Sandalvia

This color is one of my favorites. When the Giardino Mirabile Collection was first released, it immediately caught my attention, and I went out and bought this one right away. I didn’t wear it very often at first, but recently I’ve used it for several days in a row, so it finally feels like the right time to write about it. Right after spraying, there’s a noticeable cool sensation. Many people’s first reaction is to think it contains mint, but it doesn’t. That freshness actually comes from sage itself. It has that cool, almost juicy character of crushed leaves, with a hint of camphor and green sap. It isn’t the sweet coolness of mint; it’s slightly bitter, a little grey in tone. In the opening you can also catch a dry incense note and a bit of citrus brightness, but it’s quickly overtaken by the spiciness of cardamom. The heart is my favorite part. Immortelle starts to unfold, and the scent shifts from cool to warm, though that cool edge never fully disappears. It feels like early autumn sunlight hitting a stone surface—the stone is warm, but the air is still cool. The saffron is almost negligible. At first I didn’t understand what the name Sandalvia meant. Later I read an interview and learned that it’s a word the brand created. “Sandal” refers to sandalwood, while “via” comes from the Italian word salvia (sage). Sandalvia = sandalwood + salvia, which perfectly reflects the two central materials of the fragrance: sandalwood and sage. By the drydown, sandalwood appears alongside cedar. The development is very linear. The overall impression is clean and transparent, with no powderiness and no sweetness. There’s nothing about this fragrance that tries to please. It isn’t like some perfumes that cram in layers of notes as if they can’t hold back from expressing themselves. Instead, it feels closer to the idea of leaving space. There’s a sense of distance, but it’s a distance that feels relaxing. I once saw someone comment that it’s “perfect for yoga,” and I tend to agree—it suits any moment of quiet relaxation.

The color of the bottle suits the scent very well. This is a green herbal scent with a dominant note of clary sage. You also can feel the inmortelle, the incense, the sandalwood and the musk. It is somewhat relaxing, it is smooth and well balanced. It feels like if it has a good dose of natural oils. Unisex but leaning masculine. Not a sexy scent, not a clubbing scent. More like a scent to relax at home or to wear to a yoga class.