Makassar (Bois de Santal)

Bois de Santal by Keiko Mecheri is a blush colored negligee. There is something about it that says skin and sex. Much like the reviewers below me I am mixed in the notes I am picking up on. I think my sample had more rose than the bottle I bought which is more sandalwood, ambergris and tonka bean. Yes, the sandalwood does smell rather synthetic – but I am wondering if it is because of the way it blends with the rubbery musk-like smell of tonka bean and the salty ambergris? Tonka bean and I usually do not get along, so it is no surprise that I once again dislike it in this fragrance. In Bois de Santal it has a human-flesh, sweaty, heat-of-the-moment vibe...yet weirdly enough smells like play-doh...if it were made for adults. I too find the opening unpleasant, but the men in my life seem to really like it and I have already received three compliments – one being from a complete stranger who walked passed me in a store, stopped, and then turned around to say “You smell really good!”. The sillage and longevity must be pretty good, radiating about three feet and lasting a good six hours on me. As much as I sound like a hater when it comes to this fragrance (damn you tonka bean!), I actually really enjoy the dry down and it is excellent for those certain promiscuous situations *wink, wink*.

One of my favorite fragrances. A bit smoky but light and smooth sandalwood. Soft and a bit powdery rose. Balsamic accords. It's not a 'loud' scent, but delicious and quite sensual. I mostly get an evening feeling from it, but because it's very mellow and calm, it doesn't seem 'out of place' at the office or at other day time chores. And I feel like the fragrance has a number of different 'faces': Sometimes I mostly get smooth delicate sandalwood, some days it is more balsamic and smoky, while other times, the soft, powdery rose is more prominent - while offering whiffs of spicy-salty ambergris. Never boring! Edit: I agree with Eos' husband (in her review above) - I love the opening! (But it's interesting how we perceive smells differently - because I don't smell anything rotten or bad: To my nose, it seems like the ambergris may play a larger role in this phase - but whatever it is, I think it is great!) So no, it seems like it wouldn't be a safe blind buy then (also because it's an expensive fragrance)... Edit 2: Other reviewers have mentioned osmanthus. Some days I smell that too - like today: a delicate, sweet and fruity accord in the opening of the fragrance. Followed by smoky, rosy sandalwood.

I saw a beautiful girl walk directly toward this perfume, doused herself in it and walked away. Naturally I was intrigued, and sprayed my wrist. At first sniff it came off as a generic “perfume scent”, the smell of the cosmetics section of a department store. A pretty, light, floral scent. As it dried down however, I got to experience the magic this holds. The creamy tonka bean and dry sandal wood makes for a unisex and intriguing scent. Very mysterious and deep. The ambergris note adds a salty animalic flavor, which makes it reminiscent of beautiful smelling skin after sex. It’s salty sweaty, not stinky sweaty - in the best way possible. The rose adds a touch of femininity. This is sensuality in a bottle, I can’t stop smelling my wrist. 6 hours of wear time in, it’s still very much present, and I hope I can smell it still when I wake up in the morning, it’s that good. I want to be her, and so I’m going to purchase this the next time I’m back in the store!

Bois de Santal starts out with a strange 'off' note, that I could only call 'eau du jungle' ---almost like the smell of warm, limpid, half-fermented flower petals and fruits. For me this is a bit unpleasant. This opening is tart and sweet, floral and fruity, stewed and warm with an undeniable edge of rot that I find disturbing. My husband, however, loved this opening and thought it was "beautiful!" As it dries down it transitions to a very natural smelling facsimile of Mysore sandalwood. Not the real thing but close-ish. ***Given that the real thing is so hard to come by these days, I would highly recommend you sample this fragrance for this drydown*** (as long as you can stand the first 45 minutes of wear). This is NOT a safe blind buy. ETA: Please scroll down to Elisa S's lovely review below, she has provided a good counterpoint to my interpretation of the scent. :)

Bois de Santal is such a chameleon. On first test I got such a beautiful rich sandalwood evocative of the Indian species -- nutty, resinous, and sensual. On second, third and fourth testing I am met first with roses, beautiful and clear, then warming with soft wood and benzoin resin, a little warm ambergris in the base to give some fleshy body. It's a stunning rose perfume, polite, elegant, natural and inviting. When it plays with rose dominance, it reminds me a lot of SHL 777 Rose de Petra which I already own. Sandalwood dominance is what I was looking for. I do love how this is elusive and temperamental -- I really appreciate perfumes with character. However the sandalwood I'm craving keeps playing hide and seek. This is not reliable enough to be my sandalwood perfume but I highly recommend Bois de Santal for lovers of soft woody rose.