Divine by Divine Parfums

#question

Is anyone familiar with Divine by Divine Parfums, released in 1986 and created by Richard Ibanez? I tested this on a blotter for the first time over the weekend and it's the first fragrance that has ever actually made me gag and feel nauseous. This particular reaction didn't happen at first- I didn't like it at all at 5 minutes and 15 minutes, but it didn't trigger nausea until it dried down (around the 1 hour mark). Again, this was on a paper strip rather than my skin so it wasn't a skin chemistry thing.

I desperately want to identify what might have caused that reaction but the notes themselves are not helping me! Listed notes include: Peach, Coriander, Gardenia, Indian Tuberose, May Rose, Oak Moss, Musk, Vanilla, Spice. It felt like whatever was affecting me was underneath the aldehydes, at the end of my sniff, had a sharpness to it, and hit the back of my nose and roof of my mouth with a wave of nausea. Mothballs was the closest word I could find for the scent but that still doesn't feel right. If anyone could help me figure this out, I'd be so grateful!

Link to the fragrance on LuckyScent: https://www.luckyscent.com/products/divine-by-divine?src=plp.brand-divine

Open in app

Comments1

Psmmg@psmmg

2 days ago

It could be the heavy use of coriander. Coriander contains specific aldehydes (similar to cilantro). For genetically susceptible individuals, coriander compounds breaking down on the skin can smell metallic, soapy, or like crushed stinkbugs rather than warm spice. Even more likely: indoles.On paper during the drydown, once the bright fruity/citrus top notes are gone, these indoles become hyper-concentrated. Unheated indoles sitting cold on paper can smell distinctly like mothballs, rotting vegetation, or damp decay.Divine by Parfums Divine is structured like old-school French haute parfumerie—rich in heavy, indolic natural floral extracts and dense oakmoss. On paper, that specific vintage-style concentration of cold indoles + oakmoss create a hyper-specific "decay" signal to the brain.