Frankincense perfume notes: what frankincense smells like and which FAAN bottles use it

What frankincense smells like (and what it does not)

Frankincense is a tree resin that has been burned as incense for thousands of years. In perfume it smells cool, dry and a little smoky, with a lemon and pepper brightness and a balsamic, almost pine-like resin underneath. It does not smell sweet or soft, and it is not the sticky, vanilla-like benzoin. If you have ever stood in a candle-lit church, you know the picture.

Two other names will help you read a notes list. Olibanum is the same resin under its older trade name. Incense is the broader word for any smoky resin accord, and it can include frankincense. We use them as the data lists them.

How perfumers use frankincense: top, heart or base

Frankincense is unusual because it can sit anywhere. Its lemony sharpness suits the top, where it opens a scent with a cool, smoky flash. In the heart it adds a dry, church-like atmosphere. As a base it supports heavier resins. Three of the four FAAN bottles use it as a top note, and one in the heart.

Frankincense in the FAAN range

Honour is the sharpest opener: elemi, itself a lemony resin, doubles the effect. Mystery is the softest, because pear and hazelnut sit beside the frankincense and smooth it. Dunes is the driest and spiciest, as two kinds of pepper sharpen the olibanum, and leather and cypriol follow. Bakhour keeps its incense for the heart, wrapped in rose and violet, which makes it powdery and smoky at once.

What it is paired with in these pyramids

The pairings follow the mood. With citrus and pepper (Honour, Dunes) frankincense turns crisp and cold. With fruit and nuts (Mystery) it turns warm and gentle. With flowers (Bakhour) it turns powdery. Every one of these bottles then lands on a base of amber, vanilla, wood or leather, so the smoke never stands alone.

A test you can do at home

Spray a paper card, wait five minutes and sniff. In Honour you should find lemon and pepper first, and a cool, dry, church-like smoke behind them. In Mystery the smoke is thin and wrapped in pear. If you want a reference, light a stick of incense or recall a church candle, and compare. If you enjoy the match, frankincense will suit you. If it reminds you of a dusty cupboard, choose a bottle where it sits in the top and fades fast, such as Mystery.

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

• All four are listed for autumn and winter. Dunes is also listed for cool days.
• Two sprays suit all of them. Honour and Dunes (projection 4) are the loudest, Mystery (3) the quietest.
• Cold air makes frankincense feel cleaner. In heat it can seem dusty and heavy.
• People who like church candles, wood smoke and dry spice tend to like it. People who want soft, sweet or fruity scents often do not.

If you like frankincense, start with Amjad Honour

Honour has the clearest frankincense and the longest wear (longevity 5), and it is one of our best sellers. For a gentler take, choose Mystery. For a spicier, more leathery one, choose Dunes, and for a powdery take, Bakhour. If you want to see how saffron works alongside it, read our guide to saffron in perfume. Evenings out are covered in perfume for a night out, and all FAAN perfumes lists the full range.

FAQ

Is olibanum another word for frankincense?

Yes. Olibanum is the older trade name for the same resin.

Does frankincense smell sweet?

No. It is dry, cool and resinous, with lemon and pepper notes.

Which FAAN bottle has the clearest frankincense?

Amjad Honour, where it opens the scent with elemi, cardamom, lemon and Sichuan pepper.

Related reading

• Saffron in perfume and the FAAN bottles that use it
• FAAN Amjad Honour review: notes, strength and when to wear it
• Perfume for a night out: bars, clubs and long evenings