X Santal

I am in love with this. This is not even close to Santal 33. To my nose it opens with a fresh powdery woody burst that reminds me a bit of Parisian Musc by Premiere Matiere. The similarities stop at the opening act as X Santal deepens with a bit of smoke and waxy yet ethereal woods - I am thinking the waxiness comes from a mix of shea butter and iris. This fragrance really captures the tranquil aspects of sandalwood (versus sharp woodiness) with light smoke wafting in and out and the violet lending a light fresh sweetness that comes and goes. This is completely unisex but made for zen masters or people who love references to meditation. I find it a comforting scent. I am and halfway through my 10ml and sprang for the 100ml.

I love it. I didn't actually think of Santal 33 at first, but then once it was mentioned I see the similarity. However, I think it is distinct enough. For me it is very sophisticated, woody, clean smelling, and not too offensive. I don't get cardamom or vanilla, but some slight spiciness, maybe pepper. Got a compliment from a work colleague, they mentioned they liked the spiciness of it. I received a 10 ml travel size of X Santal, and liked it enough to already buy another two 10 ml backup. Not sure about a full bottle yet. Office safe.

On my skin it’s very, very close to Santal 33, and I say this as a sandalwood fan who’s usually driven slightly crazy by the constant comparisons to Le Labo. But it feels more refined, less leathery, and less aggressive. It stays firmly in the woody territory, with a soft, creamy facet with a hint of The Body Shop’s Shea, which I truly love. I might even buy a FB, I also love the Yves Klein blue-driven visual identity around the fragrance.

In my opinion, Bibbi's scents are very loud and garish. This does not mean that they are not beautiful scents. But often I'm not in the mood for it. The same goes for this perfume. It's loud and scratchy. Bright fresh sandalwood and a creamy fragrance note that I can't place. But the addition of papyrus is the big hero in this perfume. A beautiful perfume, but for me there are few occasions for which I will wear this perfume.

Another santal 33 poorly executed dupe. Unimaginative, boring and abrasive in comparison to the Le Labo. I don't understand this brand fragrances, from everything I've tried nothing is beyond just likeable.