Even though I’ve amassed 50 perfumes and counting through my job as beauty journalist, there is always space on my shelf for just one more bottle. Rather than remaining loyal to one signature scent, if prefer to switch up my scent daily to suit my mood, what I’m wearing and where I’m heading. With niche perfumes becoming more popular as many of us go in search of not smelling like everyone else (anyone else getting a bit bored of smelling Baccarat Rouge 540 and Santal 33—not to mention all of their dupes—everywhere they go? They’re starting to smell a little dated.). The data backs it up, too, with searches for ‘niche perfumes’ up 175% on Google. It seems many of us are ready to find something a little more unique to add to our perfume wardrobes.
One niche fragrance brand that often flies under the radar is D.S. & Durga—and it’s sure-fire way to smell totally unlike anyone else. The Brooklyn-born perfume house was founded a very cool husband and wife duo: David (AKA, the “D.S.” in the brand’s namesake), a self-taught perfumer, and Kavi (AKA “Durga”) a trained architect who brings her eye for design into D.S. & Durga. Their unique take of scent creation sees them conjuring fragrances of far-flung destinations, specific moments in time and concepts of imaginary landscapes that transport you to the very moment. Want to smell like a cowboy riding horseback? They have a perfume to take you there. Or perhaps you want to feel like you’re immersed in a buzzling New York bistro in the ’90s? There’s a fragrance for it. D.S. & Durga describe it as “armchair travel”, and each fragrance also has a corresponding playlist to allow you to be fully immersed in the mood.
You’ll find D.S. & Durga in some of the coolest perfume halls in the UK, however if you’re not near one to try a sample before investing a a full bottle, I’d recommend trying its discovery sets which allow you to find your favourites before buying a full size bottle.
D.S. & Durga
Greatest Hits Vol. 1 Discovery Set
If you’re looking to try a scent without blind-buying a full sized bottle, a discovery set is a great way to try some of the brand favourites first. This discovery set of the brand’s greatest hits contains 1.5ml size vials of Debaser, Rose Atlantic, Radio Bombay, Bowmakers, Cowboy Grass and the brand’s iconic I Don’t Know What.
D.S. & Durga
Big City Jams Discovery Set
In this ‘Big City Jams’ discovery set you can try Coriander, Burning Barbershop, Bistro Waters, Grapefruit Generation, Notorious Oud and Italian Citrus in 1.5ml size.
After trying some of D.S. & Durga’s most-loved and newest scents, I’ve shared my favourites below. Scroll ahead to find your next perfume favourite that you can guarantee will make you stand out.
Best D.S. & Durga Perfumes
1. D.S. & Durga I Don’t Know What
D.S. & Durga
I Don’t Know What Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Bergamot essence, iso E super, vetiver acetate, civettone, firsantol, ambrox super
If you’re already familiar with the brand, you’ve most likely heard of this one which is one of D.S. & Durga’s most-loved perfumes. Except it’s not really a perfume, but more a fragrance enhancer that you can mist on any perfume to make it even enhance the notes and make your scent unique— it’s kind of olfactory sorcery. It’s great worn alone too if you like skin scents that make you seem like you just naturally smell really, really good, but it’s magical paired with other perfumes to really highlight the notes and make them sing. True to its names, it’s hard to put your finger on exactly what it smells like, but it’s very subtle, neutral yet clean-smelling a little bit musky, which ultimately becomes one with your skin. If you like Escentirc Molecules Molecule 01, you’ll like this too.
D.S. & Durga
I Don’t Know What Eau De Parfum
The scent also comes in a pocket-sized 10ml size if you want to try it before committing to a full bottle.
2. D.S. & Durga Pistachio
Key Notes: Pistachio, cardamom, roasted almond, patchouli, vanilla crème
Another brand favourite is Pistachio. Having smelt a few overly sweet takes on pistachio, this one caught me off guard. It’s sweet but it has a warm spiciness to it which is totally addictive—think roasted pistachios warm from the oven sprinkled over a scoop of vanilla gelato with a dusting of cardamom. It has pistachio through the top, middle and base notes, so if you love nutty scents, you’ll want to devour this. It was originally a limited edition scent but is now a permanent scent because the demand was so popular. I’m not surprised it went wild on perfumetok.
Try Pistachio in this travel-friendly vial.
D.S. & Durga
Deluxe Eau De Parfum Box Set
You’ll also find Pistachio in this deluxe set, which contains 10ml miniatures of I Don’t Know What, Debaser, Radio Bombay, Jazmín Yucatan and Cowboy Grass, which are some of the brand’s most loved scents.
3. D.S. & Durga Debaser
D.S. & Durga
Debaser Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Bergamot, green leaf, pear stem, fig, coconut milk, iris, blond woods, tonka bean, moss
Of all the scents I tried from the brand, I think this is my favourite. It’s fresh, green and figgy, and inspired by humid summer evenings with Pixies playing on the radio. And I can’t stop smelling it. The splash of coconut milk gives a creaminess before drying down to smooth blond woods and tonka bean base. I took the D.S. & Durga PR’s recommendation to layer this with I Don’t Know What and the combination is a guaranteed compliment-generator—you need to try it too.
D.S. & Durga
Debaser Pocket Perfume Oil
I’ll be picking up the 10ml perfume oil version for top-ups throughout the day.
4. D.S. & Durga Coriander
D.S. & Durga
Coriander Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Coriander, pepper, juniper needle, geranium, clove stem, clary sage, musk, magnolia, mace
This is a really good one if you like aromatic scents. I don’t love the smell of coriander so I was surprised by how much I fell in love with this. It’s inspired by the hills of Odessa and the breeze from the Black Sea, and I really do get a coastal and salty breezy feeling when I wear it. It’s both green and peppery yet fresh, making a great option for spring and summer if you want a subtle scent that is a breath of fresh air.
D.S. & Durga
Coriander Eau De Parfum
The 10ml size is a great way to try it before investing in a full bottle.
5. D.S. & Durga Rose Atlantic
D.S. & Durga
Rose Atlantic
Key Notes: Bergamot, petals, lemon oil, linden, rose accord, dune grass, muscone, salt water, white moss
Want to smell like you’re basking in a summer garden of roses with a sea breeze caressing your skin? This is the fragrance for you. Blossoming with rose petals and sparkling citrus, it’s given a sea-swept coastal breeze which gives it a fresh and salty twist. The lemon note is quite prominent, which makes it feel all the more summery too. You can practically hear the ice clinking in your sun-lounger beverage with this.
D.S. & Durga
Rose Atlantic Eau De Parfum
Try before you buy with the travel-sized 10ml vial.
6. D.S. & Durga Cowboy Grass
D.S. & Durga
Cowboy Grass Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Rosewood wild thyme, bergamot, sage brush, basil, rose otto, vetyver, grass, ambergris
This was one of the first perfumes that put D.S. & Durga on the map, and it makes me want to throw on my boots and listen to Cowboy Carter. This is another aromatic scent that makes you feeling like you’re wandering through sun-soaked wild west planes on horseback. It leans a little more masculine but if you like herbaceous scents you need to try it. It’s a big yee-haw from me.
7. D.S. & Durga Black Magenta
D.S. & Durga
Black Magenta Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Pink pineapple, galbanum black pepper, orris concrete, magenta dianthus, orange flower, black amber balkan tobacco, sandalwood
This is one of the brand’s newsest scents and it was created as an ode to New York City nightlife, and it makes for an ideal nighttime scent. It’s a neon fruity scent with juicy pink pineapple, iris, glowing amber and smoky tobacco. It was inspired as a chic take on ‘mall fragrances’ of our youth, with David describing it as ‘a little bit trashy, a little bit classy’. It’s very long-lasting on the skin, and has a really addictive dry-down that will make you want to dance on tables until the early hours.
8. D.S. & Durga Wear At Maximum Volume
D.S. & Durga
Wear at Maximum Volume Eau De Parfum 50ml
Key Notes: Mandarin, martian pepper, Liberty silk, Egyptian jasmine, English rose, violet, amber, Brixton moss, moonlit patchouli
Inspired by (and exclusive to) Liberty and the iconic David Bowie, this is D.S. & Durga’s newest scent, which even has a Liberty silk note which the singer was known to wear. This is a full-bodied loud floral with a heady hit of patchouli which feels nostalgic. This is the Liberty halls, bottled.
9. D.S. & Durga Amber Kiso
D.S. & Durga
Amber Kiso Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Japanese cedar, incense, Sawara cypress, Asahi-Zuru maple, patchouli, iris, hinoki, leather, treemoss
Leather and woody lovers, assemble. If you like light, subtle scents, scroll on. Featuring ceremonious woods, a swirl of incense and leather, many reviewers say that this fragrance is incredibly long-lasting on the skin, so a little goes a long way. It’s given a sweetness with tree maple and a grounding earthy vibe with patchouli and cypress.
10. D.S. & Durga Radio Bombay
D.S. & Durga
Radio Bombay Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Radiant wood, copper, cedar, sandalwood, radiant iris, musk, peach, ambrette, boronia, balsam fir, absolute coconut musc, ambergris
This is D.S. & Durga’s take on sandalwood, and it’s a great one which is both woody and creamy, yet also fruity and floral. It’s inspired by a radio made of sandalwood radiating in the warm climate of Bandra in Mumbai. Think warm, creamy and a little peachy—a great one for summer. If you like scents such as Le Labo’s Santal 33, you’ll like this cool interpretation of sandalwood.
D.S. & Durga
Radio Bombay Eau De Parfum 10ml
This is a perfect size if you’re looking to take your scent away with you on holiday.
11. D.S. & Durga Steamed Rainbow
D.S. & Durga
Steamed Rainbow Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Red mandarin, orange, yellow elemi resin, green cedar, blue almond flower, indigo grass, violet, vetyver, vapors
You might have tasted the rainbow, and now you can smell like one too. As you can see from the notes, this scent features fruit and vegetal notes from each colour of the rainbow, from red through to violet. It really does smell like like you’d imagine a rainbow to smell, like the air on a summer’s day after a huge downpour, or that moment when stepping off a plane into a warm and slightly humid climate, but surrounded by flowers and fruit.
12. D.S. & Durga Jazmín Yucatan
D.S. & Durga
Jazmín Yucatan Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Water, passion flower, bergamot, jazmín yucateco, sambac, clove, snake plant, vetiver, copal
Imagine stepping into a humid rainforest with overgrown jungle vines twisting over limestone ruins surrounded by tropical flowers, and you have Jazmín Yucatan. It’s not in the notes, but many reviewers get a corn or tortilla note which is unexpected but somehow really works to add a twist to this dew-drop jasmine scent.
D.S. & Durga
Jazmin Yucatan Eau De Parfum
Jazmin Yucatan also comes in a 10ml size.
Shop more D.S. & Durga Perfumes
13. D.S. Durga Bowmakers
D.S. & Durga
Bowmakers Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Violin varnish, mahogany, outdoors accord, amber pine rosin, maplewood, cypress, spiced tree resin, cedarmoss
This one takes inspiration from the forests of Massachusetts and the bowmakers that craft the wood into violins and bows. If you like woody scents, you’ll like this unique take which even incorporates the smell of varnish that you’d smell when walking into a violin shop. It’s not for everyone, but it’s certainly unique.
14. D.S. & Durga Italian Citrus
D.S. & Durga
Italian Citrus Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Pressed lemon, chinotto, blood orange, green mandarin violet leaf, incense, copaiba balsam, musk ambrette, oakmoss
Say ciao to a citrus scent that actually has staying power on the skin, while transporting you straight to sun-dappled citrus groves on the Italian coast while sipping a limonchello spritz. Imagine the sharp zing of freshly peeled lemon combined the post-shower feeling on holiday. It’s a summer escape in a bottle.
15. D.S. & Durga Vetyver
D.S. & Durga
St. Vetyver Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Sour orange, pink pepper, sea grass, cane, clove leaf, toquilla straw, vetyver, breadnut, rhum agricole
If you like your vetiver scents, then you’ll enjoy this sun-soaked and windswept scent which pays homage to the colognes of Caribbean sailors, complete with a rum note. It opens with a fizzy orange note before drying down into the scent of sun-warmed straw hats and earthy vetiver which will make you want to stroll around wearing linen on far-flung beaches.
16. D.S. & Durga Bistro Waters
D.S. & Durga
Bistro Waters Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: lime flower water, coriander seed, pear, mandarin, bell pepper, pea flower, basil, nutmeg, moss water
If you like fresh, vegetal scents, this is a fun one to have in your collection. Imagine the buzziness of an episode of The Bear with quickly chopped green peppers and aromatic basil and coriander seed. It’s a lightweight and fresh scent which takes inspiration from bustling NYC bistros in the ’90s. Yes, chef!
17. D.S. & Durga Burning Barbershop
D.S. & Durga
Burning Barbershop Eau De Parfum
Key Notes: Spearmint, lime, hemlock spruce, lavender absolute tuberose, Turkish rose, burnt oil, vanilla, hay
This one was inspired by a barbershop that caught fire in New York in 1891, where the spearmint, lavender and vanilla shaving tonics were found charred in the aftermath of the flames. Think unfurling smokiness mixed with herbaceous notes.
