saffron & Leather Accord), Incense essence Orpur®
Middle: Leather, Iris Absolute, Cistus Absolute
Base: Patchouli essence Orpur®, Vetiver essence Orpur®, Treemoss
SILPHIUM BY STORA SKUGGAN
Inspired by a herb so beloved by the Ancient Greeks and Romans that they overharvested it to extinction, Silphium is an olfactory imagining of something that no longer exists. Its combination of spices and tobacco is totally intoxicating, but the real magic happens in the drydown where the ancient resins of frankincense and labdanum ground the scent and give it an otherworldly feel.
NOTES
Top: Silphium Accord, Cistus
Middle: Cinnamon, Tobacco, Black Pepper, Ginger, Geranium, Clove
Base: Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedarwood, Leather
