Functional Fragrance

I've always enjoyed Santal 33 and used to wear it in its oil form. This 'DNA' was pioneered by Frank Voelkl for Le Labo, and it's been explored many times since, including in Matiere Premiere Parisian Musc, Guerlain's Santal Pao Rosa and Armani's Santal Dan Sha. I don't scorn those tips of the hat at all - indeed, I think it's just because this particular treatment of wood with papyrus and cardamom notes is just super pleasing and exciting that others want to explore the possibilities and facets. So, here we have the creator of this combo giving it another go some years later. I believe this fragrance was in the work for a long time, so it's possible FV took the idea forward quite quickly rather than six or seven years later. And I think the fact this first functional fragrance was so long in the works shows the care and consideration that went into it, also working with the neuroscientists at the University of Geneva to make sure it works as intended - to destress and provide a moment of stillness and calm. On Firmenich's website, they quote him: “I believe in creating fragrances that connect with your soul. My goal is to craft scents that will evoke a profound emotional connection – with the power to elicit pure, unadulterated happiness.” So, here we have a perfumer who is a master of his craft, who believes that fragrance has a real impact on how we feel. The Nue Co took a while to get my attention, since as a fragrance collector I had dismissed the line without much thought, assuming it wasn't for me. But now I see this is a fabulous line, with real depth and grace. The OG perfume in the line is one of the best sandalwoods out there, with the cardamom amped up and and a piquancy that reminds you of nature. It's cool, effortless and chic.

Amazeballs. Absolutely terrific. The pictogram above call out some notes, but based on my 30+ years of cooking for a family, I call bogus on the cardamom and cilantro notes. I say nobody can identify this fragrance with anything we know in our experience. I base this on speculation, unencumbered by any formal training except for high school chemistry. Here I go: I think this perfumer is a genius, and dreamed up something in a lab, and FF is one of his utterly terrific creations. A masterpiece. I love natural smells as much as the next person, but I am also a fan of modern technology and Ernest Beaux. The labeling has a molecule on it!!! Too lazy to pull up a chemistry textbook, but I will go to the library tomorrow. This perfume makes me want to go back and get a Masters' degree in Chemistry and apply to ISIPCA, and mess around with aldehydes and other exciting lab goodies. But I'm too old. Maybe this guy will let me work for him.

This was love at first sniff!!!! Absolutely one of the smoothest freshest scents I’ve smelled in a while. It harkens back to Hermès Voyage de Hermès EDP. Probably cause of the cardamom but I actually prefer this. It is not a citrus but extremely aeromatic and green. I get a lot of Dill in the opening but it’s not listed so I’m guessing it’s the Palo Santo and cilantro. Gorgeous. This is a great great bang for your buck. I’ve smelled similar scents that would cost well over 200.00. For a small bottle. But if u r into clean watery fresh aromatic scents look no farther because this is a gem. It also says that it works as a calming aroma therapeutic scent which I get as well. Bottom line is it smells great and is versatile as well. Two big thumbs up!

I feel this is could be a polarising one because of the cilantro but I am squarely in the fan camp. This to me feels like Santal 33 (or quite a niche reference but the scent of Massimo Dutti stores...still trying to deduce what scent they use in there) but more interesting: fresh, sharp and nutty, warm and soothing. My go-to scent for the season and a definite repurchase!

I find this unique and like a blend of different perfumes I've smelled in the past. Straight off the bat I smell lots of Iris, cardamom and wood. The wood becomes drier and more peppery and I smell cinnamon. I love spicy Woody fragrances so I'm loving this. Sillage starts off intense and then comes down to be in your personal bubble longevity is 4 to 5 hours

I have been searching for a palo Santo / sandalwood perfume for ages! This perfume is everything I ever wanted. I've tried Santal 33 and while it's similar I feel like this one is a better perfume in terms of sillage and overall scent. love love love!

In short, this is the kind of spa scent Aesop puts out. It's initially strongly aromatic, the cardamom and cilantro announcing themselves immediately. But it once the palo santo and iris nudge their way through, it becomes very pretty and almost delicate: still vegetal, but also gently floral and powdery. It's woody, but that note is a bit muddied to me, lacking the piercing uniqueness of palo santo. I do get the comparisons to Santal 33, but this is fluffier, like that fragrance's sibling in powder puff form. I think it's a beautiful everyday scent. The marketing talks a big sciency game, and while my mood is not discernibly altered, I do like it very much.

The opening is like an aromatherapy blend you might smell piped into a health food store or yoga studio, kind of herbal and fresh. Very peppery! Fresh cut herbs and peppery spices come and go the first half hour or so, then I start to pick up on the floral notes. Iris is mentioned as a note, but unfortunately I don't get much iris at all. Soft white florals dominate for a couple hours, then dries down to a crisp woody scent. Not a love for me, but I keep my travel spray at work and will spray myself (or a tissue if I'm wearing something that may clash with it) midday to perk me up. Very "fresh" smelling!

This is an interesting one, to be sure. It's non-traditional and very aromatic, but I enjoyed smelling it on myself. It wasn't hard on the nose and made me feel good while I was wearing it. I don't know if it really had any calming effect, but I'd buy 10 ml of it again.

My mom gave me this as a gift. My initial impression is that I absolutely HATE it. It is sharp, intense and bitter. Bitter herbs and the bitter soil they came from. It has a tart lemon note that doesn’t smell fresh when combined with the other notes. It just smells like an “all-natural, no-bleach” cleaning spray. Nauseatingly bad. Gross. BUT the dry down is nice and I actually like it... it is still earthy and herbal, but in a good way and not a headache inducing way. I don’t reach for it a lot though because the initial smell is a deterrent. They say it is supposed to be calming or something. I guess it is... if you consider someone who sends you to the ledge and then talks you off of it to be calming... Edit: I like cilantro a lot. I’m not one of those people who hates cilantro. I don’t think I want to SMELL like cilantro, but I can’t even smell it in this.

It smells like dill pickle juice!

Fragrance is basically all aromatic notes - that’s the first thing that hit my nose. I can’t get the woody touch in this fragrance. I’m Pakistani and we use herbs/spices, especially cardamom every day and this literally smells like my kitchen. The concept behind this is interesting. I have anxiety - but didn’t find this to help with alleviating my stress etc. Not the best lasting power not the worst. No sillage. Definitely something one would grow into. Don’t buy this blind, get a sample or smell it first.

Palo santo. Which I normally like, but here it's a little too ... sour? Green? I'm a part-time student, and have worn this several times when I need to focus. It is possibly calming, but also distracts me to the point that I'm unable to work while wearing it. This is such a cold, screeching scent that I just can't think of anything else. This is, of course, individual, so try it if you're interested or adore palo santo. Cool idea!

At work I deal with jars of dill pickles very often. This doesn't just smell like dill, it smells like an entire shelf of brine-soaked cardboard. If I wore this at work I think I'd immediately be asked about it. This sample will sit on the shelf for ever.

I blind bought this because I fell for the marketing. I’m never going to do that again. This literally smells like pickles. I suppose if santal 33 is your thing, try this because it’s cheaper. But not for me.

This perfume is an interesting concept, but I don't think I find it nearly as calming and anti-stress as the company's data would claim. I wouldn't slate this in as a traditional perfume. It definitely has an aromatherapy blend vibe to it. It's not offensive, but there are a few off notes to it that aren't making me warm up to it. When I first applied it to my skin, there was a subtle but immediate smell of fish oil or vitamin E capsules - sort of like the smell when you open up a bottle of those types of vitamin supplements, lurking in the background of the scent. Now that it's been on my skin for a while, I'm smelling the woody and spicy elements, but I am also smelling some iron in the background as well. This is probably a skin scent. I can't imagine wanting to douse myself in this. I'm satisfied that I have just a sample of this, as I probably won't want to wear this often. There are honestly more traditional perfumes that have made me feel calmer or more relaxed than this does.

At first spray this is quite herbal and refreshing, then it settles into an aquatic/incense/vegetal extremely close-to-the skin fragrance. Honestly, it reminded me at first of a fragrance from a long time ago called New West (which I still have tucked away). It's a very subtle non-intrusive tea-like scent as it settles down even more. I can see this as an every day scent since it's really not detectable unless you get very near. I can't imagine that it would ever offend people around you. It doesn't quite live up to all the hype, but it's very pleasant all the same.

This is very much a cardamom perfume and includes both the distinct scents of green-shell and the peppery black seeds, and add to it Palo Santo's woody-vegetal vibe and some herbal aspects. I like it. And not having read anything about it, not even the script on the small box, I do spray it often when I work. It is calming, almost centering. Kinda distracts me in a pleasant way-- not intrusive. Strange, but good.

warm cardamom with a fun cilantro note that comes off as a slightly sweet greenness followed by resinous myrrh and earthy, rooty orris with a creamy undertone. Dry down is dry woods with uplifting musks, softly sweet, grounding, tranquil, and calming. This is Santal 33 but a bit greener, sweeter, and with an added warm creaminess. A solid woody fragrance

Got this as a blind buy for a good price. It's honestly pretty good and unusual. Smells natural and quite pleasant, fresh without being citrussy. Sillage is good for the first 2 hours, then becomes a skin scent. Can even slightly smell it the next morning. Got me some compliments. Overall a good daily scent for spring and summer.

nearly exact sandalwood and sweet violet aroma as Leather by Malin and Goetz. Have smelled whatever material they use here in a bunch of other things of this type and it's just OK. Feels like they had one or two example perfumes in mind when developing it and got Frank Voekl to crank out something similar.

Not for me as it smells too herbal and too woody / dry, but this smells identical to Le Labo Santal 33 to my nose and it’s very very long lasting on my skin. Would recommend this as a portable dupe to those who love Santal 33.

True Palo Santo and fresh, green cilantro! Stems and leaves, very vegetal but warm from the incense/wood. Dreamy combo.