Niche incense perfumes: 7 ways to wear it

Incense is the smell of old stone, silence and candles just blown out. In perfume it brings a smoky, slightly mysterious side that adds depth to everything it touches. And like everything else, it changes face depending on its neighbours: rose, leather, wood, vanilla.

Here are seven perfumes from our catalogue where incense (or olibanum) plays a real part, sorted by style. The notes we mention are the ones on our product pages, nothing more.

Pure incense: Encens Suave, Matière Première

Just one note on our page: frankincense. Encens Suave gets straight to the point. It's the ideal way to discover the material as it is, and to find out whether you like it before moving on to busier compositions. See Encens Suave.

The floral incense: Rêve d'Encens, Van Cleef & Arpels

On our page, Rêve d'Encens brings together frankincense, rose, woody notes and spices. The rose softens the smoke, the woods and spices warm it up. An elegant incense that's easy to wear every day. See Rêve d'Encens.

The spiced rose incense: Porpora, Tiziana Terenzi

Porpora opens on rose, raspberry, clove and cinnamon. In the heart, Bulgarian rose, frankincense, patchouli and poppy. At the base, myrrh, amber, musk, benzoin and chestnut. A richer incense, fruity and spicy, for autumn evenings. See Porpora.

The leathery incense: Incense Crush, D'Orsay

Incense Crush starts on clove and cardamom. In the heart, a leather accord and a creamy accord. At the base, olibanum, cedar, oak and vetiver. Spice, leather and wood around the olibanum: a warm, enveloping incense with a soft heart. See Incense Crush.

The resinous incense: Pont. Max., Filippo Sorcinelli

On our page, Pont. Max. pairs myrrh, benzoin, frankincense, amber, marine notes, jasmine and Virginia cedar. Three resins together, lit up by jasmine and an unexpected marine touch. An incense that's deep and bright at the same time. See Pont. Max..

The woody incense: Eagle Eyed Stranger, Ojar

Eagle Eyed Stranger opens on frankincense, bay leaf and lily of the valley. In the heart, dry wood, vetiver and oakmoss. At the base, pimento, white amber and birch. A dry, aromatic incense, like a walk in the woods after a campfire. See Eagle Eyed Stranger.

The vanilla incense: Vanagloria, Laboratorio Olfattivo

On our page, Vanagloria brings together vanilla, olibanum, saffron, pineapple, tonka bean and musk. Vanilla and tonka round off the smoke, pineapple adds a hint of fruit. The softest on the list, perfect if you want an incense that feels like a hug. See Vanagloria.

How to choose your incense

• Pure: Encens Suave.
• Floral and elegant: Rêve d'Encens.
• Rich and spicy: Porpora.
• Leathery: Incense Crush.
• Resinous: Pont. Max.
• Woody and dry: Eagle Eyed Stranger.
• Soft and vanilla: Vanagloria.

Always test on skin: incense often comes across very smoky at first, then turns softer and more resinous over the hours. On every product page you can see the shops that sell the perfume, compare offers and set a price alert to hear when it drops.