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Six ways to wear spiritual incense scents

Incense, a word that conjures images of swirling smoke and sacred spaces, is far more than a fleeting trend in the world of fragrance. Its story is as ancient as civilisation itself, woven through the rituals, ceremonies, and daily life of cultures across the globe. The very word ‘perfume’ finds its roots in the Latin ‘per fumum’ — meaning ‘through smoke’ — a nod to the earliest days when scent was experienced not on skin, but in the air, rising in fragrant clouds from burning resins and woods.

When incense is listed as a note in a fine fragrance, it often refers to frankincense — also known as olibanum — a resin harvested from the Boswellia tree, native to regions such as Oman, Yemen, and Ethiopia. Yet incense in perfumery is a chameleon, capable of evoking woody depths, floral nuances, spicy warmth, or resinous richness, depending on the blend. Other resins like storax, balsams of Peru or Tolu, and copaiba, sometimes mingled with spices, herbs, or flowers, create a tapestry of scent that is both ancient and endlessly adaptable.

The history of incense stretches back over six millennia, with its origins entwined with the dawn of the great civilisations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. In those distant times, incense was not merely an aromatic indulgence but a bridge between the earthly and the divine. Precious gums and resins were burned in temples to communicate with the gods, to purify spaces, and to mark the most significant moments of life and death. Archaeological discoveries in Egypt reveal relics of incense burning from thousands of years ago, and during the Roman Empire, vast quantities of frankincense travelled along the Incense Road from Arabia to the heart of Rome.

Incense has always been more than a tool of worship. It was a fumigant, believed to cleanse the air and ward off disease, and a source of comfort and pleasure in the home. Its role in religious rites endures to this day, with the scent of frankincense still curling through the air in Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox ceremonies, evoking a sense of reverence, nostalgia, or even sensuality, depending on one’s own memories and associations.

Frankincense itself is steeped in myth and mystery. The resin is collected by making incisions in the bark of the Boswellia tree, from which the milky sap oozes and hardens into golden tears. Legends abound, such as the tale of a jinn’s daughter transformed into a tree, her sorrow crystallised in the resin’s bittersweet aroma — a scent that has comforted, healed, and inspired for generations.

In the world of fine fragrance, incense brings a richness and complexity that is both grounding and uplifting. Once reserved for kings and queens, and used in the most sacred of rituals, its presence in modern perfumery adds a touch of the exotic, a sense of mystery, and a connection to the deep well of human history. The molecular composition of frankincense is as complex as its story, with boswellic acids, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes lending their distinctive character to every drop.

The allure of an incense note used within a composition lies in its ability to transcend time and place, to conjure the sacred and the sensual, the ancient and the modern. Whether experienced in a fine fragrance or as a trail of smoke curling skywards, incense continues to captivate, comfort, and inspire — a testament to its enduring power and universal appeal…

Cosmoss Sacred Mist by Kate Moss Eau de Parfum (+ FREE Cosmoss Incense Sticks!)

What began as an award-winning eau de parfum, is now available as a scent to burn (and worship this way, too!) – opening with uplifting notes of sweet bergamot and orange flower, creating an immediate sense of brightness and optimism. The heart reveals a garden-inspired bouquet of jasmine, tuberose and geranium – flowers that Kate herself cultivated during lockdown when she discovered a newfound love for gardening and flower-pressing. The base notes of oak moss, cedarwood and tonka bean provide a grounding effect that lingers beautifully on the skin.

The 100ml bottle (£125) is particularly versatile (as the scent can also be used as a personal space mist as well as on your skin), while the 30ml (£68) offers a more accessible entry point into Kate’s world of wellness. But why stop there? As we mentioned, the incense is stunning too, and as a special treat, when you buy either size fragrance from us, they currently come with FREE Cosmoss Incense Sticks – extending the sensory experience with the same beautiful blend of oak moss, tuberose and bergamot in a different (and so on-trend) format.

Atkinsons 1799 Shine Despite Everything

Shine Despite Everything is a fragrance that radiates audacity and theatricality, inspired by the legendary Sarah Bernhardt. The composition is structured around imaginative accords—Flamboyant, Avant-gardist, and Charismatic—which together evoke an aura of glamour and fearless creativity. Incense weaves through the heart of this scent, lending a mysterious, smoky depth that perfectly offsets the luscious sweetness of amber, caramel, and vanilla. The inclusion of Akigalawood adds a spicy, woody nuance, but it is the incense that truly elevates the fragrance, imparting an enigmatic sophistication and a lingering sense of drama to every encounter. This is a scent that ensures its wearer shines—boldly and unapologetically—no matter the setting.

£230 for 100ml parfum intense selfridges.com

Dior Collection Privé Bois Talisman

Bois Talisman surprises from the very first encounter, enveloping the senses not with an expected gust of woods, but with a comforting, almost tactile warmth. Vanilla forms a creamy, soft cocoon, while cedarwood provides a gentle structure. The true intrigue, however, lies in the subtle thread of incense that meanders through the composition. This note introduces a whisper of smoky mystery, transforming the fragrance into something far more profound than a simple gourmand or woody scent. The incense acts as a bridge between the sugar-dusted sweetness and the aromatic woods, lending an air of quiet elegance and spiritual solace. Altogether, Bois Talisman is a reassuring embrace, both familiar and beguiling.

£168 for 50 ml eau de parfum dior.com

edeniste Oud Ghazal

Oud Ghazal marks a significant collaboration between founder Audrey Semeraro and perfumer Claire Liegent, resulting in a scent that is both contemporary and steeped in tradition. Inspired by the evocative ritual of burning bakhoor in the Middle East, incense here is not merely an accent but the very soul of the fragrance. It mingles with smoky oudh, spicy cardamom, and earthy vetiver, while labdanum resin and cedarwood add further layers of complexity. A luscious cherry note drizzles through, providing a syrupy counterpoint to the smoky haze. The incense note imbues Oud Ghazal with a sense of ceremony and opulence, conjuring visions of ancient rituals and modern luxury alike. This is a fragrance that lingers, both in the air and in memory.

£240 for 100 ml eau de parfum in our Shop

Glossier You Doux

Glossier You Doux is the epitome of understated elegance, a fragrance designed to melt into the skin and amplify one’s natural scent. The composition is an intimate blend of violet, Palo Santo wood, ambrette, Ambroxan, and, crucially, a duet of frankincense and myrrh. Incense, in the form of frankincense, brings a gentle, meditative quality to the fragrance, enhancing its soothing, cocooning effect. Rather than dominating, the incense note weaves delicately through the composition, adding a subtle, sacred warmth that grounds the powdery softness of violet and the creamy woods. The result is a scent that feels personal, quietly transformative, and endlessly comforting.

£62 for 50 ml eau de parfum sephora.co.uk

VYRAO Mamajuju

Mamajuju is a fragrance conceived as a tonic for the soul, promising grounding and emotional equilibrium. Australian sandalwood forms the earthy foundation, while a constellation of spices—cardamom, pink pepper, nutmeg, cumin, and saffron—adds vibrancy and warmth. The presence of frankincense is pivotal, imparting a resinous, smoky serenity that anchors the composition. Wet red clay and a dash of rum absolute contribute further depth, but it is the incense that truly centres Mamajuju, infusing it with a sense of ritualistic calm and ancient wisdom. This is not merely a scent, but an olfactory elixir for those seeking balance and inner peace.

£165 for 50 ml eau de parfum selfridges.com

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Let Us Spray… frankincense infuses perfume’s past and fragrance’s future

Frequently thought of as one of the shoddiest Christmas presents in history, in fact, frankincense and its perfumed counterpart of myrrh were worth more than the weight of gold, also gifted to baby Jesus. Once exclusively reserved for kings and queens, frankincense has been used in burial rituals for centuries – the highly aromatic scent slathered on skin for embalming and mumification, its extraordinary protective properties preserving skin for millennia. Still burned today in Catholic and Anglican high church ceremonies, the smell of frankincense is perhaps most often associated with these religious rituals.

An overwhelming olfactory swoon induced by the hushed reverence of sacred spaces, or the collective evocation of flickering candlelight, gilded altars and smoke-infused pews?

As a result, frankincense can be a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient, rather depending on whether you were forced to sit through endless sermons and hymns in chilly churches on Sundays, or made to confess your ‘sins’ and therefore burdened by an invisible, fragrant holy ghost of guilt whenever you smell it. Others feel excessively soothed by frankincense – a spiritual rather than religious experience which can even feel (whisper it) sensual; fragrance writer Alice du Parcq often refers to frankincense-soaked perfumes as her ‘Sexy Church’ scents. An overwhelming olfactory swoon induced by the hushed reverence of sacred spaces, or the collective evocation of flickering candlelight, gilded altars and smoke-infused pews?

‘Crystal tears that taste of grief came out of the trunk and people scattered them on burning coal to turn it into pure smoke with a scent that heals the sick and with a bitter taste that grieves for lost love.’

Also known as olibanum, frankincense is a resin from the Boswellia sacra tree, which grows in the Dhofar area of Oman, as well as Yemen. At harvest times, gashes are slashed in the trunks, the milky, scented resin slowly oozing from the bark. Exposed to sunlight and air, frankincense dries and hardens to golden, teardrop-shaped nuggets, perhaps giving rise to the many myths surrounding its existence. Reem Al-Kamali beautifully describes one such story for Alarabiya News:

‘A legend has it that a girl from jinn fell in love with a human boy. Since this love was a violation of the jinn rules, they decided to punish her and transform her into something else. She cried for a long time and after they insisted that she must be punished, she chose to become a tree. Thousands of years passed by and this silent and hurt tree that’s called frankincense continued to shed tears in the form of resin that solidified into white particles which smell of musk. It is therefore a girl in the shape of a tree weeping over her beloved. Crystal tears that taste of grief came out of the trunk and people scattered them on burning coal to turn it into pure smoke with a scent that heals the sick and with a bitter taste that grieves for lost love.‘

There are forests of these frankincense-laden trees in northern Ethiopia – although ecologists report production could decline by half, over the next 15 years, as those forests are systematically cut down to make way for agriculture. While its impossible to precisely pin down an exact molecular composition for frankincense, explains a report in Chemical & Engineering News, ‘Because factors such as geography and climate affect plant biochemistry,’ scientists have discovered ‘frankincense contains five-ringed triterpenoids called boswellic acids, as well as an array of mono- and sesquiterpenes that contribute to its scent, including α- and β-pinene, limonene, and 4-terpineol.’

…even if it’s not full-on Fleabag’s Hot Priest, its spirit could, rather fittingly, be present without you even knowing it.

Those of us who flunked chemistry classes might prefer to concentrate on the supposed pain-relieving and psychoactive porperties of frankincense, apparently due to a compound called ‘incensole acetate’, which has been shown in studies to help depression and dampen anxiety attacks, while it simultaneously ‘activates an ion channel involved in warmth perception in the skin.’ One wonders if these powers partly explain not only the proclivity for using frankincense in religious ceremonies, but also fanned the flames of the rather [ahem] warm feelings viewers devloped for Andrew Scott’s iconic portrayal of the apocryphally named character ‘Hot Priest’ in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s multi award-winning tragicomedy, Fleabag? I may have to watch all the episodes again while smelling frankincense fragrances. Y’know, for research purposes. Perhaps the aromatic triterpenoids will help dampen the agony of its ending [no spoilers, but *sob*].

A scene from Fleabag, written by (and starring) Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Whatever your feelings, perfumers have long loved adding frankincense to their compositions – apart from fabulous lasting-powers on skin, it works brilliantly as a fixative for other ingredients: around 13% of all perfumes apparently contain at least a trace of frankincense, so even if it’s not full-on Fleabag’s Hot Priest, its spirit could, rather fittingly, be present without you even knowing it. While some frankincense-rich scents can evoke memories of Christmas past, its diverse character can be freshly herbaceous (some varieties smell similar to rosemary), remind you of frosted fir trees or be burrow-some and earthy, with a dark, honeyed throb of woodiness.

Devoutly sacred or deviantly sensual, fragrant worshipers please be seated. And now, let us spray these…

Creed Angelique Encens
Incense traditionally smoulders, but Creed’s is surprisingly shot through with Champagne bubbles. Sheer and transparent in the opening (definitely more organza than velvet, at this stage), Angelique Encens’s warmth emerges on the skin, kindling notes of pepper, sandalwood, patchouli and cinnamon. You shall not only go to the ball wearing this, meanwhile, but perhaps find yourself partying way beyond midnight wrapped in its enduring musk, vetiver and incense embrace. (Usually a Mayfair boutique exclusive, this party’s online for a short while).
£275 for 75ml eau de parfum
creedfragrances.co.uk

ånd fragrance Frånk
There’s a message of hope contained within each bottle of ånd fragrance, which showcase well-known and much-loved ingredients, but in an utterly unique way. Within ‘Frånk’, as the name may suggest, it’s frankincense – but not, founder Simon Constantine pithily assures us, ‘dark, churchy dusty incense and smells of a dodgy pipe smoking priest’s frayed robes.’ Instead, it’s the fruitier, even verdant, head-clearing-ly green characteristics he explores, while ‘supporting a series of small-scale community nurseries growing hardy frankincense trees for the future.’
£69 for 50ml eau de toilette
andfragrance.com

Perfumer H GOLD
The twice-yearly unveilings of Lyn Harris’s newness are a highlight in the perfume writer’s calendar. Autumn/winter’s accomplished quintet includes Angelica, Rose Oil, White Smoke and Tobacco – all exquisite, whether or not you swing for the £200 Michael Ruh blown glass flacons in which to house them. If we could choose just one, though, it would be Gold, which contrasts shimmering, fresh citrus with smouldering patchouli and gilded frankincense, via a geranium and lavender heart.
From £110-350 for 50ml eau de parfum
At Perfumer H

Boujee Bougies Gilt Candle
Continuing their clever wink-wink wordplay from the brand name to those of their candles, Gilt dabbles with the double-edge sword of actual guilt, and the gilded, golden gleam that frames a candle’s flame in sacred settings. Perfumer Pia Long brilliantly evokes ‘the quiet, contemplative nature of rituals seen through smoke.’ Cold flagstone floors, ancient pews burnished with beeswax, curls of frankincense drifting through air stilled by breath anxiously held – exhaled in a grateful gust, ready to sin again.
boujeebougies.com

Ella K Rose de Pushkar
Perfumer Sonia Constant adds to her olfactory travelogue with this shareable Rajasthan-inspired offering, capturing the visual opulence of this so-colourful corner of India through armfuls of rose, swirling in a heart of oudh, sandalwood, patchouli and white cedar. It opens with saffron, black pepper, that resinous thread of frankincense contrasted by lush lychee, concluding with leather, tonka and cistus absolutes, amber and musk – the juice as deliciously pink as Rajasthan’s fabled palaces. Mystical travel in a bottle, indeed.
£175 for 70ml eau de parfum
jovoyparis.uk