Kyphi

I had a high level of anticipation before I first smelled Kyphi. I was totally surprised by the oddness of the scent. Odd is a good word for this perfume, but there are many other modifiers that also could apply like curious, compelling, engaging...and beautiful. But wearable? On my first skin test, I wasn't certain that it could be worn in the living world. In fact, I'm still not certain Kyphi would be welcome in some company. A great deal would depend on the wearer. Would the incense perfume lover come to love Kyphi? It is not a typical incense/resin perfume. Yes, frankincense (warmed, not burned) with all its complexity is the dominant base followed by a chorus of velvety myrrh, sweet benzoin and slightly vegetal labdanum. Yes, it has the delightful warm, comfort quotient, but there are other components that are in accompaniment. And these keep the balmy concoction from settling on the wearer like a familiar soft blanket. There are new and strange and wonderful and lifting ingredients that draw you in and cause you to explore why you want to like a fragrance so unfamiliar. For Kyphi is absolutely greater than the sum of its parts. Honey flavored spices float above the resins. Cinnamon is present with a hint of cloves. Lemongrass injects its greenness and a gentle rasp of citrus. I sense rather than actually smell the juniper signature. Spikenard is an unfamiliar note to me, but based on the desciption, it could easily be the unidentifable resiny, sweet, vegetal that makes Kyphi so intriguing. It took three wearings (the most recent today) for me to come to feel comfortable in Kyphi. In fact, I believe I do feel like a FB is in my future. Who knew?

Surprised to find in this my bedtime perfume. Many people below talk about how dusty, cramped, even medicinal this feels but on me it is so bright, warm, and smooth. Smooth but spiky. After the lemongrass cools down we are brought to the heart of dry, spicy beeswax. No one does beeswax like this house. The only wetness I can find must come from the bitter orange (divine). Whole spices, rich brown, dry air, light head. Invokes the legend of the beauty perfuming the sails of her ships to alert her lovers ashore that she was coming from miles away. If African Orchid belongs to a fertility goddess, Kyphi belongs to a goddess of rest. Not sleep, but rest. My body relaxes when I smell Kyphi, the whole way through. I feel like I'm climbing into my tomb when I wear this and lay down. I would be buried in this. Kyphi is what the mummy is dressed with and Cryptical Envelopment might be the tomb it is laid in. Ordered this in the 30 mL size and wow what an atomizer, I have never seen one so large or effective at spraying.

The hate for this scent blows me.... It’s stunning I immediately need to have it and I wish I didn’t take this long to get into Olympic orchids bc there’s so much beauty in this house I’m almost overwhelmed. Frankincense is what got me into perfume since I’m Somali and my name is in the word olibanum so I’ve always had a very intimate relationship with it and I’m very prideful of the impact my homeland has had on fragrances of the world. So basically I’ve tried nearly a million frankincense perfumes and most pale in comparison to the divine stuff back home so there’s always a bit of disappointment. Not here though. This is it. This smells like something an ancestor traveled with to meet the Pharaoh. Ellen idk how you time traveled like this but I feel like people don’t connect with this because this smells like it belongs to a culture from a different time that has different sensibilities and standards of beauty. You have to have an ancient soul to get this

I only get strong frankincense and lemongrass. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. It's not bad, bu not the unique blend I was looking forward to. I will have to try this a few more times. --- After wearing this out, I find it to be a suitably unique blend for warm weather. The lemongrass-frankincense combo now smells a little deeper and more resinous, but still feels fresh, and even a bit nose-clearing. Very wearable, IMO. I may have under-applied( I'm using a dab sample) but it had little sillage; though, I smelled it wafting off my neck onto my face for ~7 hours. --- I am now smelling the spicier facets, in addition to the frankincense and lemongrass. A beautiful juxtaposition of deep resins and spices, and crisp citrus. Completely and wonderfully unique and wearable. Great longevity for a natural fragrance, as well, with ~8 hours in heat and humidity. Average throw, though. To those that dislike this- feel free to give me yours! ☺

This is more of an honest attempt at recreating the ancient incense in a fine perfume format than it is an attempt at a fine fragrance based on the incense. This is fine, since there are already many, many fine fragrances that are based on balsamic-resinous incense mixtures, the best being (in my opinion) Youth Dew. What this has that the others don't (besides a 100% natural composition) is an uncompromising position to transport you. It's not designed to be pretty (and it isn't), it's designed to be a spiritual link to the past. The thing I sense in this composition over all other components is calamus. Just under this is a frankincense and myrrh accord adorning a rich, waxy base with just a tinge of lemongrass. It is recommended for meditation, and I think that's pretty appropriate. The sillage isn't huge on this one, but longevity is great. This would be pretty difficult to pull off by all except the most absurdly goth individual.

I like this very much, but it doesn't last more than 1-2 hours before it's gone entirely. So sad. It opens with really strong lemongrass. It could definitely double as mosquito repellant, as they hate that smell (not an insult, just the truth--I like lemongrass!). The lemongrass soon subsides a bit to bring out a lovely frankincense/woodiness. This is the stage I love--there is a juxtaposition between the earthy jatamansi and honeyed incense. I get just a faint touch of spice that remains in the background and will not overpower. I just wish it lasted on my skin! I like that it is 100% natural, but not sure I could stand having to re-apply every other hour. Update: I really enjoyed the naturalness of it, so I bought a bottle. I do spray frequently, but that's ok with me for this one.

More surreal ancient magic than modern perfume, Kyphi smells like mummified cinnamon toast. Ellen Covey has a nose for the uncanny, and this is certainly a contender for her most uncanny fragrance. Kyphi is extremely unconventional, and not just in general; it's also an oddball among unconventional perfumes. Like a summoning spell for Thoth, it comes to us from a realm beyond the modern imagination. It shakes the earth, it disturbs the mind, it hypnotises the soul. Kyphi challenges and expands my very notion of what a perfume is. Fascinating. 10/10

This is my absolute favorite of the Olympic Orchids fragrances I have tried. Although I tend to love all fragrances with prominent incense, I'm the first to admit they often smell the same. Kyphi is extremely unique, and I will be purchasing a full bottle ASAP. Frankincense is one of my favorite smells in the world and it's done extremely well here. Backed by dark, resinous myrrh, beeswax, bitter orange and earthy, dirty spikenard it's just wonderful. Earthy, sweet, bitter, resinous, smoky, dark, rich. Love.

Can't believe this is so lowly rated. Amazing blend of spice (lots of cardamom), amber and incense with some sweet orange and honeyed elements bringing it all together smoothly, then an edge of fresh juniper to brighten it all up. I don't get the feeling of just a tomb, but a scent that you would love smelling when you are in a meditative mood, a top pick for my tastes. Will be buying a large bottle of this one once my sampling is over.

This fragrance really surprised me, as I was expecting something more smoky and incense-like, but it ended up triggering nostalgic memories for me. It is warm, spicy, and resinous, with noticeable traces of beeswax and orange. To me, it smells much like the perfume equivalent of stepping into a Waldorf classroom around the holidays. I will absolutely be purchasing it again!

Full of chalky spices, and a touch of beeswax - waxy honey notes without much sweetness. This is such a striking and novel scent. It calls to mind ancient incense or beauty products. Imagine taking a piece of charcoal from the embers on which tea is steeping, grinding it in a pestle with the residue of spices, smearing it on your eyelid.

Just got this- and it's oddly intriguing to me- very resinous and a little sharp- I detect some clove in there somewhere- its definitely not something you wear out on a romantic date, but it really speaks to something ancient- It's one of those I put onlate at night just for me

Oddly soapy amber... soapy but also chewy. Sweet in a licorice way :) It’s really rich and dark, and sumptuous but also uplifting! From a distance the opening was giving me spicy Dr Pepper, even on the dry down the initial wafts are very cola-like.

I get warm and dry spices from this one. Lots of cardamom and saffron! I can also smell the nard quite strongly against a backdrop of incense and resins. Very nice and, for me, very wearable!

25th Not like any kyphi perfume that I ever smelled and I have sought out the few that exist. I love DSH and Solstice Scents take on it (both very different from one another) and wish I could have tried Ayalas before she moved back to Israel. I have never smelled “true” kyphi inscents, so I have nothing to compare these to. But I do know that today kyphi and kyphi scents are made based on interpretations of old recipes found in Egypt. So we don’t truly know what it smelled like (the ratios of the ingredients are a mystery)—we can only imagine. I imagine that the closest scent to the real kyphi is the Solstice Scents version (and from reading about all the ingredients which went into kyphi). I like this overall, but not the dusty chalkboard/ dry earth part it. I used up my travel size to freshen up the dusty/musty coat closet, which now smells like a well perfumed tomb...7/10

Sampled. Cool stuff! It's very true to its inspiration, I can imagine that perfume art of ancient Egypt smelled exactly like this. The first spritzes transport the wearer exactly to a sealed Egyptian tomb where the scent of resins and fragrant herbs is intertwined with the unsettling odour of embalming ointments. It does feel ancient! It's as heavy as thousands of years and the stone-carved lids of the sarcophagi. That's a pity Ellen Covey does not sell travel versions of her creations as far as I remember, since I would be happy to buy a vial just for myself and use very sparingly. The truth is that this is a high quality olfactory art, but is not very wearable in most modern contexts. Perhaps that's all fine though - the unique character of this composition will not be lost, and the impression will be made over and over again.

If you have ever been in an underground cave, it's usually eerily cool and there's no breeze. . . That's what Kyphi feels like. But it's not merely earthy and cold — it's sacredly disturbing. The spices and resins have an extremely particular dank smell that seems to linger in the air. I find it startling and borderline unwearable, but certainly not in a bad way. I envision being in an egyptian mausoleum with nothing but torchlight to illuminate everything. It's a superbly chilling scent, but it's quite well done and worth a try if you're into the weird. Scent: 9/10 Sillage: 7/10 Longevity (based on my skin): 9/10 Wearability: 4/10 (It's creepy, so I don't fancy spraying this in the evening. I agree overall with 'drugstore classics' review)

A bit bitter, spicy, sour, and a touch sweet. Smells edible, but I'm not drinking it yet. Reminds me of smelling a strong tea with honey, citrus, herbs, and spices. I see people mentioning a tomb, and the mummification that the bottle art refers to, but to me this doesn't feel like a tomb, which is cold and dead. Kyphi feels like a ritual that a religious village joins in, sharing a warm, herbal brew. It opens bitter and difficult for me but promptly settled in as sweeter and amber. Natural, clean, and after the opening, smooth. Feels seasonless, timeless. I find the sillage and longevity are moderate. I'll wear this to relax and focus.

All of the notes come together very nicely, none seem to get lost really but they don't fight to shine. Astonished how light and daytime friendly this is, likely the lemongrass keeping everything from getting heavy. On the skin the most prominent smell it gives me of an ice cold pepsi in my grandparents home deep in the pine forests. Suits someone beautiful and patient, but not overly serious. Unfortunately out of all of those I am only beautiful!

The lost Ark A scent of historical value for all the Indiana Jones of perfumery. To give a description other than technical (myrrh +incense+natural labdanum) I'd say it's like taking an ancient pottery in a museum and travel through the different smells that impregnated its porous surface. A form of amber-ification of perfume, in this case ancient notes captured in clay. For meditation and imagination it must be very interesting to wear.

I think this scent makes you smell like you just came from somewhere interesting, like you're a cool archaeologist. It's dusty, ancient, and offputting. The only thing remotely "alive" about it is the lemongrass. Definitely strange but I find myself coming back to it. Makes me wish I worked at a history museum.

Way back in 1922, when Howard Carter broke through the final barrier to be the first person to enter King Tutankhamun's tomb in many centuries, this is the scent that assailed his nostrils ... Ancient. Dry. Pungent. Holding secrets long lost to the sunlit world. It's absolutely brilliant fragrance as art.

You have to order from the Olympic Orchids website

Kyphi starts out winy, almost like brandy, and then immediately goes dusty and lemony. it’s tomb-like, ancient, with a distinct sourness that might be the lemongrass, and an overall potpourri aura. It reminds me vividly of the furniture stores of my 90s childhood – Horchow Home, The Bombay Company, Pier 1 Imports, that sort of thing. Lemony wood polish and warm-spiced potpourri. Kyphi is named for the ancient Egyptian fragrance, and I do also buy it as evocative of a long-lost temple scented with incense. It’s definitely not your usual Oriental despite the familiar-sounding notes list; much more angular and tangy than anything else, and almost no amber. It’s eccentric enough to be a little off-putting; smells more like a room than a person. I’m not sure I want to smell like a 90’s furniture store. But, as usual for the brilliant Ellen Covey, it’s a quality fragrance: dense, legible, punchy, full of real ingredients.

I'm not sure what to think of this one. The first blast is repulsive. The overall impression I have is the smell of a clean public toilet. But still, a public toilet. I hate to be rude, but this one is a hard pass for me.

this one is really offensive to my nose. it is as if you are in a pyramid tomb room with the body not appropriatly embalmed. the scent is strong and long lasting. would not recommend this to a friend.

This one scared me haha! No thanks. That tomb smell people are talking about reminded me of an awful smell that resthomes have.

OH MY WORD. I see now why people have such various reactions to Kyphi. Mine was closer to a recoil than a mere reaction, and this is why: It really DOES remind one of an ancient tomb, complete with embalmed mummies, stale air, and dust! The only thing missing is the smell of death itself... and it's not hard to imagine here. I left this on to develop for as long as possible - until it became unendurable, in fact. In spite of spikenard, myrhh, and spices, the effect is not rich or comforting in any sense of the word. Pungent, Cold, and Musty come to mind. Authentic, Amazing, and Otherworldly also! Appearances to the contrary, I'm Genuinely Pleased to have tested such a ground breaking scent, another of Ellen Covey's remarkable achievements. Time travel in a bottle INDEED. Even if now I know for certain this is not where I personally will be traveling.... ;) Quality - five stars Wearability - perhaps two? ( Merely my opinion. ) Shock Value - Top Notch... a good SIX!

Strong, bitter opening with lemongrass, juniper, nard, bitter orange and frankincense dominating. Mostly linear, but as it develops on me the frankincense fades a bit and the nard increases, with a dusty/earthiness in the background. At times the lemongrass does swerve a little too lemon-cleaner, but overall it's an interesting take on the incense genre and doesn't smell like the million other incense scents. It's dry, herbal, rooty, resinous and incense-y, but not smoky or too headshoppy. It smells best in warm weather and a little too acrid/dusty in winter. Not sweet at all. Good longevity and projection. Today when I wore Kyphi, my boyfriend said "mmm what is that? smells good. smells ancient!", without me telling him the scent's concept. I think he likes it better than me though. I like the mid-point of the scent when the bitter opening has calmed and the frankincense is shining, before the dusty basenotes come forward. Overall - interesting but not for me.

I understand how this fragrance could evoke an Egyptian tomb, so I would say it's a success in that way. However, I must confess that upon smelling this for the first time it didn't put me in a tomb but rather a musty used bookstore with overloaded shelves and maybe a cat prowling about. Perhaps the reason for that is because I actually have sensory experience in the latter and none in the former(and perhaps used bookstores actually have a lot in common with tombs). I get a slightly dusty smell mixed with the distinct smell of old books. I also get an image of varnish on wood floors or maybe on the bookcases themselves. Even though it isn't the intended location, Kyhpi is absolutely transportive for me. The result of this personal association is that while others find it creepy I find Kyphi comforting.

Kyphi is startlingly unlike any perfume I have tried, and so much so that at first I really didn't know what to think of it. I didn't get a full sense of it in even the first hour, so I think to be fair you have to devote some time to this one. That said, the first hour was challenging for me, but I'm glad I didn't scrub it off, as it settled into something interesting. I have difficulty verbalizing a description beyond "resinous and spicy". If you seek a fragrance unlike anything else, this may be your juice. Others have spoken here of tomb-like scents, but I have not been to the pyramids and I don't get anything like putrefaction or ancient must from this. It is very distinctive and I'll try it again and come back if I can give more specifics beyond very unusual and very interesting".

This scent is W-E-I-R-D....Weird! I guess im the odd man out. I actually like this. I tried Arizona, Olympic Rain forest, and Kingston Ferry but this one so far is my favorite. Finally!!! I found a Orchid scent with longevity and decent projection. I would love to get this in a extrait. I think this scent is a little misunderstood. I appreciate what Ellen aimed to do with Kyphi. You have to be quite the eclectic individual to come up with this sort of concoction. It takes guts to "go left" and be cherished in this niche arena. Im convinced this was made for a select group of people.

For me, I get a great opening, my first thought was WOW, that went away quickly, the opening is very short, in fact, this is the first wear, I cant really remember the opening. I'll have to pay closer attention next wearing. The drydown is for me, Cinnamon, and some sort of watermellon rind, or cucumber type of cool/fresh watery kind of smell. This is totally wearable, it isnt really that strong either, its going into my rotation, I am a fan of Myrrh and I know its lurking here, but really I have this kind of balancing act between a warm cinnamon and a cool cucumber.

Kyphi has been likened on other sites to the smell of an ancient Egyptian crypt. My first impression of Kyphi was it reminded me of something from my pantry. I can't pinpoint exactly what, but maybe it is a mixture of the smell of dried goods, old candles and maybe some very old stock cubes that are past their best. People, do not have any illusions of wearing this on a date. It is not remotely attractive or even mysterious. I have never smelled the inside of an Egyptian tomb, but I suspect Kyphi has nailed it.

This one is odd and a bit unsettling. To me it smells almost exclusively of frankincense. I can't say I quite like it but it does seem to have a calming effect and I like to wear it when fragrance phobes are present because it is so unlike what they think of as fragrance. The dry down is quite pleasant and the staying power is impressive.

For me, she starts off like Marrakech and dries down to L'Heure Exquise. In between, there is existential dread, melancholy, acknowledgment of time lost, wasted and memories of a life that might not return any time soon. Helplessness, confusion, sorrow and general listlessness. You know, the usual...

I wanted to love this one - as I do most incense perfumes. However I didn't get any incense notes! On my skin, this smells exactly the same as "Liquid Smoke" - the cooking additive that you use to give a smokey ham flavor/scent to a pot of bean soup. On me it is awful!!

On me it's clearly a warm, spicy and sticky sweet scent, almost cola-like. But there's always that bit of incense that makes it different from plain soda. :)

My girlfriend likes this a lot. I think it smells like a toilet and I tell her so whenever she wears it.

King's valley sepulchres... I don't want wear it, but deja vu is beautiful:)

Horrible. Like an oil can spilled over canvas. Not for me.