Ingredients · Woods · dry-down

Sandalwood oil (East Indian)

Creamy, milky, soft woody warmth with a buttery, faintly rosy, incense-like glow.

What it is

Natural oil from heartwood and roots of Santalum album.

Where it comes from

India, Sri Lanka, Australian plantations

When you smell it

Dry-down: hours later.

What perfumers do with it

Rich, long-lasting base that softens and fixes florals and spices; the benchmark every synthetic sandalwood imitates.

Worth knowing

Sandalwood is a root parasite: young trees tap the roots of neighbouring plants to help themselves grow.

Known in

Samsara (Guerlain, 1989); Bois des Îles (Chanel, 1926)

Also called

Santalum album; Mysore sandalwood; santal; chandan

On the label of 12 of the 232 perfumes read so far

ShalimarGuerlain · printed “Santalum album (sandalwood) oil”Bleu de ChanelChanel · printed “Santalum album oil”Coco MademoiselleChanel · printed “Santalum album oil”Side EffectInitio · printed “Santalum album (sandalwood) oil”Addictive VibrationInitio · printed “Santalum album (sandalwood) oil”Opus XVI TimberAmouage · printed “Santalum album oil”

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Named by the house, not on the label, in 58

Musk TherapyInitio · “White Sandalwood”Interlude ManAmouage · “Sandalwood”GuidanceAmouage · “Sandalwood”Reflection ManAmouage · “Sandalwood”RehabInitio · “Sandalwood”Blessed BarakaInitio · “Sandalwood”

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