Yahoo Lifestyle Sandalwood perfumes are equal parts cosy and alluring – here are the best
Much like notes of rose, vanilla and citrus, sandalwood is an indispensable ingredient in a perfumer's arsenal. It's often used as a base note to lend depth and longevity to a scent composition, but it also plays a starring role in many a blockbuster fragrance, with some of the best sandalwood perfumes being loved by A-list celebrities.
What does sandalwood smell like?
Sandalwood trees comes from the genus Santalum and are usually found in India, Australia and New Caledonia. In its pure essential oil form, it smells "woody, sweet, tenacious, a little creamy and with a slight herbal green character," says the perfumer Pia Long.
If oud is rich and animalic, vetiver a little smoky with grapefruit facets, and cedar wood all fresh and resinous, sandalwood is distinguishable by its often milkier, moreish quality. It's the cosiest of the woods, and fragrances with sandalwood often describe themselves as being smooth, cocooning or even skin-like. When done well, they can bring a sense of comfort and sensuality.
How do perfumers use sandalwood?
Notes aren't actually (necessarily) ingredients, explains Long. "Sandalwood may be listed as a note, but that's a description for what the brand hopes you will experience based on the actual ingredients used in the fragrance," she explains.
In other words, perfumers can, "create beautiful sandalwood-like effects using either expensive or even relatively inexpensive synthetic materials that are arguably more readily available without diminishing an over-harvested natural resource," adds Long.
What does sandalwood bring to a fragrance?
"Sandalwood brings warmth to the whole composition and a sexy aura to the drydown – you get an impression of slightly salty and creamy skin, and it brings a longevity to the fragrance's whole structure," says Long.
Depending on the source of the sandalwood note, some may be more green-smelling, others more woody and velvety. According to Long, there are plenty of ways to enhance the beauty of sandalwood, be it through spices, soft florals, violet leaves or milkier notes.
"Sandalwood tends to have a grounding effect on the wearer," she says. "It can help to promote calm and focus while nurturing feelings of harmony."
It was for this very reason that the beauty journalist Kathleen Baird-Murray incorporated sandalwood into her debut fragrance, La Pyae Apothecary Catch Me If I Fall, which was inspired by her family's heritage in Myanmar. "I wanted a sense of feeling held, loved and hugged, which Frank [Voekl, the perfumer] so expertly conveyed with the sandalwood, cedar wood and white musk," she tells Bazaar.
Sandalwood is constantly present around her, too. "It represents a sort of 'coming home' for me," she explains. "I was often offered sandalwood beads, used for meditation, as a gift from relatives, and I'd keep them around the house back in England."
Whether you're after a sandalwood scent that's brimming with warm spices or laced with powdery hints of iris, there truly is something for everyone.
Here, the best sandalwood perfumes according to Bazaar
Santal 33 EDP
The perfumer Frank Voekl is behind many a popular scent (think Glossier You and Le Labo Thé Noir 29) but Santal 33 is now a modern icon in its own right. It's easy to see why: this milky-woody scent wears beautifully and has a cool ruggedness to it. It also smells elevated without feeling overdone or cloying. It's sensuous and sexy in a relaxed, offbeat way.
Accompanying notes: Cardamom, violet, musk
Santal Dan Sha EDT
Don't let the fact that it's an eau de toilette put you off; this perfume packs not only excellent longevity, it also has impressive projection. Inspired by imperial palaces at sunset, this cocooning composition is deliciously warm. A dusting of cardamom lends a spicy yet comforting effect. It's rare that a perfume feels right at a black tie gala, the boardroom, and in a cosy cabin, but Santal Dan Sha somehow just does.
Accompanying notes: Cardamom, bergamot
Santal Austral EDP
The perfumer and brand founder Aurélien Guichard uses milky almond and soft iris to bring balance and depth to the drier side of sandalwood. If you prefer your fragrances without the overdose of creamy sweetness, you'll adore Santal Austral, which wears like a battered leather jacket: timelessly cool.
Accompanying notes: Iris, almond milk
No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil
An ethereal composition that leans into the lush greenery of sandalwood and cedar wood leaves, this scent is serene and mood-lifting, like a flash of early morning sun shining on clean, white sheets. The Bazaar beauty team enjoyed this so much, we gave it an award – and you can try it yourself in the Bazaar Best of the Best Beauty Box.
Accompanying notes: Cedarwood, nutmeg
Desert Dawn EDP
If Gypsy Water brings out the softer, more romantic side of sandalwood, then Desert Dawn is its decadent older sister. It captures the glowing amber tones of sunrise, with a generous dose of rich cardamom and creamy woods, while the unexpected carrot note lends a savoury hint.
Accompanying notes: Cardamom, cedarwood, carrot
Santal Pao Rosa EDP
Rose petals snuggled under olfactory cashmere blankets made of sandalwood, spices and a touch of oud for extra warmth; that's the effect of Guerlain's Santal Pao Rosa. The floral notes appear just enough to give the richer woody undertones a little lift – like a bouquet lit by candlelight.
Accompanying notes: Cardamom, rose
Sandalwood Temple EDP
Sometimes, all one needs is a comforting spritz of fragrance that feels like a second skin and helps ground your spirits after a hectic day. Sandalwood Temple does exactly that. It's polite enough to wear to the office, but feels especially lovely worn with a soft jumper on a night in.
Accompanying notes: Neroli, cedarwood
Atelier des Fleurs Naturelle Santalum EDP
If you find most fragrances to be heady or overstimulating, try Chloé's Atelier de Fleurs range, which highlights a single note (also known as a soliflore in perfume speak) and uses them in an airy, lightweight spritz while maintaining its elegance (a teenage body splash, this is not).
Santalum takes the milky, sweetened woodiness of sandalwood and brings it into the cool outdoor air, dialling down its intensity and removing any sharpness. You're left with a gentle waft of a soft, skin-like scent that doesn't overwhelm the senses.
Catch Me If I Fall EDP
For her first foray into fragrance, the beauty journalist Kathleen Baird-Murray tapped Frank Voekl (the perfumer behind Le Labo's iconic Santal 33) to create Catch Me If I Fall. It's a scent inspired by her family's heritage in Myanmar, done exceptionally well. It captures the sun-dappled days spent in the country, with hints of grounding musks and sandalwood. A 'smiling' composition that guarantees to leave you feeling looked after.
Accompanying notes: Bergamot, green leaves
Marrakech Intense EDP
There is a cool spiciness to this composition, as though you're running in from the cold rain and into a warm, moody church with its woody interiors. Like all Aesop fragrances, there is a rugged, almost utilitarian edge to this perfume, making it feel as much a necessity as a beautiful addition to your dressing table.
Accompanying notes: Cloves, neroli
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