Olibanum

How many woody incense perfumes can a girl have? I keep thinking that at some point there will be redundancy in my frags of this genre, but I keep discovering one beauty after another and I want to keep them all! Olibanum is my first encounter with Ava Luxe, and it came to me as a surprise gift. My husband has stopped buying me perfumes from department stores as he recently discovered my Fragrantica *want* list. This is the first one he purchased online for me; one that I put on my shelf as a future blind buy. Instant favorite. Similar fragrances that come to mind: Les Liquides Imaginaires Sancti; Le Labo Vetiver 46; Tauer L'Air du Desert Marocain. Olibanum has the same transcendental characteristic of each of each of these -- beautiful woods balanced with exquisite mastery. This time Olibanum offers sensual sandalwood and delicate oud as the differentiating factor. Oud... leathery, smoky, a little dry. Fresh with clear frankincense, clean, enchanting sandalwood, soft spices, a drop of bergamot and clarifying cypress. The sweetness of labdanum is not overly prominent which is just the way I like it -- this offers profound depth while still being wearable in the heat. Although the sillage is moderate to low, the scent and longevity are incredible. Beautiful, rich, arresting. Olibanum is enigmatic, rousing and enlightening.

As I wait for Serena to bring No. 23 back to the stock shelves, I've been flitting from fragrance to fragrance from Selena's Woody and Oriental ranges. All I can say is, "wow." Some people do one thing very well (think "Guerlainade" from their house) and others do many things just ok (Demeter)... But to find someone who can do many things very well....that's just art. And that's why we tend to look at Serena Ava Franco as an artist who knows her medium as if it were her skin. And that's why I'm thrilled to wait for No. 23 and buy up a bunch of other Ava Luxe fragrances. Olibanum is home. I find myself setting this aside for special events and dates. But that's not enough...a spritz on my heart chakra for yoga practice or meditation/prayer. I have weekly clinic appointments lately and 1) this DOES NOT trigger my migraines (Olibanum is actually quite soothing) and 2) a lot of the female staff have begun placing orders. Lol. The Olibanum comes out first and then the cardamom whispers in and out along with the sandalwood and cypress. Laudanum is a pillar in the fragrance for the olibanum to wrap itself around until that core of laudanum melts away and all that remains in the dry down are touches of cardamom set against the background of sandalwood, cypress, and olibanum leaning into the musky scent of human skin.

I get the cypress, and cedar, and frankincense. These are notes I love more in isolation though, and less in combination with each other. There's a very slight spicy note at the beginning from the nutmeg and cardamom which is quite intriguing. Overall a nice smoky fragrance centered around a resinous frankincense and balsamic conifers. I actually prefer the woodier Royal Parvati (not listed in Fragrantica at the moment) for meditation and to raise spiritual vibrations.

Sweet and very long lasting. Nearing 24 hours of long lasting.