Les Encens Du Monde (Aromandise) – Karin – Forest of Flowers

At the end of 2024, I had the incredible luck of finding 4 varieties of this line on Kleinanzeigen for a price that, even with delivery, was still lower than buying a single new box. The previous owner liked the fragrances but wanted to sell them due to an imminent house move.

Here you’ll find an overview page of the Karin line with pricing and further information.

I find no concrete information regarding the ingredients; on Aromandise‘s website it only says they contain: ‘natural wood powder and plants, fragrances, essential oil’.
The description text names Forest of Flowers as sandalwood incense sticks with an accord of amber and flowers, with cinnamon and daphne.

Initially, Forest of Flowers reminded me of Shoyeido because the fragrance has an intense sweetness.
The woody base described by Aromandise is present but is, in combination with cinnamon, almost completely dominated by the gourmand sweetness.

Added to that is a florality that I perceive as unspecific and perfumey.
The composition has something obtrusive and cloying for me.
Often I like such fragrances better at less hot temperatures, but even at moderate 22°C the effect on me is no different.

I definitely have a different idea of what a flowering forest would smell like; mainly, more natural.