Ouranon

Lately, I've been visiting Pegan Hill in Dover, MA. At the crest of this 410 foot tall glacial drumlin, a wide clearance was made by the local indigenous peoples for cropland and pasture in the late 17th century. These Pegan Indians, as they were called, had sadly perished by the 1760s, and settlers had taken over this farmland. What now remains are only the stone walls as evidence of these farming days of long ago. Great meadows now exist where the crops were raised and cattle would graze, and when the sun warms the weeds, grasses, and wildflowers, there emits an unforgettable aroma of resinous verdure, albeit somewhat dry and dusty. Clover, sedge, chamomile, joe pye weed, yarrow, all grow in abundance. Ouranon is as contemplative as these visits to Pegan Hill, wandering through the wide open spaces, catching whiffs of sun-baked herbaceous vegetation and hay-like grasses that are hemmed with these time-worn stone walls. Chamomile is the standout accord here. Olibanum runs through Ouranon like a cool current, imparting sort of a druidry to it, as if I am witnessing a nature-connecting ritual. Its energy is slow and quiet but nonetheless impactful, especially as it is anchored with a significant amount of bittersweet, mineral-like myrrh resinoid and what I perceive as a particularly dry and chewy labdanum. Ouranon ruptured the growing cynicism I had toward Aesop aiming to convince the consumer that they are authentically nature-based, so I applaud them for actually "going there" with such a creation, even at the risk of commercial viability. It's a splendiferous addition to my collection of agrestic smelly waters.

This perfume has enchanted me. Initially I tried on a sample, having always been drawn to Aesop's display corner in my local perfumery, but too hesitant to purchase anything because of the steep price. I sprayed a couple spritz of Ouranon on my arm without thinking much. I ended up leaving the shop that day with Maison Crevelli's Papayrus Moleculaire (completely different vibe). When I got home, I could still smell Ouranon on my arm. I was constantly switching between smelling my right arm (Papyrus) and my left (Ouranon) and quickly realised I had made a mistake. I went back to the store the next day and swapped out my unopened bottle for Ouranon. There is something so calming about this smell - so spiritual and intimate. It evokes some sort of warm orb of peace from my heart, as if being touched by a divinity that is telling you everything is going to be okay. There is something very warm about the smell (it literally smells like hay and lavender sitting in a sun bathed barn) which makes me feel it'd be perfect for summer or spring. The sillage is quite weak, I only smell it if I am smelling directly from my skin, but the intricacies of this smell makes it worth it. It's truly a niche and beautiful scent, I am in love!

Myrrh, frankincense? Put on some gold then you would literally smell like baby Jesus. The scent is incense-heavy, opens with dry lavender. After a while, the myrrh and frankincense does it job, while some hay supports it. On my skin, it is dry, a bit spicy and sweet, feels like a warm hug in a church. To exaggerate, this is probably how a Bible would smell like. Fell in love with this fragrance first sniff at the store. It’s a quiet fragrance, but nothing subtle about it. The performance is nice, lasts me 6 hours with good projection. Although the price point is pretty high, the scent is pretty niche that you wouldn’t find an alternative easily. So i’d say it is good value if you love the smell of this.

If you like woods, incense, dark and/or naturalistic fragrances, this is one of them. The lovely and delicate herbal accord of lavender, hay and chamomile sets Ouranon apart from all my other woody fragrances. I have always loved chamomile in fragrances (Aromatics Elixir and Beloved by Amouage immediately spring to mind), but they are always rather vintage-leaning, which I don’t often enjoy wearing. Ouranon smells like wet rocks, minerals, moss and strong myrrh. Smells a little rubbery, like oud maybe, and dark woods. Makes me think of Druids performing rituals at a stone circle in the forest. Dabbing from a vial I get 7+ hours. Update: Bought a bottle. One spray lasts all day long on me, easily.

Sniffed the whole line in store last fall, and this was by far my favorite. Clearly, not for everyone, though. This week, I thought to stop by the store again to sniff it and sadly discovered that it has been discontinued. I was told some stores in New York. Do you have a small stash still but removed from the shelves so you must ask for it specifically. I’ll continue my hunt! Knowing that it’s discontinued only makes me want it more.

my all time favourite scent! the aesop in my local mall gave out samples of ouranon after its release, i went back probably 5 times to get more. i spritzed maybe one spray onto the sleeve of my sweater before seeing some friends and got so many compliments! ive been cherishing my samples since 2023 and wont use them until im able to afford a full sized bottle. its such a warm, deeply comforting scent. love love love this aesop line

I find it a little strange when I see something I love have a lower rating. This shouldn't. It's earthy and herbal and smells like a slightly hippy fougere. I'd love this as a shower gel! As a scent it leans masculine but is softened by the chamomile and tonka. Don't expect much from the 'hay', it's less alfalfa and more generic green. I feel it's a bit pricy for the longevity though and that's my only mark against it.

My concise opinion about this fragrance: This is for people who like to smell themselves. Sillage is terrible. Smell, is absolutely sublime. Enchanting, mesmerizing even. A below comment described it well: Hay and lavender baking in the warm sun. Dry, incense-like, maybe even mildly narcotic. Performance: Performs extremely well in the first 2 hours. Gets muted after but stays on long.

This scent is truly impeccable and high-performing. On my skin, it manifests as a very rich cup of dandelion tea. The addition of hay and frankincense elevates the fragrance, making it dry and cozy. However, if you don't enjoy medicinal-leaning scents, this might not be for you. This fragrance is constantly on my mind and is especially my favorite from the entire line.

This is so good. Resinous, herbal, slightly sweet. It sits close to the skin, but last 8-10 hours. Def reminds me of LL Benjoin 19.

Wonderful cola note. Cold spicy. Meditative. Intimate. Weak performance but very pleasant to wear just for yourself.

Tried at an Aesop store. Like the frankincense scent!

There's this quote always bouncing around my head from the French artist Marcel Duchamp - that, in order to counteract our tendencies towards materialism and selfishness, Americans needed to cultivate three things: silence, slowness, and solitude. Despite being an Australian brand, Aesop's Ouranon feels like an answer to the late Modernist. Ouranon opens with dry lavender, resins, and some vague citrus. Myrrh is noticeable immediately, and the fragrance becomes a little warmer and sweeter (frankincense, hay) in the first half hour. Just barely, though. This is a dry fragrance I can feel in the back of my throat. In terms of mood and concept, if not notes, Ournaon reminds me very much of L'Artisan's Passage d'Enfer - both are calm and meditative, yes, but while the latter is transparent and ethereal, the former is very much grounded on earth. I mean that literally: myrrh gives Ouranon a mineral character like a rock plucked from a mountain stream. This is not the warm and woodsy myrrh of incense sticks. Rather, it leans ancient, stony, and matte. The fragrance's somewhat conventional patchouli base it its weakest point: Ouranon doesn't take advantage of the note's lovely 'wet leaves' facet, which strikes me as a missed opportunity in a composition otherwise quite naturalistic. (I'm being a bit harsh - my favorite patchouli is Diptyque's Tempo, which is difficult to beat.) Overall, this is a great, unisex fragrance for cool and cloudy weather. It's herbal, resinous, solitary, even pensive, and though it doesn't break any new ground, is quite pleasant. But it's doomed to be discontinued in a few years. Aesop's fragrances feel like they're the side project of a soap company, and Ouranon is niche to its core. It's just too unfamiliar for the median consumer. This is a fragrance that could have a shot at cult status if developed by a more avant-garde house and if the weirdness was dialed up about 25% (I could imagine something like this with a waxy floral note, maybe magnolia, and no patchouli). When I last visited, the Aesop salesperson explained they had low brand recognition; I asked to purchase a sample vial, and he clarified they don't sell samples. Perhaps that's related to the brand recognition issue, especially given the high ($200/50ml) retail price. Or maybe Ouranon is just ahead of its time, and your left-field favorite in a few years will bear its imprint. Wear this on overcast days, in ancient temples that greet you like an old friend, or whenever you need to feel a little more silent, slow, and solitary.

as I work in an aesop store I am able to surround myself with this perfume. I love it so much, and it's so unique. the notes are very typical of Aesop's, which I really do love. it is calming and perfectly balanced. I love scents that balance woody/spicyness and florals, which I feel like this one does perfectly. a lot of customers describe it as very unique. someone said it was quite masculine, which is a term we sway away from using at aesop. however, I can see that this would be an amazing scent for a man. I would love to give someone who wore this perfume a hug. I also love how it works on the body, and I find it interesting to use it together with various other aesop body products. it also reminds me a bit of my favorite scented candle, "ash" from Boy Smells. I really want this one!

This is a very interesting scent. I've been playing with a sample that I received and I can't make up my mind. I've actually worn 1-2 sprays to the gym. It's very meditative. There's something "cold" about it... could it be the frankincense? The patchouli note in i this reminds me of a super clean fashionable hippie. ☮️ I think it's a very casual fragrance but not too simple but also not overly complex. I really like it. It performs very well especially on clothing. It's on my wishlist but I'm in no huge rush to purchase... I think🤦 Definitely try! 10/7/2023 Update: I purchased it. 😏

A contemplative combo of licorice and hay, a sweet bitterness, which takes me back to Chergui (Lutens) and its honeyed tobacco, as well as the Lavender and Immortelle combo of Eau Noire (Dior). Dry aromatics herbs (thyme or sage) and creamy resins. I was afraid of Elemi and its salty nature, but on my skin it's a complex, grassy and resinous smell. Quite sensual and innovative. You'll enjoy Ouranon if you liked: Chergui (Lutens) Volutes (Diptyque) Brin de Reglisse (Hermès) La Rhapsodie Noire (Dusita) Eau Noire (Dior) Fcking Fabulous (Tom Ford) 😍 It's different and I love that !!!!!

From the sprayer it smells dense, dark and almost syrupy which is alluring. Unfortunately, it dries down quickly on skin and becomes too dry; frankincense and hay stick really stick out. On clothes this is more appealing but it wouldnt be something I wear formally and its a little too spicy and dry for me to want to wear casually. I dont find this herbal or earthy, just spicy, dry and almost barnyardy. Prefer Eidesis over this. Despite the note of cumin some dont like, it is a better balance; softer on the spice and thus easier to wear.

It makes me think of a place like an old temple that no one has entered for a long long time and you open the door for the first time and it's this, the air is thick and heavy and bitter at times it's dark and smoky, serene but I feel like that's a given with Aesop's fragrances they all have this calm and serenity to them even the spicier one like Marrakech. They makes me feel at ease and I like that about them I haven't find many perfume that I smell and it makes me just drop my shoulders and sigh

Opens very fresh and spicy — almost reminiscent of herbal medicine, but this cools down rather quickly. You are then left with a hint of lavender from the top notes which embeds itself into the resins. As much as I love this, I am a bit wary of wearing it around others as I imagine it might have limited appeal; possibly something to enjoy by yourself after an afternoon shower in the summer. If this is Aesop's least popular one, I just cannot wait to discover the rest of their fragrances.

To me this is largely a churchy incense fragrance (frankincense & myrrh) with a hefty dose of labdanum. This opens smelling like you're in a sauna in the forest, while someone is burning some church incense. The opening is very woody- so I was a bit surprised not to see any woody notes listed. As it develops the woody notes soften, and it becomes a bit more aromatic. I also start to get a lot of labdanum/amber. The dry down is largely incense, labdanum, and aromatics. It feels like it could've been part of the CdG incense series. Performance is fantastic- lasts all day.

I find this a bit too chamomile and lavender forward. Not quite as balanced with the other notes as I'd like it to be. If you love those two notes, you will love this!

Ouranon's notes promise an aromatic reverie: a crisp dose of green hay, the soothe of lavender and chamomile, then fresh, almost electric resins! At least, that's what I expected. Instead, it swiftly dissolves into a haze of powdery hay, as if the green note was just a prelude to a sun-dried field. Warm frankincense creeps in next, resinous and ancient, melding with heavy patchouli, one earthy and almost too dense. But what sticks out the most, WOW, is the nasal irritation of a briny myrrh that reminds me too much of insence burning over a dish of salt-drenched preserved veg and dried anchovy. Overpowering rather than uplifting, burnt herbs stifling in a too-heavy, too-saturated embrace. Unexpected, and not in a good way.

Smelled great when store clerk "teased" me by spraying this fragrance in my aesop bag saying it would be released soon. I loved the smell of it back then. Mind you, it was cold in Australia at the time. After returning to Sri Lanka, I sourced a bottle once it was released, and was devastated to find out that it smells like an unwashed butt in high-heat/high-humidity. It still has the "essence" of what I smelled in Australia, but it's way sweeter and way more fecal smelling. In Australia it smelled like a dense, damp forest. Here, it smells like a once wet, now dry shart.

This one is very strange. Chamomile is evident and it definitely has something to do with that. Not a fan. 4/10

Frankincense and myrrh embers smelled through a handful of green hay Reading up on this scent, I was told it where one of the more ‚conventional‘ Aesop scents. I have to disagree. This is about as naturalistic, almost agricultural as it gets. I was wondering how they were going to pull of the hay note, hoping it wasn’t just referring to the coumarin/tonka in the base. Indeed it’s not, it appears to be the dry grass almost cool lavender facets and perhaps the dampness of the patchouli that produce the effect of nuzzling a semi-dry hay bundle. From within it, cold fumes of frankincense and myrrh manifest, creating a complex fragrance. Very intriguing, one of the better scents of the house. I don’t entirely resonate with the name which refers to the greek name for the sky. I get a more ritualistic vibe from it; Worshipping pagan gods in a grass meadow hidden in the heart of the forest.

Look, it's a really lovely and refined myrrh and patchouli perfume but i find it too expensive for me. This is right up my alley but as i already own Diptyque Tempo and Montale Full Incense, i feel like i can play with those and get a same vibe layering.. also i'm feeling a close resemblance to Boss Bottled Absolu which is a myrrh, patchouli, leather mix. It starts resinous and balsamic, but gives way to green patchouli very early on. After about 2 hours the myrrh makes it's ppearance again in a smokier way, for a church-like dry down. There's not enough longevity and sillage for me to justify the price tag, even though it is a beautiful composition. I don't get any of the "agricultural"/lavender/tea aspects in it, but Lush The Bee's Knees can do that for you for a fraction of the price if you're into that kind of thing.

this has an overwhelmingly honeyed effect on my skin (potentially could b attributed to the mix of hay and tonka??), but is still grounded in an incense-like shroud from the myrrh. the lavender sweetens it up, but it never really strays into floral territory; it has that quintessential aesop DNA which makes it quite subdued and earthy, but thankfully forgoes the dreaded addition of cumin—praise be !!!!!!! cumin notes tend to be a huge problem w me and the majority of aesop's othertopias scents, so i was very pleased to find that this doesn't have even a hint of it. unfortunately this doesn't feel particularly special, but it is pleasant enough to make me consider purchasing... projection is minimal but not non-existent, and i get a solid 4-6 hours re:longevity

Quite austere and medicinal at first, but it does warm up a little on the skin. The frankincense does remain throughout, all the way to the dry down, and forms the backbone of this fragrance. There's also a soapy, aldehydic note which is there throughout, together with a hay/chamomile/clover note. This really lightens the fragrance after a while and makes it a lot less serious than the opening. At the end, the patchouli also becomes apparent. It's not too dirty or earthy, so don't worry if you're not a fan of patchouli. I've yet to pick up on the lavender note. It must be blended in pretty well. The sillage is not huge but it's definitely not a skin scent either. Lasts longer than most of Aesop's fragrances

Ouranon, to my nose, is Aesop's most unabashedly outdoorsy scent -- hay, weeds, dirt, smoke. It's rustic and roughly-hewn in a way that departs from Aesop's more curated, "nature-for-city-dwellers" feel. It has their typical medicinal, herbal base, but a touch more feral this time. It's not the most wearable Aesop offering - I wouldn't spritz this before heading to the office - but it's one of their most evocative and compelling. I'll reserve this one for "me" time when I need to transport myself mentally into wide-open, ancient spaces.

I'm not sure what to make of Ouranon. It's quite earthy, dry, and herbal. I can almost picture someone scavenging for the components of this perfume in a scrubby, alpine, purple flowered heathland. Heavy on the hay and chamomile. At the same time, it has a dense, dark woody backbone, and is a little leathery. There is the persistent hum of amberwoods in the base. It's VERY masculine. I feel like it actually has a fair bit in common with Dior Sauvage...? Definitely the oddball in the Aesop collection. Already discontinued.

My all time favourite fragrance is the now discontinued Gucci Pour Homme. I emptied three bottles of that scent. Never found anything like it. Although there are plenty of fragrances in the same vein, the closest ones in my opinion are Comme des garçons man 2 and Woody Mood by olfactive studio which I’ve owned both of them. This one surprised me. It is now in the top three contenders of possible replacements for Gucci Pour Homme.

I really like this one and think of it as very similar, perhaps siblings to Eidesis. Both have the frankincense and petitgrain. Ouranon is more medicinal and herbal. I can’t get the lavender though. Perhaps a very dry herbal lavender. It’s quite nice overall. The dry down is slightly boring for me. But I’m also not the biggest fan of patchouli bases.

A tied bunch of dried lavender, chamomile, and orange leaves set up on a bed of resins forgotten in a wooden box. It’s oh so dry Herbal, almost like smelling a dry tea sachet It took time for me to fall in love with it. Perhaps I needed to wait for the right weather.

Smells like a spiritual badass in every way, first spray kinda is like “wtf” then a few seconds later the dry down is heavenly !! I’m in looovveee

Definitely like Volutes and Benjoin 19 Moscow. Also really reminds me of Byredo's 1996.