Santal Blanc

Pink pepper, some sweetness, sandalwood and musk. These are the order of the notes as they reveal themselves to me. Thankfully the pepper and cinnamon soften quickly and then its all about musk and sandalwood. Its a musk and sandalwood skin scent for most of its duration. Very pleasant but not fb worthy. Its definitely unisex. A skin scent with moderate duration. I love sandalwood and since Santal Blanc was not fb worthy I bought 4160 Tuesday's Sleep Knot which has similarities but better performance. I think actually the 4160 T is even better

A soft, warm and inviting sandalwood, with SL's trademark stewed fruit notes floating in the background. It does indeed smell different on different people. I thought Santal blanc might appeal to a friend, so I gave her a tester of it this evening, over dinner. She immediately sprayed it on her hand; she inhaled deeply: it smelled divine. Ah, one of those moments when someone tries on a perfume and it is a perfect fit. Snap!

Rowan.Walter’s review below is so beautiful so not a lot to add other than to echo that I love this warm, milky, creamy comforting perfume. It’s so decadent yet not overwhelming and not overpowering. This amazing mix of slightly woody, hint of spice (pepper + cinnamon) and so deliciously creamy without being food-like.

Beautiful sandalwood scent. Very comforting, like a warm blanket on a cold day. It isn't your typical sandalwood, rather it is soft and nuanced. This is a great sandalwood for those who dislike sandalwood as a note. It isn't loud or in your face. There is a bit of floral present, and it has a soft woody base.

A perfectly unisex, spicy and smoky sandalwood. Although this is very dry and smoky, it is still somehow airy and not overwhelmingly serious. There is a foody aspect though it's not sweet at all. Better for cool weather but you won't feel oppressed wearing it in the heat.

the sandalwood here is clean yet a bit dusty/vintage. my favorite part is the cinnamon, which brings a slight spiciness that reminds me of the holidays. I got the palais royale version as my first Serge and man, it did not disappoint.

This perfume smells like cashmere feels on skin. Soft, gentle and velvety. Make you want to burry your face in the smell and softness. I wear it on all my winter jumpers so they carry the smell all season long.

Cosmetable, hot and delicious smell, warm creamy sandal, well mixed with the pink pepper and the subtle cinnamon burning slowly. Adorable. I evaluate this: Smell: 8.5/10 Projection: 6.5/10 Longevity: 8/10

clean, fluffy and lactic santal that is just divine! On my FB list.

I am new to the Lutens party, so I suppose I'm a S.L. virgin (aside from a sniff of Musc Khubla Khan that I dearly regretted). I know a bit about Lutens from various blogs and my own research, and from what I gathered, Santal Blanc was a good place to start (it is considered a "friendly" Lutens). Sandalwood is one of my favorite notes, so I dove right in after receiving the sample. After an initial sweet-peachy-sandalwood opening, I get a huge whiff of cumin/fenugreek. I have some difficulty with this "armpit" note in perfumes (which explains my reaction to Khubla Khan), but this one is more foodie/spicy and less evocative of b.o., so I'm patiently optimistic. The fenugreek does remain in the background as SB dries down but is only noticeable when I smell my wrist closely. There is an unexpected sweetness to Santal Blanc -- a wine or fruity compote aroma that is surprisingly gourmand and rather feminine to my nose. Beneath that, exotic spices...unfamiliar, yet warm and inviting. Such beautiful contrasts! While most sandalwood iterations are woody and creamy, SB is spicy, boozy, and fruity...with a hint of soft musk always in the background. Santal Blanc has nudged me away from my usual sandalwood associations, and I'm enjoying the Lutens' journey!

I’m not sure if Santal Blanc is still on the market, or if it has been reformulated but judging by the notes listed above, a lot is left out. I think the polarizing note in this composition is fenugreek. Another sandalwood perfume that utilizes fenugreek is Tom Ford’s Santal Blush, though incorporated with a much lighter touch. In Santal Blanc this herbal note is pushed forward, in fact through the entire composition it is dominant over the very good quality sandalwood. I like both Ford and Luten’s version, preferring Ford as a sandalwood (and fenugreek) that is much easier to wear. I’ve only worn Santal Blanc in the colder months, it’s very pungent and it’s got performance that surpasses almost everything I own. Guaranteed that no one else is going to smell like you. I’ve gotten noticed and complimented every time I chose to wear it. Nevertheless, this is an odd one in a house line up of Serge Luten, who is almost always interesting even when I find his creations challenging. (This review is based on a bottle I have owned for approx. 12 years.)

I’ve been quite slow to warm up to Santal Blanc. It started as a “meh,” grew to a “like” over repeated wearings, and now it’s a firm “love” that I wear with abandon. In my mind, it’s the perfect “white sandalwood” scent, ultra-modern, impeccably chic, and appropriate for all seasons. Milky, creamy, nutty. The wood accented by shades of rose, a pinch of cinnamon, and a bushel of pink pepper. There’s a “brown sugar” tone to the scent, which I assume is the fenugreek doing its thing. It’s easy to see the through-line from Santal Blanc to Le Labo’s Santal 33, with the sweet spiciness swapped out for cucumber a decade later. Santal 33 may be the smell of Brooklyn (or whatever fashion magazines are proclaiming it these days), but Brooklyn would do better to look to Serge Lutens!

This is an unexpected love for me. It came in a batch of other Lutens samples that are much more in my wheelhouse (Feminite du Bois, Santal Majescule, Fille de Aigulles, Bapteme de Feu, Couche du Diable) and I had low expectations, having read about the weakness of the “light” Lutens fragrances. I echo rowan.walters and SniffingAddict’s reviews: on me this is linear buttery/creamy wood with the most gentle of spices and a hint of powdery iris. It’s understated and luxurious, a plain cream jumper of the finest cashmere. Its low-moderate projection perfectly fits the vibe. My one quibble is that my very dry skin gobbles it up; for any longevity I have to slather on unscented moisturizer first. If I ever find a bottle of the Fond de Parfum I will snap it up!

This is one of my favourite Serge Lutens perfumes. Smells extremely nice and cosy, though not without some naughtiness and mystery, I especially appreciate the oriental part of this scent. I have just realised that once some time passes the scent opens up so nicely on me, sweet, spicy and quite, it smells sexy to many. It is a fusion of woody iris and creamy sandalwood, white sandalwood, cinnamon, fenugreek, pink pepper, rose, jasmine, orris root, musk, benzoin and copaiba balsam, musk. The lasting power of it is great, it is definitely a quality perfume to spend money on. Also I love the bottle because it's so simple, classy and elegant. A wonderful product. Definitely repurchase.

This is a very light rendition from Serge Lutens. It reminds me a lot of another SL fragrance, 'Jeux de Peau', In the dry down with the coumarin sweetness from the use of fenugreek (and I think a little cinnamon I can detect) conjoined with the sandalwood. It's nothing ground breaking, although it's comforting and pleasant with its clean, airy and milky embrace. I think if this one had a little more oomph and lasting power then I would have purchased a larger bottle. Instead, I would recommend that you purchase Tom Ford 'Santal Blush' over this one, as they are similar and the TF option will likely give you more of what you're enjoying about 'Santal Blanc'.

Well, well, well. Serge Lutens finally has a new customer. Santal Blanc opens up strong but becomes more smooth and inviting throughout the duration of the fragrance. I dabbed this on the nape of my neck and my wrists this morning. 9 hours later, this has become a skin scent that is sure to make people want to come closer. The sillage is moderate/close. The quality is "up there". I have no complaints with my first Lutens fragrance. Now I just have to figure out how to work this into my fashion coordination. LOL

Light summery sandalwood scent beautifully done. The central lovely white sandalwood note is surrounded by hints of orris, pink pepper, cinnamon and synthetic musk. The unisex scent has moderate projection and longevity. An easy to reach sandalwood spritzer that can be used almost at any time and any place. Calming and healing. Enjoy!

Wait for the dry down and hints of unadulterated Mysore sandalwood remain, though with weak projection. A bit of pepper imparts slightly scorched woods. Mid notes remind me of simmered cinnamon/fruits, Initial release is a striking soapy bitterness and this burst of chemical appeal (thankfully) settles down in a few minutes.

Yes. Fresh and subtle. Wood and spice. Very comfy. Excuse me for not elaborating; so many Lutens to test, and I am tired (I know it: "I'm no f***ing good,... I never was" - 'Scent of a woman'). But it's a Lutens allright. A rather modest one. Edit 010914 I luuuuuv it. So fresh, sweet and creamy, yum!

All of the listed notes are very distinct in Santal Blanc. Together they remind me of a wintery mulled wine with all of the ingredients brewed together and seamlessly blended into a warm and cozy fragrance that makes you want to snuggle up with a blanket in front of a fireplace.