Santal Musc

Got this, slightly damaged packaging, for much cheaper. But the box was still intact, so I think that someone sent it back because they just didn't like it. And what a box! Usually, the boxes that go with Narciso Rodriguez's fragrances are very simple, so I don't necessarely keep them. But this! A chunky gold bar, sort of - just as beautiful as the very bottle! Of course I'll keep it! On display, for sure. First impression: a beautiful true oriental. I could have done without so much cardamom, and rather have more of the ylang-ylang instead. I have some ylang-ylang aroma oil, that I use with my aroma lamp. I do like that voluptous, heady and a bit indolic smell. Now I feel that this seems almost like an oud fragrance, and I think that is due to the cardamom, actually! But it is still loveable for me. It reminds me a bit of Mancera Oud Vanille, which I have and like, but it is very strong and lasts forever. Santal Musc is a lot softer, so that makes it very wearable. Suitable for all times of the year, night and day, I think. It just has to fit the occasion, and your mood. And your clothes, and your surroundings..! ☺ Lovely on it's own, but I also like to layer it with NR For Her edp (gorgeous roses, and extra musc) or Pure Musc For Her. So my conclusion is: love it!! ☺ P.S. This is also very lovely to layer with Chanel no 5 edt, which I think is too weak on its own! They enhance eachother in a really nice way - maybe especially the ylang-ylang? And the powdery feeling... Sprayed this combo on myself quite liberally after shower and clean bedsheets. Went to the bathroom to wash my footcream off of my hands. And when I opened the door to my bedroom again - oh heavenly bliss!! I will sleep so good tonight, I think... PS; a year later: I read my own review again. And I had totally forgot about the lovely combination of Chanel No 5 and this! Must try again, tomorrow, when I don't have any other perfume on. Since last, I have even got a Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere as a gift, so I might even try if that will be as good - or else I will find my No 5 edt again!

As a devoted woods fan, this was a nice find for me. It's very distinctly woody, and very natural smelling, unlike many blatantly synthetic sandalwood fragrances out there these days. Dry woods dominate for the first few hours, then it turns a bit more sweet and, probably, musky too (I can't claim to have much experience with musks, but I'm definitely not getting any of that recognizable cheap musk that a lot of fragrances turn into in later stages, which for me is super important). Season: any, but can act weird on hot days, depending on the wearer, I think. Gender: slightly on the feminine side for me, although definitely works as a unisex scent. Temperament: phlegmatic. Occasion: whenever you're looking to be taken seriously. Work appropriate, has a lot of character while not coming off as showy or attention-seeking at all. I expect many will find it a bit boring to be a going out fragrance; like I said, it's serious rather than exciting in terms of the mood it communicates. Performance: very decent. Doesn't project far, more like a fragrant cocoon around the wearer, but lasts easily 7-8 hours with 2-3 sprays, I can even smell it a bit when I wake up the next day. Sometimes feels like an ever so slight aftertaste of Kenzo's Jungle L'Elephant at this point. A "like" for me, totally deserving of the "love" shelf for sure, but I guess it lacks a certain playful/sexy factor just a bit for my taste.

This baby is CREAMY. I adore this fragrance so much, it’s such an underrated gem. To me it's a perfectly comforting sandalwood. If Santal 33 has the screechy pickle note, this is the complete opposite. When I compare it to S33 I don't mean to say it's a similar in any way, not at all. But what S33 has done is use a very sour and dry type of sandalwood note and amp up that greenness. I do appreciate S33 but I don't enjoy it or that interpretation of sandalwood. People may also bring up This is her by Z&V as a 'creamy' sandalwood. Sorry but not for me! This is her is very peppery and sweet to my nose and kind of cloying. Instead, Santal Musc is smooth (well blended), a little spicy and very classically oriental/middle eastern in many ways. The sandalwood is very real and sophisticated, and the musk almost elongates and creamifies the the wood in perfect harmony. Also, with the popularity of oud the last few years, sandalwood has been forgotten a little bit in the oriental domain. But it’s a wonderful, luxurious base that isn’t celebrated enough. This fragrance does a great job in righting that wrong. It's not for everyone in that some people may not subjectively enjoy these notes and the spicy elements in this frag, firmly Middle Eastern and North African, but personally I love it! So happy to add this to my collection.

Today: Followed a guy around a store, besotted by his scent. I asked him what he was wearing and he told me. An hour later, I was purchasing this intense juice for myself. And for me, it’s decidedly unisex: I loved it on this (male) stranger and I love it on me. When I smelt it on him, it reminded me of Le Labo’s Santal 33 very much—and I don’t mind in the least. I’ve been wearing SJP’s woodsy, cedar mix Stash and NR falls into that camp too. I’m curious to see if anyone else feels that the notes in Le Labo’s Santal 33 are similar to NR—or is it just my nose? Sillage is quite amazing: I was literally walking in the scent stream of this dude. I wasn’t right behind him—that would be weird—I was a good 4 feet away. But NR persisted, and I was hooked. So: let’s see what tomorrow brings. I feel like this is Day 1 of an epic, sexy love affair, the kind that makes you roll into work looking pale, but happy, with bruised lips and that halo of love fatigue all over. Bring it.

Finally got around to giving this frag a full day's wear before it gets too hot. Its pretty strong in the beginning for a NR Musc, but I guess that was the purpose of the Oriental Collection. I cant even fathom the health crisis I would suffer wearing this heavy Musky Woody scent in the heat. By woody, I mean lumberjack wielding a chainsaw battling a mighty sequoia. Thats not a bad thing. I love it, just not for warm weather. In the cooler months, (its still cool on the East Coast USA) Its a warm musky, woody hug, and dries down to a musky, powdery ylang breeze with a cardamom chaser. I heard this collection is limited/ discontinued, But was pretty easy to find on the grey market ( Mercari, Poshmark, etc.)