Broken Theories by Kerosene

Best Broken Theories by Kerosene Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

Broken Theories by Kerosene is an oriental spicy fragrance defined by a warm and smoky blend of incense, tobacco, black pepper, oud, vanilla, sandalwood, and blood orange. It combines woody and spicy depth with a hint of citrus brightness, creating a complex, rich composition. Those drawn to smoky, resinous scents with a touch of sweetness and a spicy edge will find Broken Theories a compelling choice.

New to Bloom? Get 10% off your first order with code NICHE10
1
All Black

All Black by Insenf £125.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £7.00
  • Key notes:
  • black pepper
  • castoreum
  • gaiac / guaiac wood
  • incense
  • rosemary
  • tobacco
  • Tags:
  • #smoky
  • Aromagroups:
  • aromatic
  • leather

A soft veil of smoke slowly settles over the darkness. Cinnamon and black pepper sharpens the silhouette, dry wisps of elemi and incense unfold, rosemary anchors. Leather, woods and earthy tones seep in with silent depth. By the end, a restrained warmth lingers like an afterglow. All Black reveals without showing.

2
Ember Shaan

Ember Shaan by Byermia £130.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £8.00
  • Key notes:
  • chocolate
  • coffee
  • gun powder
  • incense
  • oud
  • rose
  • sandalwood
  • tobacco
  • Tags:
  • #smoky
  • #sweet
  • Aromagroups:
  • leather
  • spicy

“Shaan” is a Sanskrit name meaning greatness and majesty. The  perfumer intertwines the name with the legend of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose, the conquering leader whose final battle was foretold by the oracles. Ember Shaan is a fragrance that shifts and evolves, reflecting the concept of victory intertwined with sorrow. With a variety of ouds and frankincenses, this extrait explores how a bright fire fades into a smouldering ember, while also deepening into something more profound. Coffee, rose and sandalwood combine their rich effects into an olfactory syrup that infuses the woods, while spicy opoponax and stony gunpowder add punctuation and surprise.

3
Black Afgano

Black Afgano by Nasomatto £130.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £9.00
  • Key notes:
  • coffee
  • hashish
  • incense
  • oud
  • tobacco
  • Tags:
  • #smoky
  • Aromagroups:
  • leather
  • woody

Oily, big and blissful, Black Afgano is all the browns: coffee, hashish incense, oud and tobacco. The notes refer to substances that induce temporary bliss, but with Black Afgano’s considerable hangtime, the pleasure of this perfume is practically permanent.

4
Cruelle

Cruelle by Wesker £220.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £9.00
  • Key notes:
  • blackberry
  • incense
  • oud
  • smoke
  • tobacco
  • Tags:
  • #smoky
  • Aromagroups:
  • leather

This elixir is a complex expression of the spirit of duality. Cruelle is a perfume of contrasts, a potion that embodies both beauty and danger, sweetness and venom. Tender violet and mouth-watering blackberry compel you deep into the heart of tobacco and frankincense, with the purple haze intensified by plum and iris root. Resinous labdanum and oud add to the mystery, which includes a provocative hint of fresh rubber tyres. With Cruelle, the wearer is both the predator and the prey, a reminder that every beauty conceals darkness.

5
The Grudge

The Grudge by Beaufort £125.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £6.00
  • Key notes:
  • ambergris
  • incense
  • oud
  • tobacco
  • Tags:
  • #beast
  • Aromagroups:
  • aromatic
  • leather

Inspired by the ‘white gold’ that appears occasionally on Scottish beaches and the alchemy of time & tide, The Grudge finds beauty in the unexpected: the journey of ambergris from the rectum of the sperm whale, rolled on the tide, retrieved from a beach and tinctured into a bottle. A metaphor for the alchemy of presence; forgiveness; peace.

6
Vi et Armis

Vi et Armis by Beaufort £125.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £6.00
  • Key notes:
  • birch tar
  • black pepper
  • black tea
  • incense
  • opium
  • oud
  • smoke
  • Tags:
  • #beast
  • #smoky
  • Aromagroups:
  • spicy
  • woody

Formerly known as East India the perfume is back with the new name: Vi et Armis (Latin for 'by force and arms',  the motto of the East India company)

The olfactory references in the perfume are exploring Britain’s complex relationship with other nations and its dominance of international sea trade across the centuries, this heady, narcotic scent challenges as much as it beguiles.

Using imported and exported goods of the East India Company as its key notes, this addictive fragrance recalls the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Emotional excitement reaches men through Tea, Tobacco, Opium, Whisky and religion”

Paradoxical and challenging, we imagine the roots of our island nation steeped in contradictions.

7
Anti-Blues

Anti-Blues by Pierre Guillaume Black Collection £195.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £8.00
  • Key notes:
  • cocoa
  • dark chocolate
  • incense
  • saffron
  • tobacco
  • vanilla
  • vetiver
  • Tags:
  • #beast
  • #sweet
  • Aromagroups:
  • edible
  • leather
  • unconventional
  • woody

A socially acceptable way to smell like you spend your downtime writhing naked in milky melted chocolate, spiced with saffron, smoked by tobacco, caressed by vanilla. Cue eyes-rolling-back-in-their-head pleasure for anyone who smells you.

8
Atman Xaman (EdT)

Atman Xaman (EdT) by Lorenzo Villoresi £150.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £6.00
  • Key notes:
  • amber
  • incense
  • leather
  • tobacco
  • vanilla
  • Tags:
  • #sexy
  • Aromagroups:
  • edible
  • woody

A deep, intense, mysterious fragrance that radiates unique atmospheres: magical, spiritual, real and imaginary.
An enveloping scent of Leather, Tobacco and precious woods with light undertones of flowers and wild herbs, on a gentle, sensual background of fragrant resins, of Vanilla and Patchouli, of Amber and Musk.

9
Lost In Translation

Lost In Translation by Maison Matine £60.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £4.00
  • Key notes:
  • black pepper
  • leather
  • rosewood
  • tobacco
  • violet leaf
  • Tags:
  • #clean
  • Aromagroups:
  • leather
  • woody

A bait-and-switch perfume that starts sharp and clean with juniper and crisp, metallic violet leaves. Then comes the gentle abyss: a faded haze of tobacco, patchouli and leather swirled with white tea and musk. The message might be lost in translation, but all meaning will be found in the fragrance.

10
Silphium

Silphium by Stora Skuggan £130.00

Not sure yet? Try a 1 ml sample for £9.00
  • Key notes:
  • black pepper
  • cloves
  • myrrh
  • sylphium accord
  • tobacco
  • Tags:
  • #fresh
  • #smoky
  • Aromagroups:
  • aromatic
  • green
  • unconventional

Silphium was a plant widely renowned as a spice, medicinal herb and perfume ingredient throughout the empires of classical antiquity, outshining both saffron and cinnamon. It was praised by Greek philosophers and writers, as well as Roman emperors and cookbook authors. The demand for Silphium eventually became so overwhelming that it was harvested to extinction, and the taste and smell of the once greatest spice in the world were lost in time.

This extinct plant was reconstructed by researching assumed relatives of Silphium, using aromachemicals (the molecular building blocks of scents) to create an accord reflecting historical descriptions. This is set against a background of ancient incense, woods and leather.

 

About Broken Theories by Kerosene

How does Broken Theories differ from the fragrances listed here?
Broken Theories combines a balanced blend of incense, tobacco, black pepper, oud, vanilla, sandalwood, and blood orange, offering a spicy oriental with a slight citrus brightness and creamy woods. The fragrances listed share some of these notes but vary significantly in sweetness, smokiness, herbal or gourmand accents, and animalic or leathery nuances.
Which fragrances here emphasize the smoky character most strongly?
All Black, Black Afgano, Cruelle, Vi et Armis, and The Grudge are notable for their strong smoky presence, often enhanced by notes like birch tar, ambergris, or hashish, making them darker and more resinous compared to others.
Are there any fragrances similar to Broken Theories that include vanilla?
Yes, Anti-Blues and Atman Xaman share vanilla with Broken Theories, adding sweeter and warmer facets to their smoky oriental compositions.