Sandalwood

Sandalwood is the heartwood of a slow-growing tree, distilled into a pale, oily essence. The scent is smooth, creamy and softly woody, with a gentle milky sweetness and a hint of warmth. Unlike sharper woods such as cedar, it feels round and quiet. Perfumers use it to give a base body and a skin-like finish, and it combines well with rose, jasmine, vanilla and musk. Natural sandalwood has become scarce, so many perfumes use sandalwood accords or molecules built to recreate its creamy character. Either way, the impression is the same: a calm, polished wood that never shouts.

Sandalwood mostly sits in the base here, where it adds a creamy, rounded warmth that lets the brighter notes settle on skin.

Top note

4 perfumes

Heart note

39 perfumes

Base note

300 perfumes