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Help with Sandalwood

post #1 of 17
3/8/08 at 11:56am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys. OK, so I would no longer consider myself a neophyte in this hobby, but I know there's still a lot out there I have yet to smell/discover (ok, after reconsideration, I am still a neophyte, my mistake). Anyway, I'd like to get a little more "into" sandalwood, but, and this is kind of embarassing, I don't know what it should smell like. I've always considered it for some reason more of an "older" scent, even though I don't know much about it.
I just started using Geo F's Sandalwood shave cream (it's fantastic!) and Caswell Massey's Sandalwood aftershave balm (also great), and today I thought I'd try out my sample of GFT's Sandalwood cologne to top it off. Here's the problem: I like all three, but they all seem different to me. Which has the "true" sandalwood note? The shave cream smells clean and fresh, yet the cologne smells a bit darker with almost a skin-like sweetness, and reminds me of when I sampled Costume National's Scent Intense (does that have sandalwood in it?)

I'm not really sure what my question is, other than for maybe someone to give me some help in interpreting what i'm smelling, or to recommend other brands' sandalwoods so I can kind of pick out what would "match" my other products best (and of course what I like best). On another note, is it really necessary to match my fragrance to an aftershave (balm), or could I wear almost any scent after shaving/lotioning and not expect it to clash?

Sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance for any light you guys can shed on this for me.
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post #2 of 17
3/8/08 at 12:36pm
Many sandalwood purists would recommend Diptyque Tam Dao and Art of Shaving Sandalwood. They're both pretty dry but the Art of Shaving Sandalwood has a bit of an edible quality to it. I have the shaving cream and aftershave balm, which are my favorite wetshaving products.
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post #3 of 17
3/8/08 at 1:46pm
Others will argue vigorously against this, but there is no "true" sandalwood note. Sandalwood comes in a number of varieties, natural or synthetic, and all have their distinctive features. The impression sandalwood leaves is also influenced by its neighbors and the concentration in which it is used. The best (and only?) way to appreciate the range of sandalwood accords is to sample as many different sandalwood compositions as you can. What a pleasant undertaking!
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post #4 of 17
3/8/08 at 1:51pm
High quality Mysore sandalwood essential oil is a hell of a lot more satisfying than any of the sandalwood fragrances (I've worn most all of them). You just mix it with a carrier oil and rub it all over yourself, and you'll be doin good.
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post #5 of 17
3/8/08 at 1:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by teflondog View Post

Many sandalwood purists would recommend Diptyque Tam Dao and Art of Shaving Sandalwood. They're both pretty dry but the Art of Shaving Sandalwood has a bit of an edible quality to it. I have the shaving cream and aftershave balm, which are my favorite wetshaving products.

i like the art of shaving sandalwood shaving products but i really did not like the frag...i ended up swapping it out. Tam Dao on the other hand is utter perfection when it comes to sandalwood though...very good and clean green smelling sandalwood...its striking the first time you smell it, maybe even slightly jarring, but the end result is nothing short of addictive.

To me Art Of Shaving Sandalwood smells piney with a hint of eucalyptus which im not a fan of at all(pine or eucalyptus)
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post #6 of 17
3/8/08 at 2:07pm
Commercial 'sandalwoods' I know are for example Joop! Homme (purple bottle, gets bashed a lot here on BN), Gucci Envy, Floris Santal and Pal Zileri Sartoriale. Have you tried these?
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post #7 of 17
3/8/08 at 3:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jdnba View Post

Tam Dao on the other hand is utter perfection when it comes to sandalwood though...very good and clean green smelling sandalwood...its striking the first time you smell it, maybe even slightly jarring, but the end result is nothing short of addictive.

I agree. For a fragrance that is close to a pure sandalwood experience with minimal intrusion from other ingredients, Tam Dao is the way to go. Some people say there's a lot of cedar and rosewood in it-- and there is some, but it's still just a pure wood scent. It smells like sandalwood. I actually wasn't really even a fan of sandalwood at all before I got Tam Dao-- and I didn't like Tam Dao for exactly the first two minutes, then I had a complete change of heart. Now I love Sandalwood, and Tam Dao is my fave. I also enjoy Creed Santal Imperial, but it has citrus and other notes. I didn't care for MPG Santal Noble. Also, I've received a lot of compliments on Tam Dao.

Like many will tell you, Tam Dao is one of the essentials.
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post #8 of 17
3/8/08 at 3:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

High quality Mysore sandalwood essential oil is a hell of a lot more satisfying than any of the sandalwood fragrances (I've worn most all of them). You just mix it with a carrier oil and rub it all over yourself, and you'll be doin good.

Can you recommend someplace where this 'high quality' essential oil can be bought?

Recently I went through a sample of MPG Parfum D'habit...and I went nuts about it....the sandalwood in it is amazing...It pushed behind my 1st sandalwood love 'Trumpers Sandalwood'....pity though that I still haven't got myself a bottle of Parfum D'habit but I know I'd get one soon.....I'd love to experience the real thing in the form of 'essential oil'.

thanks

gupts
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post #9 of 17
3/8/08 at 3:38pm
I have been intrigued by Montale's Santal de Mysore, it is supposedly a pure sandalwood oil, but it is very much rounder and creamier than any other sandalwood perfumes I have smelled, there is something very nutty about it and not that woody as one would expect. So anyone who has smelled sandalwood essential oil, how is Montale's SdM compared to it?
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post #10 of 17
3/8/08 at 3:42pm
Here are some suggestions for perfumes that present a very clear natural sandalwood note, though as noted, even the natural oil varies wildly and the perfume composition brings out different aspects of the sandalwood oil(s) used:

Creed Bois de Santal (dirtier)
Creed Santal Imperial (cleaner)
Floris Sandalwood (Floris Santal actually has no sandalwood in it)
Villoresi Sandalo (with rosewood)
Tam Dao (though I perceive cedar in it, too)
Art of Shaving Sandalwood
Lutens Santal de Mysore (very rich)
DSH Sandalo Inspiritu (with incense)
Chanel Bois des Iles
Guerlain Samsara (Jasmin&Sandalwood)

a cheap one worth trying is Caswell Massey Tricorn (very heavy and sweet, but I like it alot, in small doses)

also have a look at this thread:
http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=171844
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post #11 of 17
3/8/08 at 6:25pm
well, here's my 2 cents:

Crabtree and Evelyn essence of Mysore Sandalwood was on my counter for about ten years. It has been pointed out that a "true" scent doesn't necessarily exist, but I'd say that C&E's had a decidedly natural, pure feel to it. I only recently ran out and simply haven't replaced it. (not sure if it's still made) But I think that if you give it a whiff, you'll get a good sense of it being an authentic, horticultural sample.

Good luck!
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post #12 of 17
3/8/08 at 7:29pm
I think Marlen over at Perfume Critic conducted a blind sandalwood test of about half a dozen fragrances with about half a dozen judges. All the judges ranked the various scents and Marlen tallied the results and published the final rankings, revealing the names of the scents.

I can't remember which scents were included, but I do remember there being a mixture of mainstream and niche. If I read the results correctly (someone help me if I'm wrong), the Crabtree and Evelyn Sandalwood came out in first place. Remember that all the tests were blind, so no one knew which scent was in any of the test vials.

I haven't tried it myself, but am curious after reading this test. I visited C&E last weekend, but they were sold out of the Sandalwood, so I'll try again in a few weeks.

What do you all think of this fragrance?
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post #13 of 17
3/8/08 at 8:56pm
I was wearing Paul Smith - London (1 spray on my left wrist, to test it!) and a co-worker I was having a meeting with asked "can you smell that? It smells like ointment. Like sandalwood ointment!" I put forward my wrist, and yup, it was Paul Smith London
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post #14 of 17
3/8/08 at 9:46pm
i agree wholeheartedly. I found some great Mysore Sandal Soap at World Market. Yum.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

High quality Mysore sandalwood essential oil is a hell of a lot more satisfying than any of the sandalwood fragrances (I've worn most all of them). You just mix it with a carrier oil and rub it all over yourself, and you'll be doin good.
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post #15 of 17
3/8/08 at 9:57pm
Australian Sandalwood (which I prefer) has a much sweeter, lighter, more pleasant scent. Think the final drydown of Creed GIT. Or Santal Imperial.

Indian Sandalwood is more pungeunt and thick, very thick, almost spicy. If you apply lots of AOS Sandalwood and wait for the eucalyptus to wear off, you'll smell what Indian Sandalwood smells like.

Mysore is from India up by Pakistan, really really thick, and still pungeunt, but smooth, and very spicy in a low, calm, warm way. Like the whole scent went thru a low pass filter. Creed's list it, but I assume they use Australian, cause Creed's is too sweet to be Mysore.

A very good, very pleasant and believable synthetic sandalwood is Pal Zileri's Sartoriale.
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post #16 of 17
3/8/08 at 10:09pm
This is an extremely old thread, but it has a lot of good info on sandalwood:

http://community.basenotes.net/showthread.php?t=171844
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post #17 of 17
3/9/08 at 4:58am
Someone metioned Pal Zileri Sartoriale. I find it a warmer, tad spicier version of Gucci Envy. It's more of a mix between Envy and M7 (light). So if you're looking for Envy's sandalwoodyness with a kick, then Pal Zileri Sartoriale is your guy.
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