Sånd

So delightful that I'm delighted to be first in - to recommend this one unreservedly to those who like slightly pinkish, slightly sweetish, slightly spiced, gently mellow sandalwood. Linear and simple - maybe even minimalist - and with a beautiful, subtle, suede-like texture (it doesn't smell leathery at all) to it. Some might find it a little TOO simple and with a slightly raw, almost worthy, health-food kind of feel at first, but it wears like a champion. Absolutely no tinge of sweat, excessive green-ness or other pitfalls which can make a sandalwood scent slip up. Not massive or opulent - this is no complex, urbanised art piece of perfumery - just a really wonderful smell. Not the full 'tiger in a jewelled collar' effect you can get from really ultra-luxe spiced sandalwood scents, but a sleek and reassuringly muscular beast all the same. Feels natural and kind and honest throughout and lasts a very respectable 6-8h as a skin scent. Nicely mixed so I can't really identify most of the notes named above - it's more just a big, consistent ball of lovely. (side note: and I was HORRIFIED to read of a banana note! because I loathe banana! but wouldn't have dreamt it was in here, so don't worry if you hate the fruit as much as I do.) Sillage isn't huge but it is truly a private pleasure throughout its life. If you'd like a (far, far, FAR) more organic and botanical-feeling version of Perris Santal du Pacifique or a natural and much much more discreet Xerjoff Shunkoin, you'll love it. I love sandalwood, have tried scores of sandalwood scents, and this one truly does the business. If the extensive marketing blurb about ethical harvesting of ingredients etc etc is true, you can also enjoy it with a clear conscience, and not worry about ruining the world's diminishing natural stock of sandalwood either. Just lovely all round!

Crafted by the perfumer Mark Constantine, the nose behind most of Lush’s fragrances, Sand carries a familiar olfactory signature that fans of the British brand will instantly recognize. That unmistakable Lush DNA (and the notorious performance) is woven into the fabric of this scent. Despite its reputation as a banana fragrance, surprise surprise... Sand contains no banana note in its official composition! The name actually refers to sandalwood, and it’s through a clever interplay of ingredients that a creamy, ripe banana-like accord emerges. This illusion is realistic for the first hour at least, and I think it shows the perfumer’s skill in creating Sand. In my opinion, this fragrance is perfectly balanced unisex. It avoids overt sweetness, leaning instead into a creamy, woody warmth. Talking about performance: - Opening (Hour 0–1): a burst of sandalwood and pepper, creates an immediate impression of banana & brown sugar. The projection is moderate to strong. - Mid (Hour 3): the projection remains moderate, and there’s a fleeting whisper of leather that comes and goes. This is unlisted, so it could be just my perception. - Full drydown (Hour 5): cardamom becomes more noticeable, blending with the lingering sandalwood base. From this point onwards, the evolution is quite linear. Even after eight hours, subtle whiffs of sandalwood persist, especially with movement, forming a gentle scent bubble. I can say that 24 hours after application, on clothes Sand is still perceptible.

Ok, so this does smell of banana, which I never thought I’d like in a fragrance. But it’s actually rather lovely. More like a spiced, toasted gooey banana than a fresh green one. Sweet yet spicy (love cardamom). Juicy and a bit sticky, yet not cloying or sickly. Warm, yet somehow also fresh and slightly medicinally aromatic (benzoin). And an absolutely stunning warm, spicy, woody dry down. Gorgeous. This is like nothing I’ve smelled before. Do I want to smell like this? I’m not sure. But I really enjoy smelling it and will revisit my sample another time to see!

Wow, this is a very unconventional Sandalwood, but it is by far the best I have come across - it is just extraordinary! I absolutely love the banana/ vanilla accords in here, they lift a very homely, comforting wood scent up to a different place entirely! Lots of love for this house! Super strong ethics, and OK, I'm not a fan of big bitter woodies or patchoulli, ('bark' and 'patch', respectively), and 'cake' is terrifyingly sweet, but the rest of them are REALLY really good!! Big recommendation!! - the sample set is a brilliant way in too!

After testing all ånd samples I found they are more on the masculine side for me (still very much appreciate their uniqueness), but there are 2 that stood out for me - Far' and 'Sand'. Sand really reminds me of 'Himalaya' by Lush, with the slightest hint of 'Tank Battle' but sweeter, creamy and rich - seriously a beautiful and unique perfume. It's sweet, dry, powdery, slightly spicy/smokey. It's like eating banana bread in a cosy jumper while burning incense on top of a mountain! Feels like an autumn/winter perfume, day or night.