Oud & Santal

Beautiful, blissful sweet lullaby that's much much more nuanced and appetising than just sandalwood and oud. The woods are certainly both there, in authentic but toned-down, well-controlled form; the oud's one of the cleaner-yet-mellower versions, more like gentle spice than stinky barnyard, while the sandalwood's a little shy at first, but blooms later on, with a lovely sweet whisper on the skin that hangs on up to 6h. But there's so much more. I smell vanilla, a whisper of lightly-caramelised sugar and cinnamon, and loads of cardamom too at first, and I wonder whether might be little dabs of some sweeter resin in there as well to keep it all pumping for longer. It's gorgeously smooth, unctuous, luxurious - a definitely really creamy texture. While not smelling of anything foodie (no eggs or milk) it seemed to keep whispering into my ear, through my nose: "Custard. Cuuuuuustarrrd. Don't you want to slurp down some custard? Or what about some creme anglaise? Or swim in a great big bowl of .... custard!... you know you waaaaaant it." I hate sickly gourmands, and this scent is a world away from the kitchen or pantry - but it still makes my mouth water, through its aromatic magic. Unisex perhaps tending slightly femme, classy enough to satisfy the nichiest sandalwood aficionado, with respectable if not amazing longevity (up to 8h on skin) though its lip-smacking opening aura won't project beyond arm's length after a couple of hours. Scary price. Still undeniably DELICIOUS.

Lets start with the drydown. After 10 hrs from applying this perfume, the scent became very common to me. The drydown smells like my grandmother’s head. Old arab ladies especially ladies from the middle of Arabian Peninsula, use something powdered on their hair called “ Rashoosh “ to help strengthen the hair and give it a good smell. The ingredients of the “Rashoosh” are little different within each tribes of arabia. Mainly a mix of dried seamróg، myrtaceae, prunus mahaleb or dried seamróg، myrtaceae and sandalwood. They add ingredients like basil, rose hip, benzoin, christ's thorn jujube, musk and saffron, depending on what was available in the past around the tribe territory. The ladies still keep traditions and uses the same ingredients generation after generation . They also use it to remember passed mothers and grandmothers, kind of honor their legacy. My grandmothers definitely used the sandalwood type of Rashoosh mixed with other herbs so do the Cartier Oud & Santal. The opening is about high quality of Oud. From my experience I can tell that excellent and naturally crafted Oud oil doesn’t last long and doesn’t cause headache when you wear it. If the supplier of the Oud oil or the perfumer wants to make it long lasting he will add chemicals and that what give you headache and sinusitis. I wore this perfume couple of times and everything is perfect, I didn’t feel headache nor sinusitis at all. Thank you for reading this long comment.

I just got my 10 ml decant of this frag. I like the opening, it's nice and the oud accord is not fecal or animalic but well blended with the notes in there. This has a perfect pair of oud and sandalwood as protagonists notes. First minute after opening, it reminds me of a certain fragrance but I still have to remember. Some folks are comparing this to Pasha de Cartier Parfum, one of my current favorites in my collection (of which I also have a back up bottle) but I am not picking a close similarity. If ever, its too minute to my nose but the DNA is there. I also thought initially that this leans more to the feminine side but as I wore it, I realized its not. As this dries down it reveals its beauty. As it continues to grow on me, I would say that this is elegance and sophistication in a bottle. It has a character and personality of its own and its a long lasting fragrance with decent performance and projection. Let me give this nice juice a 9/10 “Let us spread the scents of peace and kindness. The two most beautiful fragrance in the world that will cost you nothing and will get you a totally different kind of compliments” 🙏

I am quite taken with Cartier's《 Les Heures Voyageuses 》, simple yet high-quality compositions featuring mild oud, palatable for Western tastes, complemented by another well-chosen note. Oud & Santal is one of the best. A buttery-smooth, woody creation, the oud here is not too skanky or animalic - instead it is richly woody with a nice musky-amber undertone. Sandalwood, one of my favourite notes, is an inspired addition here, marrying beautifully with the oud. O&S opens with top-notch, natural-smelling dry oud, woody and musky. It is unmistakably oud, but a moderate and muted, not too pungent. Plum is evident from the early stages, adding sweetness that complements the woody-amber base. Creamy sandalwood follows, smooth and rich, complementing the oud to perfection. It becomes powdery as it progresses, but remains pretty consistent. It fades to a powdery, musky sandalwood skin scent, delicious until final fade. Sillage is moderate and longevity is long-lasting. The overall effect is of an elegant, high-quality woody scent, beautiful in its simplicity. Perfectly unisex, this is best worn in autumn/winter. Excellent. 4.5/5.

Very exited to try on a sample I ordered, based on all the rave reviews. While it's not what I expected, I am not disappointed. Oud & Santal checks all the boxes for a mysterious, gothic fragrance, and I am here for it. ❤ My husband said I smell like an Etruscan tomb, or maybe one of those ancient abandoned road-side chapels in southern France, and tbh, he's not wrong. It smells like warm stone, dry earth, old wood, and incense -- but it's also extremely rich. (On my skin, I'm getting absolutely nothing of the dried fruits, nor anything sweet that others mention in their reviews.) This is a fragrance fit for swanky events, smoldering dresses, and hot dates -- but in these Pandemic Times, I'll also be wearing it around the house, loving my own skin.

Mathilde Laurent. What can I say. Absolute genius. If you enjoy the scent of Oud, you'll love this masterful creation. Been spritzing it on neck and heart, then spritzing Mathilde's Pasha de Cartier Parfum Limited-Edition with it's heavenly sandalwood and amber inside of wrists and elbows. Incredible number of inquiries and complements. The depths into manhood she takes you to with her "little jewels" as she calls them is unparalleled. Update: Giving it a touch of Guerlain Habit Rouge will make the ladies swoon gents... Update 2: Should be noted I have the High Perfumery version of this and the packaging is much different than depicted in the header for this incredible parfum. I can only assume product is same.

I've gotten a few small bottles of Cartier and this is the only one I like so far. Very beautiful Sandalwood & Oud. Almost like a single note, there is very little variation in the aroma. But right from the start, soft notes of melty sandalwood and oud spread. Suffice it to say, there is a little sandalwood in front and oud following. And instead of almost no change in fragrance, it clings to the skin very well. I like multifaceted perfumes and I personally don't have a good impression of the brand Cartier. (It just ran into a terrible salesperson) But this scent is so good that it overturns those impressions.

SWEET EMBRACE OF ELEGANCE ______________________________________________________ Rarely have I smelled such a well crafted oud fragrance. From the beginning you sense the oud, but immediately the santal comes forward and takes over - turning it into warm and sweet embrace full of elegance and class. The santal remains the dominant note, but with such a great result, nobody minds. Longevity: - 8/10 Sillage: - 8/10 All in all: 10 out of 10 subjective points -> because it's an incredibly well crafted fragrance - like the sweet embrace of a long lost relative. Madam Laurent, really knows has craft.

Sweet slightly fruity sandalwood and oud. More sandalwood a little fruits and a touch of oud to give you an idea of proportions. On the blotter smelled better than any Cartier I’ve tried. On my skin it got a little sweeter and I perceived less oud and the sandalwood was nowhere in sight. I do love the scent, alas it is for someone luckier than me. Can’t win them all. Retail pricing is insane, I believe this was around $360 for 75ml. Packaging with this line is exceptionally good from flacon to atomizer to magnetic cap everything is spot on.

A sophisticated and understated Oriental gourmand scent that is pleasing, happy and classy. The scent, unlike its name is not about just these two ingredients although they are prominently there. The perfume opens with notes of Assam Oud (no barnyard) and moves to a firmly gourmand heart of plum, caramel and vanilla before settling on the sandalwood bed. This is a unisex perfume with moderate to strong sillage and excellent longevity. For those who prefer luxury without any loudness attached to it. This is quite lovely. Enjoy!

This is a creamy, powdery oud and sandalwood combination, it is a well blended, well rounded scent that isn't a monster of a scent, but it definitely has presence and depth. I adore this simply adore it. It is oriental but cannot be mistaken as a middle eastern fragrance- something about it seems too European, perhaps it is the oud in moderation. Oud lovers might not be satisfied but sandalwood lovers will be more than happy with what this fragrance offers. The price tag however, is not worth my splurging on a full bottle.

My bottle looks different from the picture, a sort of ornate pattern. This is sandalwood and oud, yes, but not as you might know it. The smoothness and blending, just incredible. Beats the pants off Oud Wood, it's thicker, sweeter in the drydown. Creme Anglaise? But not gourmand. I'm not doing it justice, this is an opulent, luxuriant perfume, a privilege to wear. I get good but not great performance, but that suits the style of perfume. Oud & Santal is pricey but worth it. Leans feminine side of unisex. 5/5

A sweet, delicious, creamy, slightly tropical, refined, fruity, dark, fun, versatile sandalwood. This is the least "oud-y" of Les Heures Voyageuses. Quite linear (not a bad thing, IMO). Completely unisex. It is a pure parfum. Sort of a classier take on a Tom Ford profile. Oud & Santal is a sweet, fruity, woody oriental, and reminds me of vintage YSL Opium and Opium Pour Homme. Also a tad of Cartier's La Panthere Edition Soir. Performance is BEAST mode but not obnoxious. A gorgeous perfume. 4/5

This is a sweet and candied oud that is rich, spicy and decadent. Opens a bit heady as your senses try to decipher what is going on, Im guessing oud, sandalwood, cinnamon, osmathus and maybe apricots. Smells way more complex and multi layered than the two notes listed. This is opulent, expensive smelling and worth every penny. Words don't do this justice, so experience this for yourself and you will see what I mean. It's breathtaking.

I don't like oud and I don't like sandalwood, but I was enchanted by the exquisite, creamy opening. The drydown has something "aerial", how Mathilde Laurent might have made wood smell buttery then ethereal, go figure, it takes a genius. Does anyone know if the oud and and sandalwood here are natural? This fragrance makes me think that maybe I don't like synthetic ones.

This luxurious fragrance is one of the most interesting from the Voyageuses line. In my opinion it works best when applied moderately. It's a fragrance for the advanced custumer, because it can radiate a skanky image. It's both stunning and disgusting! Just the way I like it. Oud & Musc is still my favourit from the line, but this one is a close second! 8/10

I bought this fragrance a decade ago in Paris and stuck it in the back of my perfume closet because I didn’t understand it. I was about to declutter it and gave it one last spray. I may be my nose has matured but it is gorgeous. I love it when the weather is hot most. It’s a great alternative to Santal 33.

Unlike others from this range the oud (non-animalic) takes a backseat to a textured and natural smelling sandalwood (similar to the sandalwood seen in pasha edp). There’s also an underlying syrupy sweetness that’s perfectly blended to not overwhelm. Warm, comforting, and easy to wear

The contrast of the smooth sandalwood with the dark and sweet plum + Oud combo makes this a masterpiece. Oud & Santal is polished enough for daily wear, but is also edgy enough for a romantic date night. This juice is signature scent worthy.

Why do people not talk about this more? This is absolutely gorgeous. It is not too animalic, but rather stays smooth and elegant. Absolutely obsessed with it. Pure quality and an instant 10/10. Very happy for this to stay a secret!