Frankincense
Gourmand notes
Labdanum
Sandalwood
Styrax
Vanilla
DrB1414
274 Reviews
DrB1414
Helpful Review
5
Soothing Frankincense
Here's another drop from 2025 that I reached for. The second one after Gardelia, created by Bruno Fazzolari, DEIXIS.
I rarely blindly purchase perfumes these days. I do it when sampling is not an option, and there has been enough to excite me in the perfumer's portfolio to motivate me. Not all of Bruno's scents appeal to me. Some I like very much and some I'm not as fond of, but the most distinctive trait of him as a perfumer is that he is always ready to create something out of the ordinary. He doesn't follow trends but lets his creative ethos drive him forward. And the second thing that pushed me to pursue was the moniker, one with which I have a hard time restraining myself: "AMBER."
DEIXIS has proven to be nothing like what I expected; after all, this is Bruno. I was slightly disappointed at first, but quickly reminded myself to approach the perfume with no expectations. So I did.
I fancied this to be a heavy Labdanum-based Amber scent in the more traditional style: dusty, dry, and leathery. It is nothing like that. Then, I stopped setting expectations, reset, and went back to where it all started - Bruno composed this perfume as an ointment for his soul while going through a difficult period in his life. Then, DEIXIS made sense.
On my skin, this is a Frankincense perfume driven by the Olibanum-Styrax combo, making it fall into the "Churchy" or "Liturgical" Incense genre of fragrances. However, here comes the Bruno twist: the counterbalance provided by the Vanilla and Sandalwood, both of which add a soothing and gourmand feel to prevent the perfume from becoming your stereotypical incense composition or feeling too cold/austere. The olibanum opens the fragrance with its terpenic, citrus-like, and slightly coniferous facets, and it is quickly followed by vanilla. The labdanum is there, but it is very gentle, too shy for my liking. The Styrax does the heavy lifting next to the olibanum, and for the most part, you get this churchy frankincense experience offset by the sweet and gourmand facets of the vanilla. Later in the dry-down, the sandalwood creeps in to add its spicy, milky, and creamy nuances to the build. The perfume ends as a soothing, slightly spicy, milky, and creamy sandalwood with hints of incense. It's a very potent perfume that easily fills the room and lasts the entire day, but it is not heavy. I did wear it in the peak of the Summer heat, and it never felt cloying; a great technical achievement, I should say, to keep the vanilla in check like that.
I now get this fragrance. It embodies what I think Bruno felt during his days of grief - it has a spiritual side invoked by the frankincense accord, a soothing and caressing aspect captured through the warmth and cozy embrace of the vanilla and the sandalwood, and overall evokes a sense of tranquility. It might be a tad too sweet at times for me, but that is only if I smell it close up. In the air, it strikes a harmonious balance. Overall, it is undoubtedly a Bruno Fazzolari creation - familiar but with a twist. And that's why I keep coming back for more.
UPDATE: After wearing it more in colder weather, I decided to part with it, as the sweetness was too much for me. It's the type of "mass-appealing sweetness" that I can't stomach.
IG:@memory.of.scents
I rarely blindly purchase perfumes these days. I do it when sampling is not an option, and there has been enough to excite me in the perfumer's portfolio to motivate me. Not all of Bruno's scents appeal to me. Some I like very much and some I'm not as fond of, but the most distinctive trait of him as a perfumer is that he is always ready to create something out of the ordinary. He doesn't follow trends but lets his creative ethos drive him forward. And the second thing that pushed me to pursue was the moniker, one with which I have a hard time restraining myself: "AMBER."
DEIXIS has proven to be nothing like what I expected; after all, this is Bruno. I was slightly disappointed at first, but quickly reminded myself to approach the perfume with no expectations. So I did.
I fancied this to be a heavy Labdanum-based Amber scent in the more traditional style: dusty, dry, and leathery. It is nothing like that. Then, I stopped setting expectations, reset, and went back to where it all started - Bruno composed this perfume as an ointment for his soul while going through a difficult period in his life. Then, DEIXIS made sense.
On my skin, this is a Frankincense perfume driven by the Olibanum-Styrax combo, making it fall into the "Churchy" or "Liturgical" Incense genre of fragrances. However, here comes the Bruno twist: the counterbalance provided by the Vanilla and Sandalwood, both of which add a soothing and gourmand feel to prevent the perfume from becoming your stereotypical incense composition or feeling too cold/austere. The olibanum opens the fragrance with its terpenic, citrus-like, and slightly coniferous facets, and it is quickly followed by vanilla. The labdanum is there, but it is very gentle, too shy for my liking. The Styrax does the heavy lifting next to the olibanum, and for the most part, you get this churchy frankincense experience offset by the sweet and gourmand facets of the vanilla. Later in the dry-down, the sandalwood creeps in to add its spicy, milky, and creamy nuances to the build. The perfume ends as a soothing, slightly spicy, milky, and creamy sandalwood with hints of incense. It's a very potent perfume that easily fills the room and lasts the entire day, but it is not heavy. I did wear it in the peak of the Summer heat, and it never felt cloying; a great technical achievement, I should say, to keep the vanilla in check like that.
I now get this fragrance. It embodies what I think Bruno felt during his days of grief - it has a spiritual side invoked by the frankincense accord, a soothing and caressing aspect captured through the warmth and cozy embrace of the vanilla and the sandalwood, and overall evokes a sense of tranquility. It might be a tad too sweet at times for me, but that is only if I smell it close up. In the air, it strikes a harmonious balance. Overall, it is undoubtedly a Bruno Fazzolari creation - familiar but with a twist. And that's why I keep coming back for more.
UPDATE: After wearing it more in colder weather, I decided to part with it, as the sweetness was too much for me. It's the type of "mass-appealing sweetness" that I can't stomach.
IG:@memory.of.scents
