Fragrantica is like Wattpad for perfume snobs. A cursory glance at the fragrance encyclopedia reveals a lot about trending notes and even more about the emotions and histories that we associate with a fragrance (my personal favorite: the 500+ reviews drooling over the “celestial marvel” that is the Gary by Spongebob Squarepants perfume.) Fragrantica’s latest obsession? Smelling like a church.
And what better captures the essence of a divine atmosphere than an incense fragrance? Incense notes are quietly creeping into this season’s most anticipated perfume launches, from Diptyque’s Lunamaris to Tom Ford’s Ébène Fumé . Ahead, read on to hear more about the incense fragrance trend, and the best incense fragrances to try.
The Trend
“Please help me smell like a sexy church,” one Redditor asked in a r/Perfumes post. As it turns out, there’s a sizable audience for incense-infused fragrances that evoke the mystique of our sacred spaces. Across cultural and spiritual practices—from Catholic mass to Hindu meditation rituals—incense has long symbolized purification and spiritual cleansing. “It transports you somewhere else, somewhere seemingly magical or inspiring,” Carlos Huber, the founder and fragrance developer behind Arquiste, tells Byrdie. So it makes perfect sense that we’re drawn to its smoky allure in our fragrances: incense notes are deeply familiar yet mysterious, evoking a sense of warmth and spirituality that intrigues.
Perfume is all about nostalgia and connecting scents to our memories—and what is more nostalgic than the scents we associate with our places of worship? On TikTok, this sudden intrigue with incense fragrances has manifested into a hunt for a signature “church fragrance.” Of course, there’s also a seasonality element, and incense’s warm, smoky, spicy qualities are perfect for the chilly weather ahead.
The Best Incense Fragrances
Diptyque Lunamaris
Diptyque
What does mother of pearl smell like? Diptyque answered that question with Lunamaris, an incense fragrance with an amber base that’s softer than one would expect thanks to notes of pink peppercorn, labdanum, and rose. It’s a delicately tuned skin scent that fuses the sacred stillness of a temple with the artisanal serenity of a bougie wellness retreat in LA.
Arquiste Indigo Smoke
Arquiste
Combining black tea notes with incense, Indigo Smoke is at once sexy, smoky, and sweet. “Indigo Smoke mixes a fresh incense note with an incredible black tea accord that creates an expansive aura around you,” says Huber.
Tom Ford Ébène Fumé
Tom Ford
Tom Ford’s Ébène Fumé is an authoritatively sexy take on incense: mysterious, smoky, and captivatingly rich. Pairing incense with leather, wood, and black pepper notes makes this a more masculine fragrance, but it’s brightened up by a fruity freshness.
Glossier You Doux
Glossier
The newest addition to the Glossier You family, Doux is a woodsy blend of palo santo, frankincense, and myrrh that makes for the quintessential skin scent thanks to the musky ambrox and ambrette base. Though the fragrance wears differently on everyone, I was instantly reminded of the calming serenity of church candles upon my first sniff.