Your Touch Santal

#1718 in my “Tour de Fragrance” I’ve been a fan of the “Stronger with You” line since the original release. But just when I think I own them all, they release another flanker, and the differentiation is becoming less and less discernible. SO I may not keep buying. I now also own all the “Your Touch” SWY clones from Maison Alhambra, and if L’Oreal’s Armani label keeps putting out SWY flankers and Maison Alhambra keeps cloning them, I may just cut to the chase and wait for the Alhambra clone and save $100. This clone of SWY “Santal” is like the rest of the line, a solid copy of less potency than the original. I think all the SWY EDP and Parfums are better than moderate performers, and admittedly this is true of none of the Alhambra clones. But you have to accept that clones sold at 1/5th the price of the original will probably not be equal in quality, and if you’re willing to respray midday, who cares? If you used twice as much of this Alhambra clone as you would original “Santal", it still costs half as much. I am one of those guys that doesn’t replace the kitchen appliance till it breaks, no matter how ugly my girlfriend thinks it is, not because I can’t afford to, but because it seems profligate. If I can find scent for $25 that smells like a $135 scent that’s what I will do. After all, capitalism only works if we keep capitalists honest. Good Luck and Good Hunting!

Not glad they added this because it means other people will find out about it :( I've never tried SWY sandalwood, but this is what I imagined it'd be. In short: Incredible, creamiest sandalwood I've ever smelt. No brainer blind by for sandalwood lovers. In long: I bought this and sprayed it for the first time, it was incredible. After a few days of abusing it, it turned on me - a pickle note that I couldn't shake. So I shoved it in a drawer to macerate for a few weeks and Idk if I'm now blind to that note, or if the maceration helped but it certainly removed it. What was left was the best thing I've ever smelt, opening is subtly spicy and warm, but the dry down is something else man. Chestnut and cedar make the sandalwood (which I am normally slightly blind to) really noticeable and creamy, and the vanilla makes it sweet and stops it from being dry. Longevity is incredible on my skin, sillage less so (~3 hr small bubble) but having sprayed in the morning, and putting my nose to it in the evening, it is still a prominent skin scent. Interested to see what other people think of this If the original is just as good, then one day I'll get it, but for <20 quid, I'll keep getting this until I don't like it any more. Already on my 2nd bottle. Opening: 7/10 Dry-down: 11/10 Longevity: 8/10 Sillage: 7/10 (non-offensive)

I think it hits a lot of the points I like from a cool weather fragrance. It’s rich without being cloying, powerful without being offensive, and airy while still having weight. There is enough sweetness to draw attention, but not too much that it will annoy your coworkers, church mates, or the general populous in a restaurant for a night out. Sandalwood may be my very favorite note, but it’s hard to get it just right. That being said, this one doesn’t all-the-way nail it. It’s definitely there, just packaged evenly with the chestnut and vanilla. Ultimately, I like it a lot. I enjoyed wearing it a few times when it was still cold enough, and still after a shower before bed, occasionally. I picked it up for a great price, and would recommend it. The fact that the inspiration is now discontinued should make it even more inviting. 8/10.

Well, I was looking to buy stronger with you sandalwood, but I just couldn't find one in my country. Then I came across this. When you first spray it, the smell is not pleasent, but it quickly develops into a sweet, rich, addictive smell of the classic stronger with you dna, with a milky sandal wood scent. Longevity and Sillage: Great, tried it on my arm at the store, the scent never left my nose during my trip back home. Washed it with soap twice and i can still smell it. For the price, if you like sandal wood, just get it

It’s very good for the price wow! Long lasting as well n it smells very good 90% as the og

Bought it around October last year for an incredibly low 10 EUR price and initially I had an ambivalent relationship with the fragrance. There was an unpleasant, piercing chemical note in the opening that was around in the first 30 mins to an hour before I could really start enjoying the actual notes. It projects very strongly in the first couple of hours and has a nice longevity, so you have to be careful with overspraying as the sweetness can become overbearing if applied heavily. After the 3-hour mark it settles down and becomes a nice personal scent bubble but definitely not a skin scent. I tried it from time to time and found out that the unpleasant opening became less and less present with time and after about 6 months now it's a very nice fragrance that shoots well above its price point. It's definitely got that Stronger With You DNA as it's a clone of the Sandalwood flanker by Armani, the chestnut is there as well as the ambery sweetness, but accompanied by a very nice, creamy cedar and sandalwood accord with hints of vanilla in the drydown. For me it's more like an evening fragrance that is tailored to work well in the colder seasons, however I can wear it for springtime evening events too. It's so cheap that it's blind buy-safe even if you happen to dislike it after. I don't wear it too often, it's more like a special occasion fragrance than a daily signature scent.

It’s a lovely fragrance, I never smelled the SWY OG version but this is amazing for the price. Reminds me of Gri charnel. Smooth creamy sandlewood, is unisex but more male leaning. Paid £13 for it so no complaints. It was a blind buy for me and not disappointed at all

Warm spicy, powdery, nutty character pleasant enough, but this one read younger to me. Feels more suited to a guy in his 20s testing out his first "grown-up" scents than a mature gentleman's rotation. Wearable, not offensive, just not enough depth or maturity in the drydown to hold my attention next to my other sandalwood-adjacent bottles. That's ultimately why it didn't stay in the wardrobe. Not something I'd reach for again at this stage — a fine starter fragrance for someone younger, but I've moved past this lane. I picked it up for $22

The opening is incredibly harsh. An overwhelming, disturbing amount of alcohol. I'm not exaggerating. This has nothing to do with the Stronger With You DNA. Nothing close. I can't compare it to SWY Sandalwood since that one isn't available in Europe, so I have no idea how similar or different it is to that. What I can tell you is this: it's an extreme alcohol bomb. The dry down brings out a bit of sandalwood, but it's nothing special. Definitely not a "wow" fragrance. And again, not close to the SWY family at all. I'm saying all of this straight out of the box. If maceration changes anything, I'll update my review later. But as it stands right now? This is a completely average, forgettable fragrance. I can't give it anything above 5/10. Bottom line: Skip unless you're curious and willing to let it sit for months. I may say it is safe blind buying but most probably you will be disappointed. P.S. A friend of mine has French Avenue Zenith Santal. I'm planning to try that one soon and post a comparison review between Zenith Santal and Your Touch Santal in the coming days.

Smelled like a bad Holiday Candle. The hunt for a good Sandalwood continues...

On my skin: - not long lasting - weird-woody-ish - definitely male leaning