Durban Jane

Friends - I’m so sorry to report that we have been gatekept. Anyone who knew about this gem and didn’t tell us... rude. I love this so much I had the compulsion for half a second to get rid of the entirety of my collection and just wear this forever. It’s that good. I returned to my senses quickly and remembered how much I love the other things I have too. Durban Jane is what I would imagine a yoga instructor wearing. She’s wandering along the coast enjoying her life. It is the only fragrance she owns because she’s a minimalist and she always smells clean and cool and effortlessly chic. Side note: I really don’t understand the Santal 33 comparison *at all.* And Durban Jane would smell equally amazing on men, women, or nonbinary people. My review is written to give you an image of who I instantly imagined wearing it and the vibe of the fragrance. I adore it. 🙂 Truly obsession worthy.

I'll preface this review by stating I own the sample sale version and not the mainline release. I purchased the discovery set for Maison d'ETTO about a year ago and thought Durban Jane stuck out as an incredibly sexy and calming unisex perfume. After almost 8 months without this perfume, because the mainline release is too overpriced, I purchased the sample sale version. The perfume itself is oddly straightforward for how elegant it smells and how much I love it. The top notes of pink pepper and powdery orris are paired with the sandalwood base to create a soft goose-down pillow for your nose. The reviews list this as a warm-weather fragrance, but I disagree; it is better for cold days indoors, like at a library or cafe. Smell: 10 Longevity: 8 Versatility: 8 Uniqueness: 8 Value: 2 Layering compatibility: 8 Overall: 7.3

Wow, this a very clean soft woody fragrance with a touch of spice from the red pepper and a creamy Orris and delicate orange flower. It opens with woody spice and dried down into a creamy orange cedar. It’s soft inoffensive unisex and easy to wear all season. I get zero pickle smell. I love this house. This is my 4th fragrance I tried and I’ve liked all of them so far. My top favorite would be 1.Noisette- lavender musk(feminine) 2. Macanudo green/earthy (unisex- slightly more masculine) 3.Durban Jane -clean soft peppery wood (unisex) 4. Rotano-leather animatic (unisex-leans more masculine)

Picked up the Maison d'ETTO discovery set on a whim and fell in love with this one - simply the most gorgeous scent I've come across in a while. I'm not sure what's in it that reminds me ever so slightly of the Harmonist's Hypnotizing Fire, but Durban Jane is more elegant. I sprayed it on this morning and kept catching delicious wafts of it all day. Now by the afternoon it's an amazing skin scent - so I would say 4 - 6 hours of arms length sillage. I agree with the previous reviewer that it would make a wonderful signature scent. Definitely fbw <3

As someone who cannot stand Santal 33, I LOVE Durban Jane. I can see the comparison, but Durban Jane is done completely different and makes it so much more stunning and enjoyable. The longevity on skin isn't the greatest (1-2hrs) and it makes me so so sad 😭