Ex Voto

What is this and why am I not permanently surrounded by a cloud of it? Ah yes, the awe-inspiring price tag. Here I am, a lost traveller looking for my signature scent. I've ventured in all four directions and only now, coming home to Ex Voto, do I realise that I've been looking in all the wrong places. Now I've found it, and actually, for now I just can't have it. Torture!! But the best smelling torture I can imagine. From the beginning, this hhas given me the excuse to sit quietly and smell myself constantly thru the day and into the evening. I don't want to miss a moment. My family is worried about me... I'm not sure I have the vocab to explain this, but suffice to say the experience is the elegant, ethereal druggy love that I've been searching for. It's not alcohol-ish nor soapy and so far it's very minimal powder. It is perfect frankincense, blended artfully but it is that most sacred incense that permeates for me, however, friends haven't been able to identify what the glorious smell actually is. It is far more sohisticated than I am, and I may sell one of the children in order to buy a bottle. When that runs out I'll sell the other one. I would wear this every day if I could. Nothing else I've ever smelled comes even slightly close. Nothing. The initial whoosh of flight is pepper that quickly levels out into something warm and exciting but understated enough to be furtively sneaking a nose-ful whenever I can. It makes me feel amazing. I want to identify with it. This is pure art. I will never understand why we have a world of Kim Kardashian and David Beckham fragrances when we could all smell so damned refined! Ah, I almost wish I'd never found this so I wouldn't know what I was missing.

Ex Voto is exactly the kind of incense-perfume that I like. As previous reviewer already mentioned, there is a kind of lightness to this, which makes it modern and versatile. It will not offend anyone. It's light and fleeting, in an almost fresh sort of way. In my opinion, Buxton at his finest. Such a nice composition. Like with all good perfumery, it's difficult to deconstruct into singular notes. All of the notes converges into a beautiful unity. I don't think Ex Voto is directly giving off any impressions of a chapel full of incense. It's more like someone designed an ultra-modern chrome and glass luxury boutique interior in an old catcholic church. It's more abstract and modern, but the incense is still there. Slightly spicy from the pepper, but very modest and perfectly appropriate. This was made for rainy autumn days. Melancholy and beautiful. Later edit. Yes, the comparison with Avignon is very relevant. They are both modern incenses, with fresh qualities. For being incenses, they are both very versatile, and likeable.

The interior of Peterskirche in Vienna.... Frankincense, candle wax, and cold glass. As much as any scent can convey the sense of cold, stained glass windows. Utterly weightless and cooling despite grand images of cathedrals, antique books, and marble altars in a sea of lit pillar candles. It weaves between the smell of church rafters and more pastoral scenes, the flowers and foliage just by the door, the cold glass image of a serene saint... Pensive and gentle despite how grand it feels. It's much colder and less robust than Avignon.... In fact this makes Avignon feel blunt and unwieldy (though I love it). It's hard to capture the mood of ex voto: sometimes it is pure and lofty, other times the clover and chamomile convey something provincial with their sweet, leafy naturalism. Ex voto, relique d'amour, and de profundis is a complete and perfect incense collection for me. Anything else is extra...

Completely beguiling tinder-dry incense with a fiercely outdoorsy natural feel. Huge, delicious blast of pepper at the start, redolent of herbs as well as spices ... is it possible for a perfume to smell like sand-blasted twigs? Only the most luxurious, evocative, dry-as-dust sand-blasted twigs that ever grew on any planet, imbued with magical resin and sandalwood sweetness. Can't begin to describe how much I love this - thank you so much to the generous UK Fragrantician EnglishCountryGarden who shared it with me. I'll be another seductee, stalking the internet for all time, seeking out any chance to buy this at any discount. Without wanting to be blasphemous: even for an atheist like myself, it really *does* seem possible that heaven smells like this.

Finally a proud owner of this fragrance, a close friend acquired it a year ago and since the first time I had a whiff I was obsessed- every time I would visit this friend I'd ask if I can have a spray. All I wanted was to own a bottle of this miraculous scent and finally my financial resources allowed me to, I could wear it every day, all day, this perfume has quite an insane hold on me, if anyone has any suggestions for something slightly similar that won't damage my wallet so aggressively - I'll be forever thankful.

Incense done right. The front and center frankincense note is realistically translated into this bottle of olfactory works.

A very interesting fragrance. I am very grateful to a fellow Fragranticans generosity in sending me a sample. This is a very refined, restrained, smooth incense fragrance. I like the herbal, fresh aspect that comes from the chamomile and clover. A sort of East meets West. Its Europe dabbling very tentatively with the foreign notes of nutmeg and incense. I like it but no more than that. Ive said an incense fragrance but really its a perfect 50/50 split with soft herbal aromatics. There is little sweetness or warmth. Very much unisex. Poor sillage and very average longevity which is quite a surprise when olibanum is supposed to be in here.

This would be a great scent if it didn't have the nutmeg component. Nonetheless, the abundance of nutmeg note makes it somewhat smell like food. Still a good product, though.

The opening is as promising as the dry down is dissapointing... After about 30 minutes all that remains is the overbearing chamomile note, not even a hint of the beautiful woody and spicy combination of the opening. I can't imagine how this fragrance is supposed to live up to its price tag.

Wow! A very kind and generous "enabler/pusher" gifted me a little sample of this, and I have to say, it's become a bit of an obsession. I google it, trace it, gaze and the prohibitive (for now) price tag, then skulk off into a corner and weep softly whilst considering a spot of light self harm to deal with the pain. It's one of the finest dry incense fragrances known to humankind. Prayers are made of this. I adore the balance of resins, and the unexpected holy drift of pure chamomile, which is such a soporific fragrance, it can only be described as transcendent when floated with the superb woods, gentle herbs and resins worthy of a Magi gift which this masterpiece of a blend has wrought. I took my last dribble of this precious, sacred juice and sprayed it high into the steam rising from my bath, and, armed with a wonderful mind bending book, treated myself to as near a spiritual experience as I, your everlasting heathen is likely to get. Tell you what, friends, I bet my lottery ticket comes good tonight, because if there is a God up there, he caught a whiff of my fragranced bath steam and, being omnipotent and all that, he doesn't want me to go without a bottle. *rattles rosary beads and retreats to a safe distance*

Picture yourself in a grand cathedral—stone walls, marble floors, frescoed ceilings, echoing whispers, and glowing candles—where incense and choral voices fill the air, transporting you to a dreamlike space. Just as such an atmosphere can touch even the less religious, EX VOTO appeals to those who typically shy away from incense fragrances. For lovers of olibanum, this fragrance offers a truly unique take on incense. It’s refreshing, cool, moderately spicy, resinous, aromatic, smooth, and slightly smoky—insanely balanced for any occasion with the drydown revealing a soft hint of ambery warmth and sweetness from sandalwood. A masterpiece of restraint, EX VOTO is a remarkable example of Mark Buxton’s divine artistry. Follow my IG @aromaraum for more fragrance reviews and olfactory experiences ♡

The opening is the most beautiful, light and playful interplay between hay and insence I've smelled so far. Light and playful are not usually words that go with frankincense. Unfortunately it quickly disappears into a light cloud of soapy aldehydes with a vague hint of hay (which is the chamomile and clover from the fragrance pyramid). And when I say 'quickly' I mean about 30 minutes. You'll still be able to pick up on the fact that you sprayed *something* on your arm for a few more hours, but it's not really what the opening promised. I guess this is a great fragrance for people who make a decision to buy a fragrance based on their first impressions in the store. The opening had me sold, too! Unfortunately I expect a little more from a fragrance with this price tag.

Opens with bright incense hit with an aldehydic effect and potent pink pepper. Dries down to a lovely, lowkey, warm cigar smoke and melted candlewax accord. This is a fine Mark Buxton incense but, of course, it can be hard to stand out in this category to those who love and already own a bunch of frankincense scents. 4 out of 5.

Mark Buxton hits again!!! this fragrance is a rare gem. It's the delicate and refined version of Avignon. It's light, yet assertive. With regards to incense fragrances this is a 10/10 for me