DSH Perfumes Aurum Incense bottle and incense apped by Michelyn

“They deem me mad because I will not sell my days for gold; and I deem them mad because they think my days have a price”. ~ Khalil Gibran

 A Young Khalil Gibran via Poetry Foundation

It is no accident that the brilliant Lebanese-American polymath Khalil Gibran should spring to mind as I experience one of award-winning American perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’ more recent aromatic offerings, DSH Perfumes Aurum Incense {an all botanical incense perfume}. In my eyes, Dawn and Gibran share many facets – each one being an accomplished fine artist, philosopher-cum-poet, and profoundly spiritual human being. Aurum Incense is a wholly natural composition which embodies the Gilded Ineffable: radiant solace in a flacon which possesses the potential to heal the self on a grand scale.

 Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes via the perfumer 

During our conversation a week or so ago, Dawn spoke of feeling the need for frankincense more than ever. This is something with which many of us can identify: the holiday season can be quite stressful, its aftermath may require additional downtime, and we find ourselves ensconced in the bosom of winter – which often exacerbates seasonal affective disorder. I frequently refer to the fact that this is one of those times of year when souls succumb to illness and/or despair; it is fact, not mere observation. Any therapeutic adjuvant which doesn’t require a physician’s prescription is more than welcome – and one of the myriad skills in the perfumer’s wheelhouse is her expertise as aromatherapist. Who better to provide an olfactory panacea?

 Boswellia frankincense resins via pixaby

DSH Aurum Incense refers to the Latin name for gold, or golden: aurum. When one is a fine artist (as Dawn Spencer Hurwitz is), that single word may conjure several images. “For me, many of the frankincense materials I use vary between ‘greenish gold’ to ‘reddish gold’ in terms of synesthetic impressions… but always gold and shining in its feel. Until I started creating Aurum incense. As I worked on the perfume some new impressions began to emerge: a dark, inky smoke undertone that changed the colors from pure gold hues to golden light among ‘indigo’ smoke. Perhaps it’s the addition of the myrrh gum and labdanum; perhaps the opopanax and spices that had made the difference. Either way, Aurum Incense feels like this to me: Indigo blue and gold light-filled wisps of frankincense smoke lifting lifting our hopes and prayers to the celestial realm. A connection with the ancients. A beautiful way to be in the darkness but feel the presence of the light.”

Blue and gold incense apped by Michelyn via pixaby

Dawn expresses herself so eloquently that it is challenging to even approach her threshold of description. As I happen to be musically hardwired, I experience DSH Perfumes Aurum Incense as a contrapuntal composition – one in which two or more independent but harmonically related melodic parts sound together, forming polyphony. In Aurum Incense’s case, color, texture, and sound span both ends of the color spectrum in their quest to summon the Divine in real time. We are awash in terpenes, each presenting itself a bit differently: cubeb, pink and green peppercorn, cardamom, frankincense, myrrh, opoponax, cedar, sandalwood, Siam wood, labdanum, and quite likely, choya ral. What purpose do these terpenes serve, given that Aurum Incense includes so many? Terpenes are naturally-occurring substances which endow powerfully-scented plants with their odor profile. According to recent studies from the National Institute of Health, terpenes have been shown to possess anticancer, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antihyperglycemic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antiparasitic qualities. In high concentrations, they might lead to hypotension and dizziness: like any compound, there can be too much of a good thing (cannabinoids, btw – are terpenic in nature). Besides the profound sense of well-being they foster, many benefits resemble those acquired by forest bathing, according to currently available medical research.

The gorgeous spice notes, accompanied by a celestial rose and jasmine – round out and embellish an already beautiful composition which heals from within, as well as without. Siam benzoin, by way of contrast – is somewhat phenolic, a characteristic which is responsible for imparting the delicate smokiness which enhances this meditative perfume. It truly feels as if Dawn has accessed natural materials which do as much good as they smell – and I cannot argue, because the transcendence one experiences lifts the veil between the two worlds as we know them. Not only will the wearer reap all these benefits, but those within one’s personal space will, as well. I can’t think of a finer way to ring in the new year.

Notes: bergamot, pink peppercorn, green peppercorn, cubeb, cardamom seed, spice notes, Bulgarian rose absolute, grandiflorum jasmine, and frankincense co2 absolute (both Boswellia Carterii from Yemen and Boswellia  Serrata from India, amongst others), myrrh gum, opoponax, choya ral, labdanum, Atlas cedarwood, Himalayan cedar, Siam benzoin, Siam wood, Australian sandalwood

Sample kindly provided by the perfumer – many thanks!  My nose is my own

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

 

DSH Perfumes Aurum Incense perfume pen image courtesy of the perfumer

Thanks to the largesse of DSH Perfumes, we may offer a 10 ml perfume pen of  DSH Perfumes Aurum Incense {an all botanical incense perfume} for one registered reader in the USA. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what piques your interest about Aurum Incense based upon Ida’s review. Giveaway closes 1/24/2023

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