Elemi in perfume: what it smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

What elemi smells like, and what it does not

Elemi is an unusual note, and most people have never knowingly smelled it. It is the resin of a tree, tapped like other aromatic resins. The smell is bright: lemon peel, black pepper and fresh pine needles, with a faint balsamic softness behind them.

It does not smell like smoke or church incense, even though it is related to frankincense. Think of it as the daylight version. It lifts a resinous scent and makes it feel less heavy.

How perfumers use elemi: top, heart or base

Elemi is most often a top note, or a top-to-heart bridge. Its sharp, citrusy side sparkles in the first minutes, and its resin side then ties into heavier materials in the heart. Both FAAN bottles that use it follow this pattern: elemi on top, a deep amber and resin heart, a thick base. For more on how the layers work, see top, heart and base notes explained.

Elemi in the FAAN range

Both bottles are rated 5 for longevity, the highest in the range, so elemi's brightness opens something that stays for a long time.

What it is paired with in these pyramids

In Honour, elemi sits right next to frankincense, cardamom, lemon and Sichuan pepper. All five are bright. The resin is the point, and elemi stops the frankincense from feeling dusty. Rose, saffron and geranium follow in the heart, and then a dark base.

In Kingdom, elemi sits with ambrette, vetiver and hibiscus. The mood is greener and drier, with the berry-like hibiscus on top, and the resin comes in the heart as styrax and benzoin. See our comparison of Kingdom and Mystery for how it plays out.

How each bottle wears over time

Honour opens with a burst of lemon, pepper and resin that settles within about half an hour. By then the rose, saffron and geranium are in charge, and later the vanilla, amber and oud take over for hours. Kingdom starts drier and greener. The elemi and vetiver fade first, then the violet and styrax give it a powdery middle, and the labdanum and ambergris base lasts into the next day on clothes.

Wearing advice: season, sprays, who tends to like it

Both bottles are listed for autumn and winter, evenings and special occasions, and both are unisex. Elemi's fresh brightness helps them feel less stuffy than their base would suggest. Because they are Extraits with projection 4, one or two sprays are plenty, and they reward cool air. People who enjoy elemi often like frankincense, citrus peel and dry woods. People who find incense heavy sometimes find the elemi in these bottles a more comfortable way in.

If you like elemi, start with Amjad Honour

Honour is the best-known bottle in the range and one of our best sellers. It puts elemi in the front row next to frankincense and Sichuan pepper, and it is also €10 cheaper than Kingdom. Kingdom is the drier, more powdery partner. The Amjad line holds both, and the full range holds everything else.

FAQ

Is elemi a kind of frankincense?

No, but they are related. Both are tree resins. Elemi is lemony and peppery, frankincense is drier and more like church incense.

Which FAAN perfume has more elemi?

Honour, where it is one of five bright top notes. Kingdom has it with just three other top notes, but its heart and base are heavier.

What if the bottle is sold out?

Use the notify option on the product page. Delivery takes 3 to 6 working days in the Netherlands and 5 to 8 in the rest of the EU.

Related reading

• A notes map of the FAAN range
• FAAN Amjad Honour described note by note
• Top, heart and base notes explained