Santal Austral

I knew this would be a top 5 scent for me from notes alone and I wasn’t wrong. Iris (duh!) and tonka bean are some of my absolute favourites. This is a sweet (but definitely not too sweet), creamy and comforting sandalwood. There’s something vanilla-ish about this as well that many have mentioned but more a vanilla bean than generic or baked, most likely the powdery goodness of iris and sweetness of tonka together. A warm blanket of fragrance on a rainy day and definitely one to go for if your all about skin scents (as in the actual type of scent) but not about the weak projection and longevity that usually comes with them. I wouldn’t say the projection of this one is as good as some MP fragrances (not nuclear) but definitely much better than the average fragrance for sure. HOWEVER THE LONGEVITY holy smokes! I have washed a jumper 3 times and I can still smell this! However unlike say, vanilla powder (which I do still love), I don’t mind this as much as the scent is so comforting and inoffensive. This might be second only to Encens Suave for me in all time favourite fragrances in my collection, not just MP. It is my favourite go-to when I do not know what to wear in the day and just need to throw something on quickly. You can wear this for anything: work, errands, committing an unsolvable murder, lunch, breaking up with your bum boyfriend, etc and just be mildly comforted by the scent and be told you smell great all day. I have two small gripes though. I hate the first 30mins of this, smells like urine, I don’t know why - so i never ever wear this right before going somewhere but i can definitely compromise. Second, i do also agree that at the end of the day, it’s just a sweet sandalwood. I’m sure there are similar ones out there for a fraction of the cost but for me it’s worth it when I consider the longevity and projection. I have dermatitis so finding something as comforting and skin-scent-but-not as this that ACTUALLY LASTS AND PROJECTS is a 1 million chance and means I will continue to buy it for as long as I can.

Sprayed one spray of this on my wrist testing it at Saks and kept getting the most divine whiffs of the most creamy vanilla sandalwood scent. Came onto fragrantica to see what other people thought and was genuinely shocked it seems so many people don't like this one. For me, this fragrance was a love at first sniff. I will say sandalwood is a tricky note for me, I enjoy the scent but it has to be done in a certain way as I am one of those people who is prone to smelling pickles (looking at you santal 33). The only sandalwood I have actually enjoyed thus far is santal complet from fragrance du bois but unfortunately, the longevity of that one is severely lacking. This fragrance is an absolute beast. I sprayed one spray on my wrist and it was radiating on the train ride home, such that my boyfriend was asking me what I sprayed. The tonka bean and almond milk (which is not listed on fragrantica but is on Matiere Premiere's website) absolutely shine in the dry down, but the fact that this is a sandalwood scent prevents this from becoming a boring lactonic vanilla scent. I actually find this scent to be incredibly interesting, I have never smelled a sandalwood that is so creamy and milky, and it complements the tonka and almond milk so well, I really would not think these notes would play so well together. I get a very creamy and sweet scent from this fragrance and I absolutely love it. Clearly, this is not everyone's experience however so definitely try before you buy this one. edit: I had to buy a full bottle and I do not regret it for a second. I could not stop thinking about this scent since I first smelled it on the way home from Saks. I have had to refrain from wearing this every single day to show love to my other scents as I am simply enamored by this scent, and it is perfect for the cooler weather. This may be one of my favorite fragrances of all time

Santal Austral is a fantastic fragrance, very pleasant and well constructed. It perfectly mixes natural and synthetic raw materials creating a great contemporary concoction. For me, it has 2 distinctive phases: 1. Creamy Sandalwood/iris: the opening and first 1h/2h are an absolute delight. The sandalwood is creamy and slightly powdery. It has a soothing, slightly medicinal quality to it. Don’t get me wrong, the projection is strong at that stage, so I recommend letting it air for a few minutes before entering an enclosed space. 2. Resinous/synthetic dry-down: after a couple of hours, the iris goes away and the sandalwood start getting a bit more harsh and the synthetics start playing an important role alongside de benzoin/ambery base. I absolutely love it, but I understand why some people find it too sharp. It surely has a great deal of javanol and anbroxan in it, so If you have a hard time with those, I’d stay clear of this fragrance. Performance-wise, I consider this to be perfect for me. It has good projection, and it gets moderate as it dries down. For that reason it’s not overwhelming or too intrusive. Longevity is insane. It lasts 12+ on skin and literally forever on clothes (like +months if you don’t wash it)

I tried a few from the brand at Scent Bar and loved Encens Suave, Santal Austral and Parisian Musc instantly but I didn’t get them all. I got the full bottle of Parisian Musc immediately because I thought it’s more usable for the warm climate in L.A. but I took the samples of both Santal Austral and Encens Sauve home. I then tried it twice at home from the sample that I’d got. Oh dear, I just cannot forget the delicious smell of it and I had to went back to Scent Bar to get a full bottle of it within 2 weeks. It is totally a different take of sandalwood (I have Santal 33 and it is so different). This is slightly gourmand, creamy lactonic and fluffy take of sandalwood with a modern twist. Very delicious! Performance is very good but not monstrous. Lasts about 9+ hours on skin and moderate projection. It stays closer to skin and very airy so I thought I will try wearing it in summer time and see if it will works but definitely suitable for spring, fall, and winter. I already fell in love with this house because I love the modern and chic style of their scents, not very perfumery. They also have very decent performing fragrances.

Wow what a chameleon this one is! Sampling this with one too many sprays, for me it was an immediate no. I almost exclusively wear unisex fragrances, and am partial to a spritz of male-marketed fragrances, but this to me was TOO masculine. Super sharp, spicy and a little peppery. But I persevered and it was well worth it. Within 30 minutes it mellowed out to a beautiful warm, cozy and sophisticated scent and truly unisex. As someone who usually leans towards fresh, green and sometimes light floral fragrances, I have been struggling to find a cold weather scent that doesn’t contain the typical suspects which tend too sweet or heady - oud, vanilla, bourbon etc. My search might just be over! It is warm and inviting with more of a creaminess, not a sweetness. Comforting and hearty like a fresh hot loaf of bread, not decadent like a fresh baked brownie. Close to the skin, but not a skin scent. Singular but very intriguing. Absolute love.

Very cozy and clean smelling sandalwood scent. Perfectly unisex and easy reach for casual outings and office wear. This is a pretty good likeness to a real sandalwood log. The gentle sweetness from Tonka adds gorgeous depth and coziness to the dry down. The evolution of the scent was different on my skin vs my blouse. It blooms on skin and smells much more natural. This wears drier than Samsara, it’s less vanillic, and has a chalky talc-like smell that feels clean and fresh. I don’t mean soapy or citrusy. I mean like after baby’s had a bath and you’re smelling its soft, sleepy, head with your spouse. I’ve smelled my share of sandalwood classics, and this holds its own because of the reachable price point. I can easily see this being a good summer scent because of that. PS did they make a bad batch or did people get their decants mixed up? The negative reviews can’t possibly be smelling the same beautiful scent I am experiencing 😂

I love this fragrance. Reminds me of the carved sandalwood pieces that I have from my travels. Very unisex. I experience a very warm, powdery, woody opening and a beautiful cardamom that reminds me of a middle eastern dessert. One of the few scents my husband’s fairly blunt nose also picks up and appreciates. I didn’t care for some of the frags from this house, but this one smells wonderful to me. One of those that lasts the whole day and I wake up still smelling a gorgeous cozy scent the next morning. I don’t get any of the burnt plastic stuff some reviews are mentioning. I bought my bottle from fragrancenet and have nothing but good things to say. If I reviewed per my own taste, I would have loved a bit of amber added to it, but I believe the line was created to focus on a single note. If the goal is a sandalwood-focused fragrance, this one gets full points for smell, projection, longevity - 10/10

So .. this is interesting. Got a small decant and was enchanted. Soft, creamy, very slightly sweet but in a fresh way. Clean, comforting, intimate - your skin but better, but w/o the musk that's so prevalent in those scents, which doesn't work on me. Ordered a larger decant from another company (better travel size containers), and while I was waiting for that, found a FB to order. When I received the larger decant, it was synthetic, harsh, acrid, stale. Foul Play-Doh, or burnt rubber. Received my order of the FB, and was beyond relieved that it was like the initial sample. Those two were the same pale color, the travel size decant was a darker yellow. Not sure if the larger decant was from a bottle that had turned, or there is a bad batch out there, but it would explain the polarized reviews. *also great to layer, elevates both fragrances, can't think of a note with which it wouldn't work work.

On paper, it smells almost too dense and thick, but on skin, it's GLORIOUS. The opening is loud (like all the others in the line), with a huge hit of syrupy benzoin and tonka. It quickly starts to mellow and there's a powdery and woody dustiness the appears for about 20 minutes. Then everything melts together. This fragrance is all about the silage! The sent bubble is an incredible clould of into the creamiest, dreamiest sandalwood, but when you put your nose to you skin, you get the powdery iris and woods. This is the perfect mix of naturals and aroma chemicals because the heavier naturals are given lift and feel magical. The performance is stellar. As a woman, I would wear this, but I'm hoping my husband falls in love with Santal Austral because this is sexy as hell.

Santal Austral is one whereby I expect, hope, in fact, to be changing, updating my impressions. This "sandalwood " fragrance came highly recommended. Perhaps my chest cold is to blame, but it seems rather composed of santal-like aroma compounds, rather than any smooth, Samsaraesque qualities. Heard too many good things. Refuse to give up on it so soon. Hoping this will grow to be a love 🤞🤞🤞🤞 ETA: Here we are more than a year later & I am beginning to get it. Finally the iris is poking through. It's becoming less & less of a molecular perfume. It felt quite 'chemically' for the longest times. Now the individual notes/accords are discernible. So glad I did not declutter this one. Be prepared to wait. It takes a looonng time to develop & become worth the cost.

@aur4ora I just came here to write about this phenomenon. Upon initial application I didn't care for it, far too spicy and weirdly soapy. Strange because the notes wouldn't suggest such a smell. An hour later I noticed a beautiful tonka aroma, almost almond-y radiating off of me. Smelled my arm again and the spice is completely gone, it's now a pleasant, slightly vanillic, creamy sandalwood. Drydown reminds me a lot of BDK Velvet Tonka, one of my all-time favourite perfumes. Santal Austral is challenging for me as the beginning and end are drastically different. You'll need to try it on your skin a couple of times, for the entire wear time, before making up your mind. I like the dry-down but I have to test the scent more to form judgment.

i can't justify purchasing this at the moment, but it's been in my head ever since it was recommended to me at a perfume shop in Versailles, after i told the clerk i loved sandalwood. such a warm, cozy, and smooth sandalwood. it's really creamy, with a hint of powder and a little vanillic. the performance on this is insane- lasts days on skin and survived a shower. you can really smell the quality of this scent. strangely, i find the powdery element of this perfume quite similar to the one found in vanilla powder, just dialled back and minus the screechy, dusty, overwhelming dryness that makes me dislike VP. i guess you could layer them if you wanted to create a powder bomb that would last weeks and knock out anyone in a 10 metre radius

Such a beautiful and well blended scent ! From this house I tried Parisian Musc, French Flower, Bois d'Ebene (my least favorite) and Crystal Saffron. It’s creamy, slightly lactonic and slightly spicy sandalwood. Opening is probably my favorite part since my nose pick up something green and minty combined with the creamy sandalwood which is looovely. It’s really weird since there is absolutely no green notes in this perfume. Of course it’s beautiful all the way to drydown. I think it's very versatile scent for every occasion and every outfit. Probably it wont be suitable for summer heat but any other season will be great. Also I think it’s a safe blind bought since it really inoffensive fragrance.

It’s a divine sandalwood, almost like a velvety embrace. The projection and strength feel medium, and to me it’s incredibly versatile a fragrance you can wear to the office or to an event. I even get the vibe of an everyday cologne you can reach for without thinking. The iris definitely adds a slightly vintage touch, but in a very modern, polished way that feels unmistakably Matière Première. It has that velvety, refined sandalwood and the brand’s signature DNA. I’ve been loving it; I even wear it to the gym. Very versatile, very modern — a truly modern take on sandalwood. I really like it. It’s not a masterpiece or a fragrance I couldn’t live without, but I’m enjoying it a lot .

Even though this fragrance has un undeniable chemical vibe its creaminess and sweetness plus the combination with my beloved iris makes it addictive to me. Bordering on being a gourmand even though the scent doesn't evoke something one would eat. Longevity, projection and sillage are great. This is my favourite from the house as a lot of my favourite notes are combined. It isn't a natural smelling sandalwood when comparing S.A. to others but I truly don't care. Only for cold weather, it can be dressed down or up and people around seem to really like it. It is powdery but I wouldn't describe it as a powder bomb.

I really enjoy this - - on me, it's like a female version of Givenchy's Pi, even down to the light bubble-bath aspect (though without the herbs); or it also smells like a more sandalwoody Mon Guerlain, but without the sugar and lavender. The former is more obvious in the dry-down - the latter is more of an impression rather than anything properly tangible. This is much milkier and less sweet - better blended and smooth, and of course it revolves around that creamy sandalwood. A lovely skinscent. Like sandalwood and rice pudding. I don't find it synthetic and harsh in the least - - those comments surprised me.

Almost gourmand sandalwood This is just magical,so smooth yet powerful, can't imagine anyone not liking it. Every note dancing like little fairyes around you, creating the most beautiful imagery and cozy feeling. I get buttery sandalwood, dipped in vanilla almond milk with a touch of iris, it's just superb, longevity is excellent,I can smell it on myself for hours and hours, projection is not too strong but with every move it gives wafts of deliciousness. This is how I imagined This is her from Zadig would smell,but didn't deliver, it's that,elevated by 1000 if you like

I’m obsessed with Santal Austral. Woody fragrances are usually too dry, sharp or green for me, but this is warm, soft, smooth and creamy. I only need one or two sprays and I can smell it on myself all day. Although the longevity is impressive, I find it sits quite close to the skin (I was feeling self-conscious about wearing it at work, but my partner and a colleague both said they could only smell it up close which is my preference). Be wary of spraying on clothes - I could still get whiffs of it on a dress even after it had been through the wash twice!

I love Santal Austral, especially on days when I want something cozy. It’s even perfect at night when I want a calming scent to relax with. The scent has a nice sweetness, and sometimes I use it for layering to add warmth and softness to other perfumes. I do switch it up with other scents so I don’t get tired of it, but Santal Austral is definitely a favorite. Other favorites from Matiere Premiere are Parisian Musc and French Flower, but Santal Austral is the one I reach for the most.

Sandalwood syrup, Unctuous Tonka, Middle eastern ambers and benzoin which last forever. Vanillic without the use of vanilla, an absolute piece of genius, despite the slightly imperfect opening. If you are looking for a comforting and velvety sandalwood butter look no further: Santal austral has a grounding cocooning feeling that gives me warm shivers at the end of every workday. The most mind taming fragrance I own.

I'm not a huge sandalwood person but GOD !!!! Hands down the best sandalwood scent I've ever tried. It's so smooth and creamy, I get a decent dose of that tonka bean.. just beautiful. It's not so much what you smell straight from your wrist or the tester strip but it's the scent bubble, the air, the way it just RADIATES off of you, a true masterpiece. Goes straight to my unrealistic fragrance wishlist

The criticism I heard of Mattiere Premiere is that their creations are too linear and too loud/over the top with the dominant note. But I love that. They are pure realistic and very well done. This is a beautiful sandalwood, and I could swear there's musk in the base, but oh well, I guess tonka bean and bezoin act like a musk on my skin. Love it, and the performance is impressive

I know, taste is subjective, but the people writing reviews about this, have they actually smelled it, worn it on skin? This is an extremely sweet fragrance, but I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever smelled anything sweeter and better. Creed Original Santal, Creed Royal Mayfair and Amouage Sunshine Man — or even Le Labo — are nowhere near this scent in comparison. I LOVE IT.

A creamy, sweet and slightly spicy gorgeous sandalwood. Love it. The iris brings a light feminine touch to it, but I’d still call it unisex. Lovely sillage, an exclusive skin scent. Simply perfect on its own, for any occasion and season. Can’t wait to layer with it to bring a sophisticated depth to other scents too.

Aurelian G. really did a good job on this one! Iris-y sandalwood, powdery and creamy ar the same time , I feel this has character. The sillage and longevity are great. The scent trail is amazing, lots of compliments (and I don't usually get many lol ). If you're a sandalwood lover - get your nose on this.

One of the best Sandalwood and irish combination ,smooth, luxurious, elegant and smell rich perfectly balanced and unisex, another excellent fragrance from the house which is less talked and less ratings which i think should b close to 5 star worth every cent i spend on 5/5 from me.

This works so well on my skin. I am DYING to know what the extrait smells like. Very heavy on the sandlewood, but blended perfectly when it settles. 9/10 for me. Not a safe blind buy. Expensive, yes. But if you can find it on a discount perfume site, well worth it!

Minimalistic but full of nuance. A warm hazy fog, softly kissing the skin and radiating an aura of purity and tranquility in a beautiful harmony of notes. Strong projection without being intense. Very long lasting, extremely versatile. LOVE

I love this perfume! Sandalwood is very prominent note with a sweetness,but not gourmand sweetness.If you like sandalwood perfumes,this is perfect choice!The fragrance for me is good for every season .The performance is very good also!

My favorite note is here -sandalwood. This fragrance is unisex, perfect for the day and office. It is a creamy, cozy and lovely scent. Longevity is great on skin, projection is low - Matière Premiere is a powerful house. Masterpiece.

The previous reviewer nailed it. My thoughts exactly. Very well done. I love the simplicity and purity vibe of this house. Great quality ingredients. Great performance. Highly recommend.

On my skin the sandalwood is just right. Not too loud. A very nice long lasting fragrance which I sometimes layer over Encens Suave body wash and lotion for a deeper woodier experience.

Hmm almost a masculine base dry down. Addictive and interesting. Very cool, androgynous. Slightly sweet woody bit powdery with a masculine leaning base. Would suit many. I like it. 8/10

If you aren't a sandalwood lover, this is not for you. It is a very strong sandalwood and tonka with a touch of floral, but just a touch. I do love it. It is a very warm scent.

Is this a sandalwood bomb? Maybe. But a beautiful one. Ambery and iris notes compliment the sandalwood so gracefully, this is high on the list of my likes.

This is delightful and unisex leaning feminine to my nose. It makes me want to crawl into the bottle for the safest, softest slumber ever.

this fragrance is just so beautiful , its an all year fragrance beautiful powdery sandalwood , just stunning!

This perfume is really intoxicating —most softly and deliciously —and it's a solid statement.

To Aurelien Guichard - we deserve a Parfum/Extrait de Parfum version of this.

It’s rather lovely spicy sandalwood, quite unique.

I love it, my second favourite by Matiere.

you guys know any dupe for this ?

Upon dry down, lovely. But........it took a while to get there. I know that every perfume has aroma chemicals, fact of life if you buy anything other than avowed complete naturals. So I'm not being facetious when I say that I do think this one went a little overboard on the javanol or whatever they used to accentuate the sandalwood. I don't think it's iso e super, that one causes me breathing troubles and I didn't notice that issue at all. But what I did notice and notice a lot, was spicy, earthy Australian sandalwood to the nth degree. The kicker is ~ the next day, on my clothing, was the most gorgeous waft of powdery spiced wood. On my skin, not so much. Perfumes are so different for so many people, having choices is a wonderful thing. Funny thing is, my son (college age) smelled it when I sprayed the first time and fell like a ton of bricks. This wasn't me, but on him ~ wowza. A huge thank you to the generous Fragrantica member who gifted me with a large enough decant that my son is in heaven. Of the three you gave, two are on my spreadsheet🙃

I first tried this a year ago― on first whiff, I got baby powder or Nordstrom, but not in a bad way. I was curious how it would dry down, and found it smelled good on my skin, if not a little bit bright or overly feminine for my vibe. I tried it again yesterday, and this is truly a gorgeous sandalwood. It is the opposite of green or fresh, in the way Tam Dao and Santal 33 are, and instead is a classic warm/dry/creamy/buttery sandalwood (which is the kind I much prefer). It feels like a crowd-pleaser, I don't know how someone could dislike this. As it sat on my skin, it grew a tiny bit soapy (which I don't like) and also became so warm that it almost read as gourmand-adjacent? I tried to imagine a setting where I'd wear this, and ultimately decided it's a little too traditional, lacking evolution or tension or journey which is what makes a good fragrance great, to me. I'm intrigued about how this might layer with other fragrances...

I see a lot of common points with Bois d'Ebene something that I find strange for a series of like 6 fragrances, a very similar overwhelmingly powdery iris vibe, dense, a bit sweeter in the dry down, slightly bright but also very smooth with monstrous longevity, 12h+. It is not as smoky or dense as Bois d'Ebene, as there is none of that meaty guaiac wood, but if I were to compare the dry downs and ignore smokiness there certainly is a striking similarity, likely because both contain a similar sandalwood note. Unlike Bois d'Ebene, I don't dislike this one, I am generally not a big fan of this single accord, super dense style of the line, but sandalwood is one of those notes that is substantial and pleasing enough to enjoy on it's own without longing for a more traditional note pyramid. Definitely one of the better offerings from this house together with Cedrat and Encens Suave.

Great scent. I agree with the reviewers who say that it's creamy, fluffy and enveloping, but also with those who say it's screechy and synthetic: it really is both. The latter is something that goes away as the perfume settles, but is still too much for me to wear this all the time or consider a full bottle, although the perfume is admittedly very well-made and rounded. I always react sharply to this aspect of perfumes, though (like some people do to white florals, musks or patchouli), so if it isn't something that usually bothers you, I think you'll find this delightful. I find it to be most enjoyable when I smell it on clothes it was sprayed on a few days ago. On paper or after the initial application it is near-unpleasant, in my opinion. Also, fellow migraine sufferers, careful with this one and definitely test it out before purchasing.

When smelling the nozzle - gorgeous dusty creamy sandalwood. When sprayed on my skin - spicy, resinous, amber, and after ten mins or so you get a spicy wood that is very slightly sandalwood. But more spice than wood. Very strange. I’m guessing the sandalwood will come back out in the drydown..... So far I don’t find this more feminine than Santal complete, in fact I find it hard to compare them as they are quite different fragrances altogether. This has lots of benzoin, more than the votes would suggest. If you don’t like that spicy almost camphor type scent then this is one to avoid, it’s not a subtle hint, it’s strong.

ادغامی زیبا از روایح گُلی،پودری،رِزینی و چوبی که محصول ای جذاب و راحت پوش ای رو ارائه کرده صندل با فرم پودری،خامه ای و کمی اسپایسی_زنبق پودری،کمی تلخ و گُلی_تونکا با فضایی خاکی،شیرین و گرما بخش(گاهی تنباکویی!!)_رزین ها با اجرایی شکننده،کریستالی و پودری که علاوه بر شیرینی و گرما،یک صیقل ای به لبه های عطر می زنه و اون رو کاملا مخملی و مهربون می کنه برای من در لحظاتی یک وایب جیر مانند داشت که مدام پیدا و پنهان می شد مجموعا عطری خوش ساخت و خوش بو است که قیمت بالایی داره و توقع من رو از نظر پخش و ماندگاری برآورده نکرد ************** scent:8/10 longevity:7.5/10 sillage:6/10 purchase value:3/10 ******** overall:6.1/10

Initially tested this blind, I took my little sample on vacation as well with some others. It opens up soft and woody with an air of dryness. It isn't trying to make a big statement unless you overdo it. Looking at the notes, I expected something other than iris and tonka bean, but they seem nicely situated with the sandalwood. It's soft, aromatic, and woodsy, leaning ever so slightly masculine. I find it more "dry", "dusty", and yes admittedly "creamy" rather than "powdery". It's hard not to like and appreciate, but a massive personality or distinctive it is not.

This is a creamy iris sandalwood bomb. There is almond milk in here which isn’t listed here. This is sensual, comforting and cocooning. It evokes the feeling of being loved up, I need this bottle cause this makes me feel so good. My skin warms it up and it gets sweet and salty giving it a toasty nuance, something like toasted almonds. I used to not like sandalwood but got into it because of Santal 33, which is quite fresh and woody (the pickle vibe) but Santal Austral is way different it almost goes into gourmand territory. I’m putting this in my wish list.