Description
Onycha (pronounced : On ee Ka) is ancient, mythic, and esoteric. It’s an aromatic that scholars merely speculate as to what it is. Some say a mollusc, others say benzoin, and yet others say labdanum. For our Onycha fragrance, we’ve used them all…and then some.
To celebrate the winter solstice, I’ve decided to finally get to work on a design I’ve had ruminating in my mind since I first read about it in 1993. From the very first, I was spellbound by the idea of it: an ancient aroma from a mollusk (?!?) I wonder what attracted the ancients to it? What could it smell like?? Even the name is mysterious (it means fingernail in Greek) and is said to be a holy aromatic from antiquity used in the sacred incense of Solomon’s Temple.
What came from this inspiration is something smoky, rich, divine, and with a fascinating lilt that gives a clue to it’s oceanic origins.
** EdP / VdP sample vials are 1/2 filled; perfume / extrait mini roller vials are full.
***FYI: the Voile de Parfum format is created with natural IPM.
alp –
This was the first DSH scent I tried, and it made me want to keep going. It’s so rich and complex. Feels a little sweet and almost gourmand-y to me, but not heavy. A wonderful cool weather scent.
Gia –
Incredible perfume. Beautiful incense enveloping a warm woody resinous amber-like balsamic almost briny core. One of the best perfumes I’ve ever smelled.
andrewsacupuncture (verified owner) –
Onycha is a complex smokey amber with real depth. It makes me think of ancient rituals and mysteries. Reminiscent of the feel I get from Anubis, but Onycha is less primal force and more human/animal. I feel powerful when I wear this.
Anthony La Russo (verified owner) –
Initial blast is to me like an Amber-y oakmoss sweet wood. A slight wet salt ozone underneath if you search for it. Overall, 30 minutes in, it still feels *mostly* like a warming winter scent that cozies people from the cold. But! Has a subtler second stream of: fresh wet woody twiggy, stemm-y leaves macerated on dusty trail. Both streams add up, though, to a singularly sweet resin cloud, pretty heavy. Projects a good foot and a half like this. 2-3 hours in there’s more pepper-y/herb-y notes coming through than initially detected…like a dry chamomile-like sprinkle over molasses. 4 hours: tapers to 6 inches projection (still very good, especially for an (almost)-all-Natural!). 6 hours: a velvet-y luxe skin scent. Onycha suits for rich intensity moods with surprise layers underneath. A Regal scent.
anadevice (verified owner) –
Opens with a wave of briney sea water over golden incense. It is a bit of a classical perfume feel at first, but once dried, it transforms into a resinous, subtly smoky amber, dominated by smooth sandalwood. Soft, creamy musk is warmed with labdanum, making the fragrance feel much more gentle without losing its richness or depth.
The blend of marine notes and warm resins reminds me a bit of Odesa, which I find to be a very light, elegantly comforting atmospheric. Onycha has a much more deep, ancient feel, woodsy and resinous and more suited to cool weather. It’s the sort of thing I can imagine being given as a tribute in an ancient court. This is a perfume that someone of any gender could wear, sophisticated and mysterious and wonderfully unique while still being approachable.