Ambre & Santal

I was pleasantly surprised to find this fragrance at L'Occitane while I was on vacation in steamy Florida looking for something with labdanum in it. I mentioned the discontinued Labdanum to the sales associate who knew what i was talking about! He then suggested Amber&Santal. I didn't expect much but was I pleasantly surprised! I was immediately impressed by the initial blast of amber that was not too sweet. The fragrance had an airy quality to it which I think was due to a touch of rosemary. The drydown was just as good as the sandalwood lasts and lasts(going on 17 hrs now) as a skin scent. Dont know if its synthetic or not but the sandalwood smells very good as well. Very impressed with the way this is working out in the summer too as I go with one or two sprays on the hands and I get my fix all day. I usually cant wear Ambers in the summer but this one has the right combination of ingredients for this purpose on my skin. I dont know how this compares to the discontinued Ambre but I like it better than the discontinued Labdanum (it certainly has more longevity than that one). It's an easy fragrance to like as it probably won't offend anyone. It's definitely one of my favorite ambers at the moment.

I tried this one by chance while waiting for my mother to chose a lotion for herself - and fell in love with it! Got the body lotion and shower gel for Christmas and have only used teeny weeny drops of the body lotion so far because I would not want to empty the bottles. Stupid, I know. I purchased L de Lolita Lempicka and Kenzo Amour recently, which are a little bit similar since both are warm, sweet, vanillary fragrances, with more spice and lemon in L. In addition I still own some Lush Vanillary, which also nicely features tonka and vanilla, yet I can barely keep my fingers off this one. It is more grown up, more sensual, still very creamy but not as girly or sweet. It reminds me of sitting in front of a fireplace with a drink I would not usually have, Bourbon perhaps? It also sticks onto my skin like nothing else. I've had it clinging for more than 24h, and then it might have stayed longer had I not taken a shower. Aw, crap, spring is on the porch and all I get are winter scents, but I can't get this one out of my head.

Starts out light and works it's way up to a long lasting beautiful scent. At first spritz you could be mistaken as it being weak but after ten minutes it thicken up and on my skin lasts twelve hours, I'm not exaggerating. I am seeing a few reviews saying it only last a few hours so I'm not sure why that happens but I thought it best I share my experience. I've worn this three times from a sample, the sample has run out today so the next time I wear it will be from a bottle I recently purchased and I'll report back to how the performance goes. As for the smell, Oh baby it's gorgeous! so smooth, sweet, ambery, vaillary, sandalwood. It kinda reminds if I mixed 1 part Ambre fetiche with 3 part Samsara. If you see a bottle, Grab it fast as this beauty is discontinued. ❤ I love it so much I have two bottles. Like the review below, I also wear this one to bed, It is so beautiful and comforting to drift off to sleep and wake up to.

This soft fragrance brings a cozy and warm feeling, which amber fragrance suppose to bring. The fragrance is amazingly long-lasting. From the other hand, it lacks shadows. This perfume doesn't develop, which makes it safe and disappointing at the same time. I enjoy sandalwood-amber combination (that's why I purchased this perfume), but it doesn't have a special character. This L'Occitane fragrance perfectly fits the contemporary concept of plain perfumes, which are supposed to be just a safe attachment to the images of their owners. This L''Occitane series is for the everyday use.

Scrumptious sandalwood from the same faux forest as Crabtree & Evelyn Indian Sandalwood and Geo F Trumper Sandalwood Cologne. And, one strongly suspects, Floris Santal, Tom Ford Santal Blush, and the entire Creed line though, in this instance, uncomplicated by pretence - or anything else - and with the dial set to eleven. I'm left with a question and an observation: Could this render the man who wears it irresistible? To me, Ambre & Santal is an Erin sweater, Golden Retriever, and long walk on the beach in a bottle. But then I've always been partial to gingerbread men.