Olivier Durbano is a perfumer and jewelry designer. His perfumes are inspired by various gemstones. Citrine, the birthstone for November, is a symbol of hope and strength. I see Olivier Durbano Citrine as an uplifting and meditative scent. It’s a perfect blend of light and dark.
Citrine opens with a smoky, incense gumminess covered in a sheer citrus veil. The gaiac calls out to me the most even if it is behind ginger-citrus and pink pepper spice. It’s as if someone is waving sheer aurulent organza, fanning incense smoke. This scent balances between light and dark but it’s never “murky”. It’s light with ginger-citrus and it’s dark with burnt, gummy resins and smoky woods.
This scent feels both ancient (resins and smoky woods) and modern (pink pepper and fresh ginger).
Notes listed include Sicilian lemon, wild orange, elemi incense, ginger, pink pepper, carrot seeds, mimosa, rosewood, gaiac wood, musk, myrrh, grey amber and beeswax.
Give it a try or if you like perfumes like Annick Goutal Mryhhe Ardente, CdG Incense Series fragrances, Odin #07 Tanoke, and/or Olivier Durbano Black Tourmaline. Citrine is unisex and a must try for those looking for a “zesty resinous” fragrance. You guys know that I typically dislike citrus scents, but this is awesome. There’s enough resins and smoke in it to make me want to wear it.
I find that scent has below average to average projection (depends on how much you apply) and above average longevity. It does wear for a long time but closely to the skin.
The fragrance retails for $190 for 3.4 oz at Luckyscent.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION: Zesty resins over smoky woods. I really like this fragrance and I wish it was available in a smaller size (maybe even a 1 oz) for perfume addicts like myself. I’ll never use a 3.4 oz bottle. Because of the price, I don’t see myself buying it because I have similar things in my collection (Annick Goutal and Odin).
Want more reviews? Try…
Fragrantica – More info about the scent.
I love ginger and I love incense. I’ve never seen a perfume with both! I’ll have to try this.
kjanicki recently posted..Tommi Sooni Tarantella
It really is an interesting combo that ACTUALLY works. It’s the brightest incense fragrance that I can think of.
OMG sounds right up my alley! Yeah, it stinks (pun intended) that more perfumes aren’t in smaller bottles!
bloody frida recently posted..Sorting samples
I know. I’m trying to talk myself out of this because of the price and the fact that is only available in a 3.4 oz bottle. But, it’s good and I do enjoy wearing it and even with the price/size, I do recommend it. If it was a 1.7 oz, I’d probably already have a bottle. I wish more niche lines would offer us 1 oz bottles since that is what most of us would use.
I’m a huge Durbano fan. I find Citrine to be one of his most easy to wear fragrances. Like a light, fresh incense.
I’d love to try more Durbano perfumes. I really enjoyed this one. I can’t think of any other fresh incense scents, can you?
The Durbano Jade and Turquoise are piquing my curiosity!
Kathleen recently posted..Cashmere Mist: The Top 20 Women’s Fragrances of 2011 – A Scents of Self Production
Both note lists are enchanting! Turpentine? Seaweed? I’d order a sample right now but I’m a little scared since both contain immortelle, my nemesis.
The only other Durbano fragrance that I’ve tried has been Black Tourmaline and it’s so smoky and wonderful. It’s an awesome masculine.
I’m enthralled by the idea of someone that is both a jewelry maker and perfumer. *shiny, light refracting smells abound*…I my brain at least…
Kathleen recently posted..Cashmere Mist: The Top 20 Women’s Fragrances of 2011 – A Scents of Self Production
I feel he actually uses “sparkle” the way that only jeweler could do.
[…] like perfumes like any of the CdG Incense Series, Estee Lauder White Linen, Montale Full Incense, Olivier Durbano Citrine, and/or Etro Messe de Minuit. Cardinal is unisex and really is a good incense for warmer climates […]
Is this perfume really made of November birthstone Citrine?:-)