Heliotrope

While a heliotrope note is listed in Durbano's Héliotrope, this is intended as an olfactory ode to the stone of the same name. This semi precious stone, also referred to as the "stone of Babylon" by Albertus Magnus for its alleged magical properties, is also known as bloodstone, was used over the ages as an amulet for longevity, a talisman for success, and a preparation to treat ills and melancholy. It's really worth reading more on its fascinating history. The color of the fragrance matches that of the blood-red flecks that embed the dark pyrite-green stones. The scent itself, built primarily around olibanum, elemi, and myrrh, is perceived by me to be a dry, scorching incense to start, well-suited to warm late summer and early autumn days. There is also this nuanced pimento spiciness, reminiscent of hot paprika, and the overall sensation in the heart evokes sun-baked dunes and sticky maritime pitch pines. There's a chewy, green-needle exudate concoction, blended with orange zest and frankincense burned as some cabalistic ritual. The heliotrope note that appears in the note pyramid may merely be just the power of suggestion to those who sense it, but there is little in the way of almond-cherry-powder. The balmy, lightly sweet woodiness lies closer to the skin after an hour, though it persists as sort of an aura that reignites with some perspiration (I love when fragrances do this). I also smell distant spiced biscuits, almost like speculoos (Biscoff) among the incense and woods, which I rather enjoy here, and I am not one to seek out anything that smells confectionary or of a sweet comestible. Héliotrope is a distinct pleasure.

Wow! This is the most beautyful of Durbano's gems since Rock Crystal and Black Tourmaline. The opening is lovely, it's a potion made of sweet, deeply red mandarine and just right amount of ginger adding juicy spiciness. All that blended with light, balmy mixture of olibanum and elemi and warm, slightly sweet saffron. With time, when citrusy note is starting to disappear, saffron is geting stronger and stroner and of course incensy, balmy notes as well. This drydown made of various resins, incense and woods is what makes Durbano's perfumes so appealing to me. It always brings images of cold morning in mountains to my head.

Wow is this spicy. Peppery and smoky. It's labeled as unisex, but if I smelled this on a man I'd probably follow him for blocks. Later: this gets a little sweeter, less smoky as it dries down. Still peppery. It's a really sultry and sexy. It'd be very hot on a confident woman as well. Two hours later: I think I'm in love with my arm.

Smells like spicy incense, but this incense doesn’t smell like a hippie store... this is youthful, sexy and tantalizing. This spicy incense and ambergris combination smells like gorgeous freshly sun burnt skin that is left with a beautiful semi red sun burnt tone, completely absent from any sunblock or sun tanning lotion. Also smells like sea shells and sand dollars adorning a tiny shrine with incense offerings on a salty rocky shore. One million percent unisex. I think a fragrance is very well done when I don’t usually care for scents like these and I suddenly feel like I want or need it after sampling it. I don’t think a true goddess would smell sweet and cute, she’d smell something like this; a beautiful sunburnt sea goddess. I can’t wait to try Pink Quartz and others from this brand.

I wouldn't have even guessed heliotrope was in here. I associate that note with almondy/powdery florals. This is not that. A very interesting woody and spicy floral that reminds me of the mountains, actually - a chilly morning at a temple gathering wood with a wisp of last night's incense. Sillage is low, wears close to the skin.

verry good stuff not an monster in projection but good fair i think its another well made perfume good job mr durbano you have done it again! 8/10

#1333 in my "Tour de Fragrance" I think if you're a fan of Sergey Karov's dozens of scents for Edgardio Chilini, like "Orange Sorbet" (his stuff is way too fruity-femmy for my taste), this is your jam. Part of my indifference to this is disappointment that the incense and myrrh are not that prominent, which is not what I was looking for. But it's a decant, so no biggie. Overall this is a mild, very feminine-leaning unisex scent. I get heliotrope, angelica and orange, with just a hint of incense. So kind of a Spring and Summer scent. Good quality, but not something I would wear. I'll run it past a 20 year old female friend who likes this sort of scent and I suspect she will love it. I think she's more the target market for this one. It's definitely not business wear for men, but would work in the workplace for women. It strikes me like the Atelier Colognes. All are pleasant, none are sexy. It's car pool, elevator and small office space safe.

Don't let the name "Heliotrope" deceive you, there is nothing sweet nor powdery in "Heliotrope" by Olivier Durbano. This scent is purely masculine, full with incense, resins and slight spices, I did not get no sweetness or any sort of feminine vibes. Very manly. The scent reminds me of pencil shavings and wood polish, you know - the clean incense kind, with slight hints of bitter resins. Silage is fair and longevity around 8 hours, not bad. The scent itself though is surely not for me, I just can't take a perfume that will make me smell like wood polish.

از بوی پودری و بادوم مانند و خشک هلیوتروپ در این عطر سراغی نگیرید؛ مگر در سایه های سنگین و باابهت اون. تم مشروبی-سیتروسی هم که چیزی حس نکردم ازش؛ بوی شیرین و خوشمزه ای هم از این کار به مشامم نرسید. پس حتما عطرو اشتباه تست کردم، دوباره تست میکنم؛ اما باز هم همون نتیجه حاصل میشه. شاید بویاییم دچار اختلال شده؛ اما نتیجه ی تست بویایی هم این فرضیه رو رد میکنه و در نهایت باید عرض کنم که هرکسی برداشت خودش رو از یه عطر داره و در رابطه با چنین عطرهایی تنها به یک عامل اعتماد کنید: بویایی و ذائقه ی خودتون. شاهکارهای من ممکنه شما رو آزرده خاطر کنه و برعکس! بگذریم و بریم سراغ هلیوتروپ... عطر شروعی گستاخانه و بی پروا داره و با فلفل تند و جسور در کنار بوی فکال و وقیح عنبر خودشو معرفی میکنه اما بعد از چند دقیقه همه چیز در هاله ای از کندر، مر و زعفران فرو میره که حالتی چرمی، پلاستیکی، خاکی، گس و دودی از اتحاد اونا حاصل میشه که المانهایی از هرکدوم رو شامل میشه اما در عین حال هیچکدوم از اونها بطور برجسته احساس نمیشن. عطر بطور کلی در همین فضا سیر میکنه و بعد از ساعتها با ورود یه حاشیه ی خشک و گیاهی کم رنگ، هلیوتروپ با حالتی پودری و کمی خاکی به فضا وارد میشه و متأثر از این فضای دودی و خشک، شیرینی خودش رو پشت در جاگذاشته. داستان هلیوتروپ در همین فضا جریان پیدا میکنه و تا پایان بر محور صمغی، گیاهی، دودی و گس خودش که توهمی چرم مانند داره تأکید میکنه و هلیوتروپ فقط حاشیه ای پودری به فضای کلی می بخشه. هلیوتروپ یه لمس رسمی، جدی، خشک و گرمه که جون میده واسه یه روز زمستانی. یه ست چرم و واکس خورده وبراقه که در مقابل آفتاب کم توان این اوقات از سال خودنمایی میکنه و اعتماد بنفس و غرور و درخشش خاصی باخودش داره. دوربانو تخصص خوبی در ارائه ی ترکیبهای صمغی-دودی، ادویه ای و گیاهی داره و اینبار وجه خشک و تلفیقی از وجوه دیگر این توانایی رو به نمایش گذاشته... کامنت: م.ع (سایت لوکس بایر (با امکان تست سمپل

I've gone in and out of love with Heliotrope several times. It initially impressed me for its piquant and spicy qualities. It then let me down when I discovered a gourmandic facet I hadn't noticed in the first place to then click with me again, after I took enough familiarity with the fragrance to discover its perfect balance. This is basically a sweetish spicy incense with a cheerful character and subtle biscuit-like facets. Comparisons with some of the CDG's Red Series make absolutely sense as this has an overall sparkling transparency and minimalist feel that will make *modernists* happy but, at the same time, it feels warm, deep and alive to perfectly fit the vivid red-color of the juice. I'm personally still not completely won over as I would have probably preferred it with an extra kick, but if you like restrained and micro-nouanced incense-driven fragrances, give it a chance as this stuff is undeniably delightful. Rating: 7/10

Absolutely terrific. Hands down Durbano's best. And i like Jade a lot. But this is special. One tries not to rave on these reviews....but honestly, this is a new classic to my mind. Maybe its a bit linear. All of Durbano's creations are to some degree. The heliotrope is background, but its there to influence the chili and orange...and the olibanum. The opening is totally gorgeous. The cedar comes on after a bit and settles things down. It is more masculine than feminine I think. Its both classy and seductive but never crass. Its elegant but a particular branch of elegant. Its also suitable in both warm and cold, I think. The performance is excellent and these days that is a rarity. Great longevity and the sillage is above average.

Got this as a sample with purchase, and I like it. It’s warm and, on me, very spicy. I don’t get any sweetness from this – it’s all peppery spicy warmth. I also get a strong hit of incense from this, which I rather like. This is definitely more for the blokes though. That said, this is something I could easily see myself wearing again. This is gonna sound weird, but if I found myself needing to kick somebody’s arse (and there have been waaaay to many days like that lately :/) this is what I’d choose to wear when I did it. It just gives off a strong, no-nonsense, quietly powerful vibe. Weird? Undoubtedly. But that’s the vibe I get off this – it’s a kick-arse scent, and I will probably spring for a full bottle at some stage.

Just got this in a swap and I am floored! I have been looking for something that smells like sun heated cypresses, and that is what this one does on me. What Tom Fords Italian Cypress could have been like in my dreams, without all the offensive (on my skin) citrus. But even better! I am really in love!