BODHA
Beeswax

2025

PERFUMER
Emily L’Ami

orange blossom
neroli
cardamom
beeswax
roasted rockrose
frankincense
sweet myrrh
cedarwood
sandalwood

‘A meditation on home. Warm honeyed notes of Mānuka beeswax, orange blossom, and incense woods capture the scent of a thriving beehive — comforting, grounding & alive. Born from friendship and shared memories of New Zealand summers, where sun-baked beehives and native Mānuka trees catch in the breeze. For deep nurturing and quiet strength. Limited edition of 800 bottles. 100% natural perfume. A collaboration with ACTIVIST Manuka.’ – Bodha

I stumbled upon this brand via PerfumeLounge and requested it as sample with an order of mine. I didn’t read up beforehand, but I knew PerfumeLounge mostly stocks pretty serious perfume brands and it turns out that Beeswax is a pretty serious perfume.

Quite daring as it sets off. You can picture most of the notes, but the entire composition has a somewhat typical dry, grassy/hay, botanical quality that you almost exclusively find in natural and/or indie perfumery. Frankly, not my favorite thing in the world, but as an overall composition, Beeswax is interesting.

It makes me think of freshly cut, slightly charred, saw dust. Green edges, but definitely also a sweeter, ambery, fiery side. Don’t mistake beeswax for a gourmand-leaning honey or anything remotely like that however; that’s a different genre altogether.

Cardamom is listed, but I find it quite spicy overall. I could easily imagine immortelle or even cumin here, mixed with that sawdust-like woodiness. This is only in the opening, before turning into a fully woody scent. Woody, dry, with smoky edges.

There is a brightness, a levity… hidden underneath for a while. Cola-esque frankincense. For my taste, it doesn’t get enough room to breathe and while I don’t dislike the wear at all, it’s not something that I would go for; I never get fully comfortable with it.

Always fun to sample this style of perfumery again though.