D.S. & Durga reviews and discussion

Maybe it’s my scent selection, but I was not impressed with the four samples I got. STEAMED RAINBOW: this one was actually really cool. I don’t know how they managed to capture the smell of steam, but they did. There’s light floral and mineral notes in it as well. I wouldn’t wear it, but it’s definitely a cool smell. AMBER KISO: this is offensively strong. Super, super potent smoky warmth. It’s almost suffocating. Incredibly heavy, overpowering. BLACK MAGENTA: smells very decadent and fruity, but there’s a leathery note that overpowers everything. I’m wearing it right now and I’m about to scrub it off because it feels suffocating. DEBASER: I don’t smell the complexity this is supposed to have. It’s my favorite scent of the bunch, but I think the woody notes overpower the fig, coconut, bergamot, pear. I haven’t worn it yet, so this might change as it melds with the skin. This is the only one I’d wear. OVERALL: for lack of a better word, these perfumes STINK. And I don’t mean “they suck, they’re not good”. I mean they are powerful. You could clear a room with these. It’s overwhelming.

I was super excited to try this brand because I have heard so much about it. When getting the sample pack, it's difficult to choose because 1. fragrance notes are so subjective and 2. all the stories were so compelling. In order of favorite to least were Black Magenta, Jazmin Yucatan, Cognac Reign, and Debaser. The atomizer in the sample pack was great; it didn't leak at the first spray and sprayed a good amount. Overall super impressed, now I just want to try all the other scents!

I love this hand sanitizer. I mean I love everything from this brand. All their scents are so unique and sit so well on the skin. I love having the hand sanitizer handy for cleaning my hands but also getting a scent boost.

D.S. & Durga has been a staple in my fragrance world for years. There's something they do that feels very special. Their scents feel like unique stories, capturing specific places, specific moods. Atmospheric in a way that's still completely wearable. My partner and I have collected a lot of their perfumes together over the years and share everything. Most lean beautifully gender-neutral, which is part of the appeal. We keep coming back to Bowmakers, I Don't Know What, and The Carlyle. Amber Teutonic is also a favorite of ours that was discontinued, so we treasure every drop in our remaining bottle. Beyond the fragrances, the body lotion in the scent I Don't Know What is so luxurious and layers so well with other fragrances. Their candles are also some of the best out there, we especially love Big Sur After Rain, Breakfast Leipzig, and Tomb of Eagles. They're easily one of my go-to gifts for anyone who appreciates that kind of thing. A brand I return to again and again, and probably always will. 🖤✨

First learned about this brand while living in New York City- love the creativity, the genderless scents, the playlists, everything. Husband and I share some scents and have recently added the I don’t know what lotion/scent. Can’t tell you how many people compliment it, but the type of people who you wouldn’t expect, seems to impress all types! Can’t recommend enough (also the candles), and always listen to the playlists!

“I Heart Big Sur” Duo - Plus Gifts With Purchase I honestly don’t know which scent I like more — the candle or the perfume — they’re both fantastic in different ways. The Big Sur After Rain candle is incredible. Strong throw, very lush and green, with that fresh coastal feeling that instantly fills the room. It smells like damp eucalyptus groves near the ocean, not medicinal at all. I actually bought the duo planning to split it up: the perfume for me, the candle as a birthday gift for a friend who loves the Big Sur area. She absolutely loved it. One thing D.S. & Durga does exceptionally well is writing beautiful, accurate scent descriptions. Their storytelling makes it genuinely easy to blind buy, and in my experience, the scents truly live up to what’s described. The Big Sur Eucalyptus perfume is exactly what I’ve been searching for. It blends green, coastal, and eucalyptus notes so beautifully — fresh, grounding, and clean without being sharp. I usually stay far away from anything too sweet, overly floral, or powdery, and this is none of that. It wears really well on me and never feels overwhelming. I’m also sensitive to fragrance because I have asthma, and I had no issues at all with this perfume, which says a lot. It’s noticeable but not “loud,” and it lasts well throughout the day. I also received two gifts with purchase, which were such a nice bonus. The Breakfast Leipzig 7 oz candle is warm, cozy, and comforting — it genuinely smells like home. It’s hard to describe, but D.S. & Durga captures it beautifully: buttery pastries, coffee, and an inviting warmth that feels light rather than heavy. It’s impressive that this was included as a gift and gave me the chance to experience a more gourmand side of the brand. The second gift was the Debaser Eau de Parfum (7.5 ml), and I loved being able to try this one. It’s completely unique — honestly, I’ve never smelled anything quite like it. It’s green, fig-forward, warm, and a little sexy, but still very wearable. Again, it’s hard to describe, but that’s where D.S. & Durga really shines. This is a scent I would absolutely consider purchasing in the future because it’s just so interesting. Overall, D.S. & Durga really hits a home run with all of these products. Everything feels thoughtful, transportive, and well-crafted. I’m officially a huge fan and can’t wait to explore more of their scents — to be continued for sure.

When it comes to fragrances, you could say I have a more basic nose that likes your typical light, fresh, floral scents that smell "pretty." D.S. & Durga is my first foray into more unique and complex fragrances and I'm loving it! It feels more sophisticated and evokes memories. I loved the ability to get a sample set and was surprised how much I liked "steamed rainbow." Plus, the websites have Spotify playlists for the scents - makes for a full own experience that uses more than your sense of smell! So I didn't love ALL the fragrances I got, but it's such a personal thing and will keep an eye for future releases. I enjoy D.S. and Durga's mission and appreciate them opening my mind. Start with the sampling sets to figure out what you like.

D.S. & Durga is one of my favorite fragrance companies. They have a good variety of trendy scents (like pistachio!) along with a lot of nice classics. My recent favorite is Rose Atlantic. It's light and romantic and because I don't tend to go through scents very quickly I really like that they offer a travel size roller ball option. I'd be remiss to not mention that I love their graphic packaging too!

I was so excited to see this come up on thingdrop. Big Sur after rain is one of my favorite home scents of all time and I bought it in a lotion and a candle, both of which are great and have a very strong throw. Even unlit the candle adds a scent to my home. Definitely on the pricey end for a candle and lotion but worth it if you’re in the market to treat yourself.

I have loved the perfumes but thought I’d buy a candle 3 pack this time. I bought holy ficus, Big Sur after rain, and highland breakfast! They all smell amazing and clean and I love the look of them on my mantel. Looking forward to buying more.

I Don't Know What has been my signature scent for about 2 years - I just repurchased my second bottle. The name fits - I have no way to describe this scent, but I'm a skin scent girl, and this is my favorite one. I have rollers of Debaser (milky fig) and Coriander (grassy and musky). The rollers are thick; they don't feel like they will break when I throw them in my bag, unlike some of my more fragile 5-10mLs. I also like that the labels are different colors. The bottle is sturdy and has a heavy metal cap. The packaging is a little boring, but it's nice that it's unisex, along with all of their scents. On the home scent line: Big Sur After Rain is amazing. We have a candle of it at reception in my office, and we all stop by for huffs. The car freshener is strong but so so good. However, Pasta Water intrigued me for a year until I finally pulled the trigger during a sample sale. It smells like wet trash can - I can't bring myself to burn it. Overall, DS&Durga's scents are unique and interesting, but they are not blind-buy friendly. I would recommend getting a sample set of scents that interest you (they offer a discount code for a full-size purchase afterwards) or trying to find them in-store. Or you can try and guess the smell off the curated playlists available for each scent!

I got the air freshener for my car in scent Big Sur After Rain. It smells nice and fresh, but is a bit strong for me and I'm finding it overwhelming after some time. I may like it more in a few weeks when the intensity has worn down. I likely won't purchase again though.

DS & DURGA delivers what I look for in fragrance: distinctive, high-quality scents with a clear point of view. The playlists add fun context, making each perfume feel grounded in a specific place or mood. The bottles and branding are clean and display-worthy. I have not been to Rockaway Beach, but that scent hits my preferences perfectly—salty, sunlit, and easy to wear. I also keep the Coriander travel size in my bag at all times!

Having tried many D.S. & Durga products over the years, I always come back to see what’s new. My original favorite was Concrete After Lighting but my new favorites are Tomb of the Eagles - so fresh! - and Breakfast Leipzig, which smells like a coffee bakeshop mixed with leather and tobacco. Both are unisex. The candles look chic and funky and yet fit into any decor. I appreciate that the jars are clear so you can see the flame. I also received generous sample of their newest fragrance, Brown Flowers, which is a warm floral that is unisex as well. It wears warm like it’s part of your skin, rather than the heady chemical scent of a lot of department store perfumes. Packaging is always top notch too.

I purchased this bottle of I Don’t Know What perfume a year ago to layer with my other perfumes and it always adds a lovely depth to my scent. It’s wonderful on its own, and even better as a musky under layer to whatever else I layer it with. Lately my go-to combo has been 2 sprays of this perfume and one spray of Gucci Flora and I always get asked what I’m wearing!

My all time favorite scent, layering it with the body lotion gives it extra lasting power. People don't know I'm wearing it until they hug me and that's exactly how strong I want my smell to be. It's hard to articulate the fragrance, but it's almost just like a really clean, warm, human skin scent. The fragrance is fairly priced but the lotion feels a bit spendy. It does come in a nice aluminum canister though.

I’ve loved DS & Durga scents for years. Their fragrances are always so original and full of personality. I’d tried a few travel-size products on a flight before, but this time I went for some of their more under-the-radar items: the soap, air freshener, and candle. The packaging was beautiful, and everything smelled even better than expected. The portable Christmas Tree scent is perfect for the season, and I’m already eyeing the Big Sur candle next. Pro tip: I hung the auto fragrance in my closet! Everything feels special and thoughtfully made. DS & Durga never miss.

I had smelled a DS Durga scent before and had been thinking about it for a while, so I was glad to see them come up as a ThingDrop. As a NYC native, I love that this is also a NYC manufactured brand. I purchased the scent I had been eyeing, Black Magenta, and a customizable sample set of other scents I had my eye on. I also received a free travel size scent with my purchase. I didn't end up getting any of the scents that was recommended to me in the quiz as I'm still learning how to shop for scents online. Its hard for me to fully understand what scents will work for me when shopping online if I haven't yet smelled it before. The packaging and presentation is great, and the scent is very high quality. I had my eyes on the candles and may try that in the future! The products are more expensive but on par for other high end perfumes . Overall, I was very impressed and will keep this brand in mind for future purchases.

In our home - we've switched to a faux tree since our daughter was born. I've missed the smell of real trees and wanted to try this specific candle because it wasn't just a simple pine - it has my favorite amber which really adds layers to this. I love it, it's on the candle warmer as I write this and filling the whole home with Christmas smells. Now, I also bought two of the auto fragrance cards and this is not the first time I have purchased those - I love the strong smell of the 85 Diesel, smells like old car seats in leather and a little bit of petrol but with a musk - it's so hard to describe, but I adore it. I tried the portable fireplace, but for me it is a bit too smokey - so I'll be gifting that one. Otherwise I just keep gettining the one I love and the next candle I'd like to buy is the PASTA WATER! love the strong lasting scents, great gifts and unique smells.

I am a fan of a unique scented candle and fell in love with the Dream Lychee scent when I smelled it at the store. Luckily, a few months later I was able to snag it at a great discount through their online sample sale. The candle smells great, packaging is cute, and it frequently gets complimented when people come to my home!