What does Resin smell like?
A resinous note smells of warm balm, somewhere between burnt honey, dry wood and church stone. Depending on the material it leans towards vanilla, lemon or smoke. Benzoin is soft and vanillic. Incense is dry and lemony. Labdanum is dark, almost animalic. On skin, resin arrives late but stays for a long time. It is often what you still smell on a scarf the next day.
Origin and production
Resins are exudates that some trees and shrubs produce when their bark is cut. Labdanum comes from rockrose, in Spain. Benzoin grows in Laos and Sumatra, frankincense (olibanum) in the Horn of Africa and Oman. Elemi comes from the Philippines. Dried resins are treated with solvents to make resinoids, or distilled for lighter oils.
How perfumers use it
Resin sits in the base. Parfums de Marly uses it in Byerley (2014) to extend the vetiver and guaiac wood. Dior Ambre Nuit (2009) combines it with ambergris, guaiac and patchouli under a heart of rose and spices. In Guerlain Insolence (2006) it supports iris and tonka after a violet and raspberry opening. Serge Lutens Le Participe Passé (2018) pairs it with caramel, cumin and leather for a dark amber.
How to wear it
Resinous perfumes suit autumn and winter. They last a long time, so one or two sprays are enough. Spray a coat rather than skin if you want them to last for days.