The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Incense & Myrrh was created by Liz Zorn and released in 2017, turning directly toward the ritual materials named in its title. Coriander and Pink Pepper bring a lively aromatic edge, their bright, slightly citrusy lift cutting into the composition before the heavier resins settle. Frankincense and Myrrh establish the central contrast: cool, transparent incense against warmth that gathers close to skin. The frankincense reads almost airy, a clean mineral flicker, while the myrrh sits deeper, pulling toward amber and dried earth. Lavender, Rose Geranium, and Geranium soften that meeting without making it conventionally floral. They lend a green, leafy coolness, the sort of herbal sweetness that lives between a garden after rain and a drawer of dried botanicals.
The composition is interesting because it refuses a simple church-candle reading. Frankincense gives it air and luminosity; Myrrh adds resinous weight. Labdanum and Lactone bring a rounded, creamy warmth, while Lavender and Rose Geranium keep the blend botanical and lucid. Cedarwood dries the edges, and Pink Pepper prevents the heavy materials from becoming static. Even Milk has a place here, smoothing the transition from aromatic brightness to warm woods.
The evolution
The opening moves briskly, with Coriander and Pink Pepper cutting through Frankincense like a match struck in cool air. That peppery snap is brief but unmistakable, sharpening the first moments into something almost taut. Rose Geranium, Lavender, and Geranium then introduce a green floral lift, weaving a thread of soft herbal sweetness beneath the smoke. Myrrh slowly supplies darker resin, its sweetness deepening like syrup left to cool. In the middle hours, Labdanum and Lactone round the composition with warmth, lending a faint amber glow that pulls the incense away from austerity and toward something more lived-in. Cedarwood finishes it with a dry, upright stance, the wood lending structure without weight.
Cultural impact
Incense & Myrrh is read easily by anyone drawn to fragrances built around resin and aromatic spice. Its profile crosses comfortably between traditionally masculine and feminine territories, carrying enough warmth and wood to feel grounded on one hand, enough floral lift to stay open on the other. The incense at its core gives it a meditative quality, the kind of scent that invites slow attention rather than quick impressions.
The House
SoivohleSoivohle is an artisan perfume house founded by artist‑turned‑perfumer Liz Zorn. Since 2002 the brand has offered hand‑batched, botanical scents that are cruelty‑free and vegan. Each fragrance is presented as a small work of olfactory art, meant to be explored in intimate doses. Soivohle’s catalog includes titles such as A Rose For Beacon Free, Iris Underground (2017), and Green Oakmoss, each reflecting a balance of modern experimentation and traditional technique.
The Creator
Liz ZornZorn favors natural isolates and raw extracts, often sourcing ingredients from small farms or wild harvests. She builds fragrances in small glass vessels, allowing each addition to settle before the next, a method she describes as “painting with aroma.
