Perfume Parlour 2018 EDP

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Unknown Essence

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Perfume Parlour Unknown Essence is an Eau de Parfum launched in 2018. Unknown Essence opens with Bergamot, settles into a heart of Vetiver and Iso E Super, and dries down to a base of Amber, Sandalwood, and Civet. Perfume Parlour's Unknown Essence carries a Favourite verdict, a fresh-led wear.

A budget take on DS & Durga's I Don't Know What - the same airy, skin-like Iso E Super radiance over bergamot, vetiver and soft musky woods. This dupe captures that transparent 'you but better' character but reads flatter and shorter-lived than the niche original, the radiant Iso E hum thinner.
What our verdicts mean →
  • Refined
  • Comforting
  • Grounded
  • Sensual
  • Sophisticated
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Unknown Essence Eau de Parfum bottle
Inspired by
I Don’t Know What by D.S. & Durga
93%
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Our estimate of scent similarity, calculated from published notes. How we score it

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I Don’t Know What the original Unknown Essence inspired by

Scent Profile

Composition

Timeline

Showing: Overall Blend
Topas listed
Bergamot100%
Heartas listed
Iso E Super57%
Vetiver43%
Baseas listed
Sandalwood39%
Amber35%
Civet26%

Top, heart and base are the brand's own listing, not a timing claim - the industry classifies a note by its character as much as by how fast it fades. Each curve here is modelled from that material's own volatility, so groups can overlap when a house lists long-lasting materials in its heart.

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Performance & Mood

Performance

Longevity
Short (2-4h)
Projection
Intimate
Intensity
Light

Mood

Mood Energising
Calming
Character Playful
Serious
Sentiment Uplifting
Brooding

When To Wear

Best Seasons

Best For:
Spring Summer
Also Works:
Fall

The airy Iso E Super, vetiver and soft woods suit spring through autumn as an easy any-day skin scent, softening in deep winter.

Best Occasions

Best For:
Office Casual
Also Works:
Date Formal Sport

Transparent and versatile, it suits casual wear, layering, the office and everyday wear over formal occasions.

Ingredients and allergens

We don't have this fragrance's ingredient list yet.

About

This Perfume Parlour scent opens with a sheer flicker of bergamot before settling almost immediately into its core: a generous wash of Iso E Super, the radiant, woody-velvety molecule that gives DS & Durga's I Don't Know What (2018) its famous transparent, skin-like glow. Earthy vetiver adds a quiet grounding, and the base drifts into creamy sandalwood, soft amber and a whisper of animalic civet that keeps it warm and personal rather than clinical. Perfume Parlour's interpretation captures the original's airy, 'you but better' skin-scent character convincingly, but it reads a fraction flatter, the Iso E Super hum thinner and less radiant than the niche original. Where I Don't Know What can hum on skin for hours with body heat, here longevity is more moderate and the projection close. The effect stays clean and effortless - a transparent woody-musk for spring through autumn, perfect for casual wear, layering, the office, day to day or relaxed dates.

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Layer

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Complement

Two people, two scents: what sits well beside it when you each wear your own See what pairs well

Where to buy

Prices for the United States ·

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Drawn from community reviews and editor-reviewed before publishing on . See our methodology and disclosure policy.