Santal fragrances have always been associated with luxury and rarity due to the precious and expensive nature of santalwood, a rare and highly sought-after wood. Santalwood, as a primary ingredient, remains in constant demand in the market. This is primarily because santalwood trees are delicate and difficult to cultivate, often requiring a semi-parasitic environment to thrive. Additionally, they grow slowly, taking several decades to mature. These limitations in production yield contribute to the high cost of santalwood.
In the process of producing santalwood essential oil, it takes a significant amount of santalwood to extract a single drop of santalwood oil. Consequently, the price of santalwood essential oil is high, making it a luxury that many fragrance brands are hesitant to use. As a result, a considerable amount of artificially synthesized santalwood oil is employed in the market, creating an impression of cheap and straightforward fragrance.
Many fragrances in the market claim to contain santalwood as an ingredient, but the actual scent can vary significantly. So, what does real santalwood smell like? Santalwood from different origins, primarily Indian santalwood and Australian santalwood, has distinct fragrances. The differences between them could fill a book, but understanding the general characteristics of santalwood is sufficient. As a woody scent, santalwood shares the dry and stable aroma typical of all woody fragrances. However, what sets santalwood apart is its silky and soft milky fragrance, reminiscent of delicacies like milk or peanut cakes. The higher the quality of santalwood, the stronger this culinary aspect, which can be addictive.
Branddecant has selected the following 10 fragrances as the best smelling and most representative santalwood perfumes. They all use natural santalwood as an ingredient, hence their prices are not cheap. However, considering the high-quality fragrance of natural santalwood, they offer good value for money.
Diptyque Tam Dao EDT
Our memory of santal typically comes from santalwood furniture or santalwood bracelets, which can also be referred to as “dead” santalwood as their scent is dry and stale, straightforward and lacking vitality. However, the santal in Tam Dao is a “living” santalwood, with a moist milky scent and a hint of green freshness, thus lacking the stagnant feeling of dead santalwood. It lacks the resinous note of burning, so it doesn’t evoke associations with religious rituals or temples. The milky scent of santalwood here is gentle and appealing, with a well-balanced fragrance that both beginners and connoisseurs will appreciate, naturally making it the brand’s most popular fragrance.
Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule
A star offering in the Serge Lutens regular line, Santal Majuscule exudes a rich and captivating culinary sensation of santalwood. Here, the santalwood also carries a bitter cocoa powder note and a hint of burnt aroma, adding a touch of melancholy mystery. As the fragrance progresses, the milky essence of santalwood becomes more prominent, but its sweetness is forever locked behind the hard and heavy woodiness, giving it a restrained yet alluring allure when worn. The subtle rose in the dry down is perfectly balanced, like a rose quietly blooming in the dark night, understated yet magnificent, blending seamlessly with the woody base, further highlighting the charm of santalwood and adding a touch of softness.
Le Labo Santal 33
Le Labo distinguishes itself with its unique artisanal perfumery, where each bottle of perfume is hand-blended and bottled by a perfumer. This particular perfumer showcases a minimalist approach with wide-open spaces. If all santalwood fragrances evoke a sense of classical nostalgia, then this santalwood belongs to the science fiction future, being sprayed onto a woman clad in a white, tight-fitting leather suit within pure white spacecraft. It is light and slightly bitter, with santalwood blending with a leathery note, devoid of the usual warmth associated with santalwood. Rather than wood, the santalwood here feels metallic. Ethereal, minimalist, and devoid of warmth, like santalwood amidst the Nordic coolness trend.
Tom Ford Santal Blush
This santal fragrance from TF’s high-end line, the Private Blend Collection, is the gentlest and most sensual santal I’ve ever encountered. Here, the milky scent of santal is showcased to perfection, with an ultimate silky smoothness, sweet yet not cloying, as if milk has been refined into cream. With just a sniff, it’s like silky cream flowing through the nostrils, rushing into the heart, immersing one in a vast expanse of white velvet. As flower petals begin to fall from the sky, bathing in them, the heart is filled with a blush of red. Santal is heavy and austere, almost no santal fragrance would evoke sensuality. But this blush santal has an entanglement of love and hate that cannot be restrained or severed. Tender as water, sending flirtatious glances, this combination of reserve and teasing exhibits the ultimate in allure.
Hermessence Santal Massoia
JCE’s minimalist gourmet scent, like a large platter with a delicate cake at the center, adorned with dried fruits and spices, with the rest left blank. The naturally rich and rustic santalwood appears simple and modern in his hands. Immediately after spraying, the faint fig and dried fruits complement each other, like a cheerful suite, quickly leading to the main santalwood. At this point, a rich milky scent emerges, seamlessly blending the milky scent of figs with that of santalwood, rich but not cloying. Subsequently, the overall scent gradually dries down, with dried fruits and santalwood lingering, displaying a clean and crisp beauty.
Chanel Bois des Îles Eau de Parfum
The fragrance of ylang-ylang is warm and elegant, slowly unfolding, like mist in the air, the powdery scent becomes more and more elusive amidst the interplay of light and dreams. It’s like a beauty from bygone times, pulling people into her gentle realm. The rhythm of santalwood also unfolds slowly here, softened by the scent of ylang-ylang flowers, santalwood becomes gentle, as silky as gelatin. The entire fragrance is gentle from start to finish, telling the dreams of the earthly world amidst the chaos.
Serge Lutens Santal de Mysore
This Mysore santalwood from Lutens’ bell jar series, in addition to the natural milky sweetness of santal, also has a special bitterness brought by spices, as if caraway and Chinese medicine were added to a cup of condensed milk. The bitterness makes the overall scent thick and solemn, turning the originally sunny, silky santalwood into a twisted, shadowy santalwood under the moonlit forest, like the trees in the black forest where ghosts appear in movies. Frankincense also adds a hint of smokiness to it. But fundamentally, it’s still a purebred santalwood, the further you go, the more pronounced the sweet milky scent of santalwood becomes, revealing its gentle nature.
Creed Original Santal
Santalwood has an inherent warmth that never dies, but this santalwood has modified its own characteristics, being the only santalwood with a cool sensation. In the top notes, the scent of santalwood is weak, as if in an ice-cold valley, one can smell the cold wind and the frozen floral scent. Lavender, rosemary, blended with juniper berries and coriander, create a wonderful coolness, which is actually a kind of spicy freshness. The santalwood gradually emerges in the subsequent time, still exerting its utmost gentle power, presenting the soft and silky woody scent. Although as a santalwood-themed fragrance, the santalwood scent is not strong, it is very unique, the cool santalwood also brings a refreshing feeling.
Guerlain Samsara
Santalwood brings a faint milky scent, not very obvious, lingering on the tip of the nose, the combination of santalwood and spices highlights an exotic atmosphere. The addition of white flowers brings an interesting tripod, with a balanced and perfect scent structure. A small amount of milky scent makes the white flowers more rich, and the white flowers in turn make the santalwood lighter, while the spices enhance the presence, giving a feeling of being dominant and yet not losing the charm of a woman. Samsara is such a fragrance, exuding a noble exotic charm, allowing people to feel the different style brought by santalwood.
Serge Lutens Santal Blanc
This santalwood exhibits an interesting, conflicting temperament, its scent is elusive and flickering, like a Gemini with multiple personalities. The natural milky scent of santalwood has been made sweeter by Lutens, like adding a few pieces of fruity hard candy to milk, but that’s not enough, warm cinnamon and spicy pink pepper are added, adding a smoky texture to the tender milky sensation, adding a hint of spiciness. The santalwood, pepper, and cinnamon, three fragrances attract and repel each other in their own gravity, creating its elusive quality. The gastronomic feel here is very similar to Lutens’ Skin Game.
In conclusion, the realm of Santal fragrances offers a diverse and captivating olfactory journey, where each scent tells a unique story of warmth, sensuality, and sophistication. From the silky smoothness of Tom Ford’s Santal Blush to the mysterious allure of Serge Lutens’ Santal de Mysore, these fragrances captivate the senses and evoke a sense of luxury and refinement. Whether you prefer the gentle embrace of Hermessence Santal Massoia or the exotic charm of Guerlain Samsara, there’s a Santal fragrance to suit every taste and occasion. Explore this curated selection of the top 10 recommended Santal fragrances and indulge in the timeless elegance of this beloved scent.