White Sandalwood

i stomped determinedly into sephora and went straight for the new NEST scents. i had one thing on my mind and that was SMELLIN! i take my smellin' very seriously folks, haha. each fragrance comes in insanely gorgeous glass bottles and they all smelled divinely different and intoxicating. white sandalwood gave me pause. i seriously think i may have actually SWOONED!! it was warmth and sweet romantic whispers in your ear... it was exotic, woody and a perfect balance of sandalwood and almonds. my god i thought i was going to cry when i found out the store didn't have anymore $25 rollerballs left because (real talk) $65 for a full sized bottle is not my jam. baby girl has got to eat, am i right? after huffing them all and hogging the perfume wall for a good half hour, i actually decided i wanted small sizes of them all. so the bargain shopper in me raced home, went to sephora online and purchased all 5 in a lovely Eau de Parfum Coffret for $38, such a deal!!! YOU'RE WELCOME!!

I was very curious as to why the coffer I purchased had one "male" fragrance in it along with all the rest of the very clearly feminine scents. Dabbing this on I understand why. They may market this to men but this smells like an incense stick that has not been lit sitting in a kitchen while someone hand molds marzipan. I smell warm almond sugar dough and a hint of that incense. Its not unpleasant at all and nothing remotely says "man" about this to me. The dry down had a slight herby-spiced smell that MIGHT come off as manly but mostly this smells like a kitchen that a hippie who likes sandalwood and incense uses. I would like this much better as a home fragrance candle than a perfume.

If this were a candle or room spray I would totally buy it! Otherwise, it is a for me only scent. Allow me to explain... First we open with a shot of almond extract, sweet and creamy, followed by a delightful incense that reminds me of Chinese fans and rich embroidered silks in bold jewel tones in a tea parlor. I feel like I've had paper scented with the same smell. Great for ambiance or meditation, I'd wear this to be transported to a special place. Highly recommend for the ladies too.

Another lovely Frangrantican sent me a sample in a swap. I LOVE it! It's delicious bitter almond note strongly reminds me Hypnotic Poison, which I adore. It's Hypnotic Poison sans the heavy vanilla making it just masculine enough to pass for unisex. Mixed with the woody sandalwood and subtle hint of spice this is sheer perfection to me!

This is Hypnotic Poison without the playdough vanilla note--it's all about the sandalwood and almond. I have a hard time with the idea of it being for men, but that's OK, because he is NOT getting his hands on it. It's probably my favorite of the Nest line.

I come here all the time to take an in depth look at notes and reviews before I even buy so much as a sample of something - because of my fragrance sensitivities...however I went ahead and bought a mini rollerball of this fragrance on ebay because I love Nest fragrances and love sandlewood so I figured how could I go wrong?? When I came here just for the fun of it and I read some of these horrible reviews, I was literally afraid to go home and try it out! I mean, people talking about scrubbing this off of their skin and they couldn't take the stench ... I was horrified and thought I'd wasted my money. Well, all I can say is that it's really true what they say: One man's trash is another man's treasure. It taught me a lesson about reading reviews and making my decisions based on them. I'll stick to testing them through samples and read the reviews for fun only! This fragrance is very tranquil in my honest opinion. Someone said it's what a hippie would smell like if patchouli didn't exist and I agree! I didn't smell any chemicals or horrifying toxic odors AT ALL. What I smelled was an overabundance of almonds which I have always loved the smell of. I do get some spice and some sandlewood but I would say the fragrance is mainy comprised, to my nose, of soft florals and almond. If you want to try something, ANYTHING in life...go for it. Don't let anyone sway you from what you want to experience :p

I liked this, and I can understand the comparison to the far more pricey Bois Farine, although they are definitely not the same thing. But they both smell white and woody. White Sandalwood smells very woody, a bit sweet and musky. It is an androgynous scent. Sillage is fantastic--strong like Midnight Fleur, so I give it 5 gold stars for that alone. Perfumes these days are so anemic. I was very surprised to see almond the notes, as I did not detect any. I did not find the perfume nutty at all. My honest opinion is that some people give this perfume a bad wrap because it is tied to a home fragrance company. If that were not the case, I think niche-mongers would be singing its praises. I am quite the niche lover myself, and I would choose this perfume over dull Tam Dao or chemical-smelling Sacred Wood By Killian.

First off- this smells NOTHING like Boucheron Santal de Kandy; Im smelling both of them side-by-side (at time of writing this). Nest White Sandalwood starts off all chemicals especially the almond which is that kind of marzipany almond cherry scent. As the scent moves on all the notes combine together to create a kind of metallic honey accord. At this metallic honey stage the synthetics start to fade and the fragrance becomes more enjoyable. It, also starts to soften and become more cozy. The spicy notes are very tame. Unisex. Since I mentioned Boucheron Santal de Kandy- that is a sourish spicy sandalwood scent that does not feature that almond cherry note that is prevalent here in Nest white sandalwood. Also, Santal leans more masculine, drier, and less sweet. Two different fragrances IMO.

When I wore this today, someone thought I had on Coco Chanel because—as they explained—it smelled so expensive and it projected all the good qualities of Coco. I don’t smell Coco in this, but it definitely smells more expensive than it is. I love sandalwood and it is the star here combining both White Indian and Australian sandalwood. I do not detect any spices, Mimosa, Acacia Blossom, or cedar. What I get, on my skin, is beautiful, strong, sandalwood with creamy, slightly sweet almonds. If there is any musk involved it is clean skin musk. This is a definite winner in my opinion, it reacts very well with my chemistry and I couldn’t be happier with the longevity.

Hmm. Totally not as horrible as I had feared it might be after reading some pretty scary reviews. I will say it does have a slightly metallic, milky edge. Don't take this the wrong way, but it smells a bit like blood. Blood and almonds. I personally do not smell much spice at all. I do concur with those who've said the opening is super synthetic. Smells a bit bleach-y. Actually, ok, and this is worse than smelling like blood, the opening is similar to Secretions Magnifiques. I'm really digging a hole here. I still think it's alright. Not sure if I want it, but I'm ok with it.

I found this scent unexpectedly pleasant. When I smelled it on a tester strip at the mall, I thought it was horrendous. But I bought is as part of a discovery kit. When I rolled it into my skin at home, it didn't smell anything like the store. It had a hint of dry woody accord, with the barest hint of spice. It strikes me as what hippie would be like if patchouli and sage didn't exist. Very grounded. It smells best after the drydown, which probably takes around 30 minutes. Until then, it's a little sharp and mothball-y. Afterwards, it becomes a mild wood scent.

At first spray i was like oh this is quite different, creamy coconut with sandalwood and spice. But as it dried I was shocked at how much it changed, it went weird in a good way. Black pepper became so much stronger and the sweetness subsided. The creamy coconut stayed along with powdery sandalwood and combined with the spice it becomes a little musty/dirty smelling but i love it. I think its unisex with the dry down being more on the masculine side.

My high expectations were not met. I find the opening too synthetic and the almond is not smooth but very dominant and quite shrill caused by the spices. The synthetic vibe became less so in 2 hours, but left a lasting impression in my mind. Sillage ok, longevity about 6 hours. Just nice, not FB worthy. 5/10 EDIT 28th of August: In summer WS is much much better, not synthetic at all!! 7/10

I got a sample of this perfume from Sephora. I applied it this morning and really enjoy the scent. I didn't realize until reading the fragrantica page that it is for men! Definately a great unisex scent, especially for the woman who doesn't like to apply very sweet and classicaly "feminine" scents. I feel like it might be too sweet for men though.

I tried this today at a friend's house and was suprised at how much coconut I smelled here. It's the prevalent note on my skin. I'm shocked to see that it's not listed. It's reminiscent of Laura Mercier's Almond Coconut.

Yup. Hypnotic Poison on me!!! Lovely but way too similar!

I don't know what went wrong. White Sandalwood is full of notes I love and which love me back. Sandalwood, almond, white musk, and saffron (not general "spices", as listed above). If there is any delicate golden saffron in here, it's absolutely drowned out by a dark synthetic sandalwood and a husky musk note. Regular musk, I can't smell any clean white musk in here. I guess the almond is there too, but it's a dry almond, certainly not creamy. Overall, I get the impression of an inexpensive unlit stick of sandalwood-scented incense. I expected deep, creamy, smooth, woody, and exotically spicy. I got rough, husky, a little skanky, and jarringly synthetic. I am overall very unimpressed with Nest. For the prices they ask, there is no good reason to use so many terrible synthetic ingredients. I really want to like the company because they have great customer service and they generously sent me samples of all 5 of their fragrances. The only one I've really liked so far is Midnight Fleur, and Amazon Lily is "nice", I don't think they're special enough to justify Nest's pricing. If you're considering any of the Nest fragrances, I cannot recommend enough against blind-buying: sample first!

Oh. My. Gosh. Like Jedimermaid, I had an immediate, visceral, negative reaction to this fragrance. There was a sharp, synthetic smell that lodged itself in my nostrils. I sampled this in Sephora and was immediately running around the store trying to find whatever products I could to get it off (soaked the back of my hand in an alcohol-soaked tissue, then used the Fresh oil cleanser, in case anyone was wondering; that did the trick). I usually don't review fragrances that I haven't been able to spend some time with, but my reaction to this was just SO intense, I felt compelled to share my experience. I had to make sure I wasn't alone-- and it seems as though I am not. I understand that not every fragrance will appeal to me, but this was beyond being a scent I did not care for. It smelled wrong. It smelled like something that should have a warning about using only in well-ventilated areas. The crazy thing is that when I smelled the spray nozzle, it was creamy and soft; I got mostly musk and floral with a hint of sandalwood. That, unfortunately, did not translate onto the skin.

I am currently wearing this. Nest tried hard to make it smell like sandalwood but it failed. Unfortunately majority of the time it smells like the interiors of an empty cabinet when it is opened.At times it smells like cardboard box too. I also detect a strong balsamic top note when I apply which when dries down, a hint of it still lingers on alongside. At times, the balsamic note and the empty cabinet/cardboard note clashes and give rise to a smell of scrapped of wood (If you've ever seen woodworking) in a synthetic way. Edit: After writing this review I notice that couple of reviewers here have mentioned it smells like Hypnotic poison. In a way I feel yes and no both because While in colder months, HP brings out its true smell, however during summer HP smells like cardboard box with a hint of sweetness. And this perfume also has that same note that can be smelt in brief moments but mostly smells of a scrapped wood to me.

I agree with RedHeartSunglasses... First of all, this scent is quite unisex to me, not necessarily something I would think of as "for men". Second of all, I agree this smells horribly synthetic, and the sandalwood is not a rich, spicy, sexy sandalwood. It's more of a popsicle stick wood smell. The initial spray yields a blast of this popsicle stick note as well as a huge dose of synthetic almond. To compare this scent to HP would be blasphemy, although I do understand the resemblance. The almonds are slightly creamy but also slightly bitter at the same time. The musk is just kind of there, but doesn't do much for this scent. I REALLY enjoyed Midnight Fleur so I was excited about this, but honestly, it's dreadful. It smells so synthetic that I really don't think there is even one natural component in this entire perfume. It's also too sweet, imo, especially for a male fragrance. Try before you buy!

This is very faint on me. It smells a little spicy, which I like. The sandalwood and almonds are also noticeable. It smells like an unidentified soda pop to me. Not necessarily sweet, but fizzy and spicy. One man told me I smell like licorice. I don't see this as a “man's scent,” a woman could easily wear this. I don't even understand the reasoning behind labeling it “for men;” although certainly men could wear it if they wanted to. I completely agree with Neosmiaphyte when she says: “Then it opened into what I can only describe as certs in the bottom of my mom's purse. I don't know if it was wintergreen or spearmint, but the spices worked with the almonds to create something new and cool.” That is accurate.

This really is a lot like Hypnotic Poison. I was hoping for something woodier and spicier, but it's mainly just that powdery vanilla/almond/heliotrope thing that HP has, with a little bit of buttery/coconutty sandalwood underneath, the sandalwood aspect is pretty subtle. With all the musky vanilla it's much more powdery than creamy, I can see it getting pretty overwhelming if it's oversprayed. Definitely not what I expected. However, if you're looking for a simpler, more vanilla and less herbal/floral version of Hypnotic Poison, it's probably a safe bet, it doesn't have the weird herbal root beer thing that HP does.

I received this fragrance in the Eau de Parfume coffret from Sephora. Of the five, this is my least favorite. I usually enjoy those fragrances that ride the line between unisex and men's, but this is slightly too abrasive for my tastes. I like the almond, but there's something else in this fragrance that is...off? After reading some of the other reviews, I understand where people smell the metallic/bloody note. Overall, the coffret was still a good buy. Loving 4 out of 5 fragrances is pretty good in my book!

I had NO idea this was created as a men's fragrance! Definitely unisex. That said, I have such a hard time with White Sandalwood. I bought it because I love sandalwood, but this isn't really an overwhelming woody scent. There's a lot of almond, I get coconut - even though it isn't listed. Very creamy, tamped down and not spicy like I think sandalwood should be. I keep trying it in different temperatures and conditions with the hopes that I'll find the right setting to make it work for me.

Not entirely masculine, androgynous at best. White Sandalwood opens with a blast that smells like the synthetic base of a lot of Tokyo Milk perfumes (especially Bulletproof and Marine Sel) -- a bit figgy, rubbery, not my favorite. No sandalwood, not even wood. There's a good dose of cherry-almond here, very synthetic smelling also, a bit cough-syrupy. Combined with musk it's rather unappealing which is too bad because the packaging is so pretty.

I have to disagree with the review below which compares this to Hypnotic Poison. This bears no resemblance, unless maybe one were to mix HP with Secretions Magnifiques - and then throw in a few rotting fish. The longevity is, well, longer than that of any fragrance I've ever smelled in my life.

Typically these spicy, warm, cozy notes are my absolute favorite but this scent is such a fail. On me I get an overwhelming hairspray mixed with that cheap pink bathroom soap, baby lotion, and diapers. It’s heavy and syrupy strangely while being very astringent at the same time. Yuck.

I tried it on because I have a sample. I don't like it on me, and I had to wash it off. Gave it to my husband to see if he likes it better. It's veeeery almond. ETA: My husband hates it too. ETA again: I gave it to a coworker. She loves it, and it smells very nice on her. Go figure.

While I really found this to be quite disgusting on my skin, I am so thankful that I got to discover how great almond scents are via this particular disaster. On me, it was just dusty, chokingly astringent sandalwood and then some smooth, lush almond which just did not vibe at all.

The worst fragrance I have ever worn. I have never "scrubbed" a scent before, but this one had to be washed off immediately. Synthetic and sharp. Like dollar store dish soap. I smell exactly zero of the notes listed. How did this disaster get through quality control?

Almond musky powdery sweet, with a hint of mint, rootbeer and cherries? I swear there's heliotrope in here too. It definitely is sweet and quite synthetic. If there's sandalwood, I can't find it. Maybe it's hiding under all of the almond powder.

I got this with a mini rollerball set...and it went straight to the trash. All I can smell when I put this on is those little white deodorizer bricks they put in the bottom of mens' urinals. I can't get over that.

I am right at this moment wearing this scent. This is the third time I've worn it and every time I wear it I find myself constantly smelling myself. I received this as a sample in an order from Sephora. It was actually a stand in for a sample I had chosen and that they had run out of. Unimpressed by the unknown nature (at the time) of Nest, I set it aside with several other uninteresting looking samples for trial at a later time. So fast forward to when I finally decided to try it. I was instantly, and pleasantly surprised. On my skin I instantly picked up a creamy mix of sandalwood and a sweet almond combined with a woodsy and very slightly powdery scent. I didn't get much spice and no balsamic, but for me it was a very creamy and rich aroma. As it wears down, the sweetness also seems to wear off on my skin, leaving more of a sandalwood/woodsy/white musk aroma. I found it enjoyably unisex, and honestly didn't realize that this fragrance was marketed towards men until I studied the sample more closely. I think as far as a male audience, this would be something for younger men because of the sweetness--which also adds to the unisex appeal of this scent. A sporty, outdoorish person, or a very physically active person (male or female) could easily pull this scent off without it seeming out of place. One downside for me is that this fragrance only lasts about two hours on my skin. It also seems to be very two dimensional. There's only the initial scent from when you first spray it and then when it starts to dry down, so it's not a very complicated fragrance. This isn't something with a very large 'wow factor' but it does have an enjoyable scent--IF you like sandalwood and musk. If you don't, this is not going to be something you will enjoy at all and you might as well walk away now. Overall, for a straight forward and uncomplicated fragrance, I find it rather enjoyable personally. I'm leaning towards getting a bottle mostly because I can't stop smelling myself when I have it on.

Every scent I thought I'd like from Nest I've hated, and every one that I wasn't remotely interested in has been AMAZING. This one is no exception. This could be a unisex at first. As it wore on, it started skewing more male, and it could be layered at that point (I used Replica Lipstick On). First thought: well let's throw that notes list right out of the window! First spray was almond-y leather. Then it opened into what I can only describe as certs in the bottom of my mom's purse. I don't know if it was wintergreen or spearmint, but the spices worked with the almonds to create something new and cool. Then I got a sweet, creamy almond extract and a wood block that you would use in your drawers, but in a good way. It was like menthol the way it cooled it my nose, but again, in a good way. I literally started giggling it was so bizarre. As it wore on, the musk mixed with the sandalwood and things became more masculine. I realized at this point that the sandalwood had been in the background the whole time, it just got turned up when the musk came to play. This is where you can really see a man wearing this. After a few hours of this, I layered on a more femme scent and it was HEAVENLY. This thing wore FOREVER on me. Very long lasting. This is a definite must-smell, must-try before buy. I can see my husband and I sharing a rollerball.

I didn't know White Sandalwood was typified as a male scent....I wore it in 2013/2014 religiously, then Sephora stopped selling it and apparently it is d/c'd. I recently purchased a decant of Boucheron Santal de Kandy and this was pegged as similar. From my scent memory....maybe a little in the pencil shaving aspect...but I found this fragrance to be creamier and more luscious than Boucheron Santal. Now that it's been brought back into my immediate thoughts, I may have to go look for it on Ebay as I do not see it on Nest's webpage...pity because I have smelled their other scents and none really grabbed my attention but White Sandalwood. I recall around the time I began wearing this ferociously I was going through some serious health issues and I incidentally came across an herbalist article that said the scent of sandalwood can be quite healing to the body and psyche. *cue Twilight Zone Music*. It was indeed my elixir of healing. I did love this fragrance....off on a hunt I go!

I've had a rollerball of this for awhile now. BUT it's been tucked away in a box with all the other mistakes... ;) I pulled it out today to check it out again. ANALYSIS: I realized that this smells like the original Jergens lotion (cherry almond) and some aftershave from the 70's. Not sure which one, but something men wore before all the good stuff came on the market. And what us girls used to smell like at the end of the night after dancing with guys at the local nightclub. Sorry to be so descriptive, but the visual and the memory scent is loud and clear. Ugh. Sorry Nest, but this one is just not in my top 20. Or top 50 actually. I do love Indigo and Black Tulip though!! UPDATE: Duh....I just realized this scent is for men! LOL Okay , okay, so now it all makes sense!!! Everyone -- go dancing!

This is my favorite from the rollerball sample 8-pack. It does smell a bit masculine on me but I don't care. It's sweet, soft wood and some nice aftershave. Would be great in cool weather but I'm enjoying it in the hot, humid Virginia summer. Oddly enough, I don't smell almonds as others do, and I definitely am not reminded of Hypnotic Poison. It is much woodier and spicy on me. HP is all almond with doll plastic on me, so I'm happy not to duplicate it. The sillage on this was soft, and longevity was only about 2 hrs. I like it a lot, but probably wouldn't consider it FBW, except...have you seen that bottle??? Love!!! So, maybe.... Update: on second wearing, I recognize the almonds, just not as prominent to my nose as the sweet woodiness.

I usually love woody and androgynous scents. I tried this Nest White Sandalwood on ONCE. It is the only sandalwood scent I have ever not liked. It is the only Nest scent I have ever not liked. It is one of the only two scents I have ever tried on that got an immediate "Get it off me NOW" reaction. It didn't smell like insecticide, synthetic chemicals, blood, metal chips, or putridity - but it didn't smell like sandalwood or almonds either. Whatever it was, it didn't smell pleasant on my skin AT ALL. Maybe other people enjoy it; that's fine. They can have it.

I agree this is just a tad bit similar to Hypnotic Poison, but not really. I wore Hypnotic poison for years . They do share the same genre though. This scent is really pretty! It smells of a high quality Vanilla Rum in my opinion. No you will not smell like alcohol! Great everyday scent , and it lingers for a long time! This one is supposed to be for men I believe , which explains why this one is so different from the other scents in the collection, however this is more appropriate for a woman IMO. Very nice, woody vanilla scent, simple composition.

I also get a lot of coconut and almond at first, fading quickly to a licorice type of scent which further fades to a still creamy scent where you FINALLY get a bit of wood behind the creamy sweetness. It's definitely not sandalwood like you know it from Santal 33 etc. - it barely smells like sandalwood at all. More like a general "wood" accord. I actually like it a pretty good bit, just know you're getting a creamy and sweet fragrance, not a dry woody one. Name is very misleading.

I'm not sure why it says for men. I received this in a set with several other Nest fragrances for women. I personally like this one. Not floral or citrussy at all, which is perfect when I need a change from the usual. It is very creamy, very almond (like almond extract), without being too sweet, or surupy (is the correct term cloying?). It might not be for everyone, but I welcome the detour from the common, and enjoy this one the most out of all the Nest fragrances that I have.

I really try not to be overly negative about fragrances because I know it's so subjective. But this is just revolting. This was a blind buy so I could get a deal on a gift. Nest sometimes really gets it right. This is not one of those times. It's just stale cough medicine. I haven't been so put off a fragrance in a very, very, very long time. Immediate scrubber.

I love this fragrance. It's a warm, exotic sandalwood blend that just makes me melt. I do agree with some of the people who mentioned that the initial smell is somewhat chemically, but it really doesn't bother me and after only a few minutes, the real smell comes out (as opposed to some reviews that I read which said it took an hour). This is in my top 5.

My nose gives me the weirdest experience from this fragrance, but its a staple in my collection and very unique. Right off the top I'm getting straight permanent marker. The top notes make me feel like I'm going to get high. Then I get a creamy coconut tropical accord. No other reviewer has said this, so I feel alone but that's what I'm getting people.

On my skin this is a delicious nutty sandalwood with spices in the background, and I think that's how this fragrance was intended. Update: It could have benefited from adding Tonka bean and vanilla. Sometimes I do get the screeching chemical smell. I’ve never smelled anything like it, but it’s in the same family as Hypnotic Poison edt.

This smelled unisex to me, which is why I got a sample after being intrigued in the store. This was an OK scent, but it's kind of a one trick pony. It started smelling strongly of sandalwood, and pretty much continued smelling exactly the same. After a couple of hours I was simply sick of being enveloped in its cloying quality.

There is something in this that dries down on me like Avon Imari. Some similar component, but I don't know what it is. All I know is that it doesn't smell good on me, but hey you can't win them all. I ordered the rollerball set, because there were so many Nest fragrances that I wanted to try.

When I reviewed L'Artisan Parfumeur Bois Farine recently I thought I was very unlikely I would ever again smell anything quite so ....... uniquely strange. But here it is! I smell ground almonds, wet plaster, a little musk. Not for me.

Oooh I like this one. A yummy mix of sweet almond paste and smokey incense with a hint of extra spice. The sweetness is almost gooey. I think it's a unisex scent for sure, not just for men, I really like it! It's dark and delicious.

Does it smell like almonds? Yes! Does it smell like pencil shavings? Yes! Does it smell like dry-erase or permanent markers? Yes! Does it smell like wet concrete? Yes! Does it smell like play-doh? Yes! Do I love it? YES!!!!!