Sandara

My favorite from Phlur is Greylocke. It's supposed to evoke the Northeastern forests, if I recall correctly. I was really excited when they announced Sandara as a woody fragrance meant to evoke the redwoods--trees of which I am very familiar, having been born in San Francisco and spending most of my life there. Sandara does not smell like literal redwoods. However, it does manage to evoke the redwoods for me. It's woody like Greylocke, but it's cooler and smells moist, almost misty. These qualities remind me of the bark of a redwood tree and of the sound of streams of clear water trickling nearby. Every time I smell it, it makes me reminisce on a particularly magical road trip I had in Northern California, near Eureka, about 15 years ago. It was winter, freezing cold. There was a lot of ice everywhere, although there was no snow. The air was so crisp and clean. The color of the puddles in the redwood forest looked like huge opals. Everything was damp. Sandara does the trick for me as an artistic rendering of the redwoods. The perfumer did a wonderful job! This fragrance represents the redwoods as well as Bois de Paradise (sadly discontinued) represents a walk in the Presidio. Notes taken from Phlur’s website: forest air, violet leaves, timur pepper, sandalwood, oak moss, bergamot, musks, iris, plum, lily of the valley, green notes, amber, rose. Vast majority are “safe synthetics”, and each ingredient can mimic a variety of things (eg sweet musk, spicy woody musk, greenish-floral notes)

This has to be one of the best creations from Phlur. It is one of the more creative inventions from the house and by far is my absolute favorite from the house. I enjoy the pepper the most in this scent. it is done in a way where it is not spicy, but, gives the fragrance a more masculine tone to pair with the florals. I actually pick up an iris note from the fragrance, I think it may be a nuance from the violet note in it. The sandalwood note is also very nice. it smoothes out the fragrance and makes it have a somewhat creamy nuance. Even though I love this scent on myself, I think that this would be even better on a pretty women wearing a nice dress with her hair out on a spring/ early fall day. The fragrance is also very simple, it only has one change where the pepper goes into the background. I get about 7-9 hours from this scent with about 2-3 hours of good projection. I was also fortunate enough to get a pre release bottle and have been able to have more time than most would. So, don't be surprised if you are smelling Iris in this fragrance. I think that this is sample worthy, try it out and let me know if you picked it up after reading my review. P.S, it also has a shampoo like smell to it.

Received this on a rainy day (unfortunately a blind buy after it's already been discontinued) and I'm obsessed. I grew up in the forest and I absolutely get forest vibes from this. It does seem like a cousin of Santal 33, but a little softer and less "in your face". Sillage is good. It makes me feel like I'm walking through a wet forest with some wild herbs growing at the base of the trees. I'm honestly sad that I love this so much as it's discontinued and I missed the discounted offer on the Phlur site. But I found it on Mercari. One of a very few blind buys that turned out amazingly.

I really enjoy this one and it definitely reminds me of a greener, fresher, and although it is not listed, a more citrusy version of Santal 33. It is not a dead ringer for Santal by any means but it shares similar DNA imo. I do get compliments on this one. It is a casual, daytime scent for me. Pairs perfectly with a well-fitted tee and jeans. Performance is solid with moderate projection and sillage. Would recommend it if you are looking for a more muted and fresher take on Santal 33 or simply enjoy woody scents with fresher nuances. Phlur is quality and reasonably priced for niche.

My signature scent. Smells like Le Labo's Santal 33 without the pickle juice scent people ascribe to it, and I find that Sandara has an extra boost of woods and greenery that reminds me exactly of growing up in Australia. Perfect year-round scent in a unique bottle. I was able to snag it during a 45% off sale too, so definitely keep an eye on their emails/Instagram! Long-lasting with great projection. Definitely unisex. I also have the body lotion and the aroma is so strong I can smell it when I walk by the bottle on my bathroom shelf. 10/10.

As an early customer of Phlur, they mailed me a free sample and I jumped from Hanami. I loved it, the bottles, the handwritten notes, and customer care like no other. It's me at Mendocino or Carmel, an ocean breeze with redwood & pine trees behind me. I had so many people ask me what I was wearing, they loved it. Due to a company change, I am no longer a customer but I will cherish my last 2 bottles. I found it a very calming fragrance and I will wear it until I find a suitable replacement. I tend to be a 1 fragrance person.

I adore the smell of this perfume! I wear it in my mask because it's a very light perfume. It makes my whole day being able to smell this. I do have to respray my mask several times through out the day but I'm in my happy place. Smells like you are a fairy walking through the misty moss covered warm woods with a sporadic flower here and there you catch a sent of on the wet breeze. Absolutely the perfect smell for any occasion if you are feeling whimsical. Soooo love this!!!!

Phlur base DNA in their line feels sparse, architectural, cool, and airy. In other words, a bit futuristic and not for everybody. This Sandara scent really does evoke a nature path through a huge, enveloping forest for me exactly as the marketing copy says it will. I find it bold, refreshing, and contemplative. Total winner.

This is my signature fragrance and I love it. Not overpowering but smooth and sensual. It makes me think of walking in the deep woods when fragrant wildflowers are blooming.

@ Razorbrown - I feel the same way. It smells like a dill pickle or cucumber on me.

Others have compared Sandara to Santal du Pacifique by Perris Monte Carlo and No.04 Bois de Balincourt by Maison Louis Marie (a dead ringer for Le Labo Santal 33). I own both and love them, so I became intrigued with the comparisons. My observations come from one initial wearing, but I do not see any similarity with those mentioned fragrances other than all three have sandalwood in the composition. Sandara is a natural, herbal scent, the opening is all about a dominant violet leaf. I think the dill note others are picking up is coming from the violet leaf. If sandalwood is here, it’s with a light hand, and if I had to guess a wood note, I’d pick freshly cut oak. I love a good sandalwood based perfume and Sandra is not one. But for a summer freshie, this is very good. Nothing that knocks my socks off, but it’s enjoyable.

I find this scent to be quite pleasant and relaxing. Unlike other reviewers, I do not get much of a feeling of pepper or woodiness, instead I perceive a huge dose of violet leaf and a slightly ozonic, watery quality. This is extremely similar to Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudree, although I feel that the YSL version is a little more refined with it's addition of leather. Both scents feature violet leaf prominently. I would rank this as more feminine than masculine, however the fragrance is neither sweet nor aromatic enough to solidly fit in either category. I like to think of this as walking through a dense, fern-filled forest with damp coastal air and moss underfoot.

Of the three fragrances I received in a sampler kit, this one is my favorite. The top green note is nice with the violets, but has an herbal note that reminds me of fresh dill (in a good way!). There is a little bit of gingery-ness to the pepper, which is nice. Sandalwood is not too heavy. I am female, but could easily go unisex, and is a appropriate all-day fragrance. As with the other fragrances I received, my biggest gripe is that the staying power is not very good. I feel like it applies more like what I think of as an EDT even though it's advertised as and EDP.

Meh. I am underwhelmed. I blind-bought this on sale from Sephora and thought I'd really love this based on notes and reviews. It doesn't really remind me of no.4 Balincourt, nor santal 33 (both which I love)- if anything its a very distant cousin. I do like the scent, and the longevity is decent and the sillage is ok. I think I was just expecting something different. It smells more aquatic than I was expecting (which I don't love) and it remindS me of a man's cologne which I cant quite place, but I have smelled before. I like it, but it's not a love.

Either my body chemistry does funny things to this perfume, or I simply interpret scents differently from others. To me, there’s nothing green or herbal about this - it’s a deep, dark floral. I will jump on anything with violets in it, and Sandara does not disappoint. It reminds me a lot of Gucci II EdP, but fresher and less oily. The violets dry down into intriguing pepper and moss. A spicy, mysterious floral, perfect for Fall!

I am just testing this now, and I get a gentle woody scent, hint of dill and pepper that fade after 15 min. This was an inoffensive blind buy for me, and I'm leaning toward keeping it. My skin eats perfum, and Sandara is unfortunately no different. It seems to last only a few hours on me, but I will test it over the next week to see if I get different results depending on time of day, weather, etc.

clean linen next to an herb garden, some detergent-y lavender. Warms up a bit as it goes on, green tea, subtle spicy wood notes. Very light - I had to search for the smell once I put it on, wouldn't notice it on others easily. Better and longer lasting on clothes than on skin. I use it as a room spray/fabric spray now!

alleged notes: pepper, forest violet, green tea sandalwood, cedar, patchouli, oakmoss what i smell: smoky sandalwood base scent event / my reaction: i think forest air being one of the notes is the most telling, to me, this is a nostalgic hike through northern californian mountains

Definitely does NOT smell like pickle. Craziest comment I've read on this site. I like it, and it's fresh and it was a blind buy.It's the third fragrance from Phlur, no actually the fourth I tried and I like them all :o)

A greener version of Santal 33. Very similar so if you like le Labo's version then you’d like this. Longevity is also pretty good and it's cheaper so it's a good alternative if you're on budget. ⭐⭐⭐.5 out of 5

This was a blind buy, and I like it in spurts. It's VERY floral. I've never owned a violet perfume and it smells like a flower shop. I like to wear it on a rainy day, it really accentuates the vibe.

i understand why this is discontinued. it straight up JUST smells like dill. and i LOVE dill, it’s one of my favorite herbs, it’s warm and kind of soapy and green and fresh, but unfortunately this perfume has no complexity to me. it just smells like dill. i bought a travel bottle so i honestly wear it a lot just to see if i’ll change my mind, but i haven’t. i actually kinda like it cause i like dill so much. but it falls flat for me because of its dull simplicity.

This was a blind buy for me and it's not my thing. I was hoping it would evoke the feeling of walking through a forest but it is very green, especially upon application. I do prefer it once it settles on to my skin as it becomes a bit more woody but it's still not what I expected from the description. Maybe more like taking a walk in a wet, decaying forest by the ocean. Very unisex, lasts a decent amount of time on me (4-5 hours) and projection is good.

Phlur seems to have two modes on my skin: “There and gone in a blink” and “Hope you love me because I’m now a permanent part of your DNA.” Sandara is the latter, no matter how much I scrub. I usually love sandalwood, too, but I got no woody notes. This was an incredibly sweet floral on me with a hint of the aquatic.

A clean green sandal wood smell. I know it's meant to be hypoallergenic, but it makes it smell very synthetic.

I may be an outlier here, but I don't find this evocative of the woods at all. I get a very strong dill (fresh herbal dill, not pickles), and aquatic/ozonic notes. I was hoping for a wood-dominate fragrance but can detect almost no wood notes. I ordered six samples from Phlur and was unimpressed by all but Moab. I really love their eco-conscious philosophy, but the amount of packaging they use to ship three small sample vials is excessive and doesn't fit with their values.

this starts with a salty green violet leaf and some oakmoss. it remains very herbal and aquatic, and literally has a sort of dampness to the scent. it reminds me of a rain covered garden or something like that. after awhile it smells like a dewy cucumber with pepper. i find this too green and aquatic for my personal tastes.

I know this probably isn't worth the review since this is discontinued but DILL. PICKLES. Lmao it smells really nice in the bottle but as soon as it hits my skin I smell like I've been bathing in a vat of Vlasic. Thankfully I only have a travel size of this so I'm going to use it up quickly.

I wish it was more sandalwood and less sharp pickle smell. I like it better after it wears for a minute, but the initial spray is weirdly dill pickle-like to me. I have a small bottle and don't dislike it enough to throw it out, but I will not buy more when it is gone.

It was nice upon first spray but then I didn't actually enjoy wearing it. It did remind me of a very floraly Santal 33 though. Note: the pepper in here reminds me of pink pepper instead of the black one listed.

I get dill at the opening, but overall smells pretty synthetic, does not smell like Santal 33. The perfume is OK but that's it. The body lotion in the same fragrance makes me nauseous.

This was SO peppery on me. I kept waiting for it to fade down to a more woody or mossy scent and it absolutely did not. Oh well.

Dill and pepper, maaaaaybe a nice spa but mostly a kitchen. Interesting scent, nice as a room spray.

Now that I've tried this four times, I can officially say that I hate it. Something about it irks my nose. It's green, but more like a floral green with pepper. And everything is all at once, there is no depth or layers. It lasts a long time and has good sillage. This would be nice if I enjoyed the scent, but I don't. Also, I don't think it smells at all like MMM No.04. No.04 smells like pickles to m, but is woody and earthy. Sandara is dill-like, but more green/floral and nauseating. FWIW, I also dislike Hanami from Phlur. This brand is not for me.

I fell head over heels for Phlur's Anoranza, so I was curious about what else perfumer Percontino had created for the brand. Before ordering a sample of Sandara (along with two others), I had preconceived notions about it based on the description, namely that it would be too woody and dry for my preferences. Happily, this was not the case. Sandara went on very green and stayed green, from first spritz to dry down. It reminds me a lot of Miller et Bertaux's Green, green, green and green, which seems to take every note of that particular color known to nosekind, combining them into one very hyper-fresh fragrance. Sandara lacks the pleasantly pungent punch of the Miller et Bertaux, but it does have the same fresh "green" appeal. Initially, Sandara was a conflagration of serious GREEN, then shortly afterward, I noticed a strong woody presence. This is one of those fragrances that needs to settle in and get comfy before you figure out how it responds with your chemistry. My skin picks up the oak moss and violet leaf which, when combined, create the aroma of what could be freshly cut grass or a large patch of English ivy after a hard rain. There is something meticulous and organized about Sandara—it is a "sparse" fragrance, and I really appreciate the construction, because I'm not fond of complicated scents. Because it did seem to be built around a handful of notes, it didn't really make me think of a woodland stroll, with its multi-sensory input. Instead, it brought to mind the grounds of a well-maintained garden late at night, when the air starts to cool and dampen; the collective aroma of lawn, ivy, shrubs, and fountain. Whatever it evokes for the wearer, it does have a calming effect. I personally find Sandara unisex, but my guess is that some will find that it lists too far masculine for their preferences. The Phlur sample kit gave me a great opportunity to figure out if this is worth a FB purchase. Still on the fence, but leaning into yes.

This was a blind buy for me. It’s not for me. It’s wildly different from everything else I own. It’s very spicy and herbal, almost like a medicinal herb greenhouse. My nose gets eucalyptus, sandalwood, and a little spicy almost cinnamon kick (even though those aren’t the notes). It does share similarities with Santal 33 and Declaration by Cartier but slightly more powdery and floral - however this by no means is a floral fragrance, it’s just a lighter spicy profile in comparison to other fragrances in that category. It’s a spicy, herbal sandalwood. To me, this DNA is dated - very grandpa but I get why it’s so popular because it’s androgynous and strong yet fresh. Sandara smells like Santal 33 + baby powder on me, it might appeal to people who like herbal woody scents in which case this is a fanatic and superior alternative to Santal 33, if that’s what you’re looking for.

This scent gets compared to Commodity's Book and Le Labo’s Santal 33, and the comparisons to both are apt. Book was the first "grown-up" fragrance I ever picked out for myself. In the broader perfume world, it's perhaps not as unique as I thought it was at first sniff, but it was my introduction to the world of scent and holds a special place in my heart. With Commodity folding, I read that Sandara was a comparable fragrance, and I agree. It's green, vegetal, and woody, but it's a touch smoother, sweeter, and more floral than Commodity thanks to the violet leaf and the absence of artemisia and cucumber notes. To my nose, this is perfectly unisex, while Book leaned just slightly masculine. Sandara is supposed to evoke the scent of a forest, but to me it is closer to an overrun garden - not totally natural, but a bit untamed.

My kingdom for a nose that isn't as sensitive to synthetic woods. For me, this starts as a walk through a lush temperate rainforest. After 15 minutes, it becomes straight dill on me, which I wouldn't mind if it weren't so one-note and all encompassing. If you like green/woody frags and don't have my sensitivities, I would give it a go.

I know this is discontinued so it’s probably not even worth the review but .....this is just like every other sandalwood fragrance in the “Santal 33” world. Yes it’s very lovely, very relaxing, very spa like, but also very played out which is why I assume Phlur has taken it out of their collection.

This one was just too floral for me, and a little bit hairsprayish (old school final net in the pump bottle). There is a nice greenness to it after drydown but I can't get past the hairspray. I do like the other 2 scents that I got in the sampler, but this one is not for me.

I can't wear Santal 33 because it goes SO dill pickle to my nose. Enter Sandara. It's everything I wanted Santal 33 to be but doesn't have that weird dill note. Love. I often layer it with Solar Power in spring and summer (it gets HOT here).

Came to see what this fragrance was about as it is currently $6.50 for a travel size on the Phlur website. It sounds like a very pleasant fresh sandalwood based scent. I think I'll go ahead and get it!

Why did this smell like dill to me? I felt like a pickle all afternoon. Not unpleasant though. Earthy, woody.