Santal Blush

This review is for Santal Blush in the brown bottles, FYI -- I have been using this fragrance since 2016 or so... as such, I haven't tried the "original" formulation (I wish!), nor have I obtained the "newest" bottle (which, I've heard, looks similar to the original). For me, it can be difficult to find a fragrance that focuses on sandalwood without overpowering the delicate woody note I'm looking for. I have compared several sandalwood essential oils to the perfumes I've tested (including the oh-so-buttery Australian sandalwood, which makes an appearance in Santal Blush, according to the press release), and SB is the one that best mimics the nuances of sandalwood that I crave. There is something milky and creamy about the opening of this perfume (and, yes, something that reads like coconut is also present, but it smells more like coconut water -- and not at all like sunscreen or gourmand coconut desserts). There are spices (most notably a hint of cinnamon), but they don't overwhelm; I wouldn't label this as a "spicy" perfume, per se. The blend of spices exists (on me, anyway) solely to support the sandalwood and add depth and nuance to the composition. This is one of those fragrances that has the capacity to surprise on occasion -- yes, it is always recognizably Santal Blush, but I've noticed that what I experience when I sniff my wrist up close can vary slightly depending on my skin and the weather. Some days, it treads cautiously into floral territory (and by this I mean "sandalwood with a hint of well-blended floral notes that enhance but do not interfere with the aroma of wood," not "something that unexpectedly turns into a full-blown floral perfume without your consent"), and other days seem to bring out the powdery and mildly spiced aspects (I swear I get a slightly-sweaty and very human-smelling cumin out of this at times, even though it isn't a listed note, but it eventually disappears into the background, and it's not pungent enough to make me dislike SB or make me stop wearing it -- if anything, it gives SB the aura of a living organism, which is fascinating). Santal Blush is, for me, one of those rare all-weather perfumes -- it's not "sweet" by any stretch of the imagination, it doesn't require the treacherous chill of winter or the relentless heat of summer in order to fully display its charms, it never reaches "cloying" territory (no matter how much I spray -- and I *love* to spray generously when permitted), and it maintains its sandalwood base throughout the duration of the experience. It seems to settle close to the skin, and it's quite content to remain there. It doesn't last all day on me, so re-spraying is required, but my appreciation of its charms overrides any concerns I may have about longevity. Also, it seems to layer well with TF Jasmin Rouge (though, shockingly, my soft and unassuming SB seemed to trample over JR when I applied them equally, so I settled on a ratio of "one spray of Santal Blush to two sprays of Jasmin Rouge," and this resulted in an optimal blend). Since I rarely experiment with layering fragrances, I was quite pleased to find that SB can adapt -- it works well on its own, but can also lend itself to experimentation if you are inclined to create your own signature scent.

Santal Blush is an underrated gem from the Tom Ford Private Blend collection. Its only issue is its marketing towards women instead of unisex, at least initially and for quite some time after its release anyway, as it unforgivably pigeonholed the perfume to the point of nearly being permanently discontinued. The “blush” in the name certainly doesn’t help, as this lends to the idea of makeup. However, it's the sandalwood that is “blushing”, not you the wearer. There is a lot unwinding in this perfume. First is a scrumptious blend of cinnamon, a very mild cumin, and a sweet and rooty carrot. The spices are strong, yet very gentle at the same time. Ylang-ylang and rose are present as well, particularly the ylang-ylang which is pushing its often sweet, starchy, banana facet. The rose is very quiet, red, and acts as breadth - not a starring role or really even a supporting role compared to the rest of the notes due to its very low vocal volume. The whole does have a bit of a powdery floral feeling, but the spices and ylang-ylang give the powder a gentle muscularity and a reddish-orange glow. The creamy banana ylang-ylang lays over a readily apparent sandalwood accord that is deeply pleasant to smell. Yann Vasnier did an excellent job of handling the materials in the preceding layers to not hide the sandalwood accord for a sole appearance in the dry down, but instead they dial-up all of the facets of sandalwood to a saturated, richly hued, and vibrant presentation from the beginning. Like three actors on a stage, hand in hand and ready to take a bow, we have sandalwood’s Eastern spice inflections thanks to the spicy opening on the left, its creamy and slightly sweet intonations thanks to the ylang-ylang and carrot in the center, and at the right its resinous white woody character thanks largely to the sandalwood but is significantly helped along by benzoin at the base. Musks help to keep the “blush” creative brief during the final dry down and skin scent. If you want to know how it is a Santal tree can blush, here you go - how it is that it’s body heat can rise up to accent its innate spiciness and floral qualities, and shade itself from pale yellow to reddish-orange cheeks and a big smile. I find this perfume very easy yet fun and interesting to wear, whilst being hopelessly addictive and charming. This is one of the best to enter the Private Blend collection and remains one of the best in it. It’s a shame that it's not widely recognized for that, and that Lauder/Tom Ford do not seem to particularly care to change the narrative of it. So I have some back ups, just in case the warm blush should ever turn to a cold shoulder.

When I was a teenager one of my favourite pastimes was going to department stores and spraying the perfume strip testers. I would take them home with me and stick them into a book that I would sniff all the time as I could only afford celebrity perfumes. I remember there being a Tom Ford one I could not stop going back to sniff and for years and years had no idea what it was. I knew nothing about perfume so wasn’t able to pick out notes and search what it was. Recently I bought a few Tom Ford decants and as soon as I smelled Santal Blush I knew it was the one I loved as a teenager! I immediately bought a bigger bottle. I don’t know if it’s the positive memory association but this smells like pure luxury to me. It leans more feminine to me, people describe this as being super woody and kind of masculine but in comparison to a perfume like Tobacco Vanille I wouldn’t describe it as masculine at all. It’s spicy and creamy, smells like a coconut - not coconut milk or synthetic coconut, like an actual coconut. It reminds me of salty seawater and a tropical beach, despite the woodsiness making it lean autumnal. It’s so versatile and beautiful and the notes synchronise so well. I think this is the most beautiful thing I have ever smelled. I love the initial sharpness, I love the carrot note, and it dries down so creamy and beautiful and lasts all day! It *does* smell like pencil shavings and a home depot warehouse but in a beautiful feminine expensive way. I love it so much.

I finally got the full size bottle and it smells DIVINE.The spice smell in the first spray might be challenging.The spices are just too much.İt's sooo unisex like it can suit both genders perfectly.A little sweet but definitely not cloying,so sexy but not too feminine or too masculine,powdery but doesn't give a old grandma perfume vibe.Definitely a fall-winter scent.It can be too dangerous for spring-summer.May be suitable for cool spring nights-evenings.For floral notes I do not get the ylang-ylang and jasmine but a hint of rose.The use of the sandalwood in this perfume is absolutely gorgeous.That's exactly the kind of use I love for sandalwood.The first 2 hours is literally HORRIBLE,especially the carrot seed note and the other spıce notes.Its too much even for a Tom Ford fragrance.I literally can't stand the first hours but when it comes to the middle notes and the drydown.İt smells like the most luxurious high-end cream ı've ever smell but its for drydown for sure.its sooo good and definitely one of my favorite Tom Ford scents.Its so long-lasting and have a really strong sillage.The old formula and the bottle was so much better than the new one.PLS BRING BACK THE OLD BOTTLE AND FORMULA. New formula first hours 3.3/10 New formula drydown 8.5/10 The old formula fırst hours 5/10 The old formula drydown 10/10 pls bring back the old bottle design and the formula I'm literally begging on my knees.

So this is my first time reviewing here. Please be kind haha. I love this one since the fist sniff! Ist warm, spicy, creamy, woody. On my skin it opens with this really nice mix of spices with prominent cinnamon. Then I get the Yilang showing and giving it this typical creamy ylang-ylang feel. I also get some sort of makeupy-ness. The sandal wood creaminess and I get some sort of sweetness make it really nice. But we already know all that and so on. What I came here to say is that it reminded me of something and I couldn’t wrap my head around it to what exactly.. it reminded me of something form my childhood.. So this for me is the pencil shavings from my mom’s lip-liner that had fallen in her bag together with her makeup. I don’t know if they used to put sandal wood aroma in makeup back in the days and there is zero iris or orris in this perfume.. but there is just something creamy and makeup like and lip-liner shavings like in it that reminds me exactly of that.. Longevity was really good on me and I guess I have the new badges but still really good. Too bad there is no 100ml or 250ml bottles of this one! Cause yeah the price can be a turndown. It’s 263€ here in Germany.. Scent for me 10/10 Longevity is 7/10 And Saige 7/10 (it’s pretty poor projection on my skin which I think has to do with my skin, cause I have a problem with lots of perfumes and Saige)

I'm not usually reviewing since I Think others are way better at doing it. But this one is a wow for me. So creamy, warm, spicy, sophisticated and Woody. If you, like me, love Omnia from bvlgari. Give this a try. They don't smell the same or have the same notes, but for me they are the same category of perfumes, warm, spicy, cozy and woody! This one is way more sophisticated and not as sweet IMPO and fitting for other occasions. I Think this one is very underrated and that might be because Woody fragrances aren't popular amongst women right now, gourmands and oriental vanillas seems to be in the frontline. The most prominent note is ofc sandalwood but I get the musk, cinnamon and oud too. the other notes are so perfectly blended that it is difficult to even spot them out. For me, this one is more femenine, but I Think a man could pull it off because of the drydown that is unisex. If you looking for a really nice sandalwood scent that is warm and spicy and creamy, look no further, give this a try! Edit: now when I own the fragrance I don’t understand how something that smells so bad from the bottle (when you put your nose to the sprayer) can be so nice on skin! Please don’t smell it from the sprayer, try it on the skin! It is totally different and it is sooo good.

I have a bottle of this from 2017. For whatever reason, this projects very strongly on my skin, so it has lasted me over the years (I have probably used about 20% of a 1.7 oz bottle). I would also say that this performs best in cold weather, as I have found that it gets to be a little overpowering when it’s over 75 degrees out. The scent profile is like the sexed-up, rock and roll best friend of Estée Lauder’s Sensuous. I would even say that a Santal 33 comparison is fair, but that SB has a lot more depth. The sandalwood and spices are definitely there, but the balance of benzoin in the base and heart note florals keep it from being a nose puncher. I find that the longevity is pretty solid, but that it especially seems to last on clothing. I would definitely say that a lot of my winter scarves and coats all have a slight aroma of Santal Blush, regardless of how many times I have washed them or even taken some coats to the dry cleaners. This is the kind of fragrance that forces you to commit, as it does not fade away very quickly. Overall, I would say that Santal Blush is a really cool, edgy alternative to Santal 33. If you are looking for a great spicy fall or winter fragrance that sets you apart, look no further.

Just got a full size of the newest bottle. Smells identical to how my early 2021 bottle did. I find this to be very strong, and it has a certain richness that isn't apparent at first that can be overwhelming with too many sprays. Opens with cinnamon, cumin, and fenugreek over a dusty wood. I find the benzoin in the base to be about equal to the sandalwood. There is a pencil shaving quality, but I honestly love that about this. I don't get much ylang ylang or rose (and I would guess they come from the variety of synthetic sandal used--javanol--rather than being added in separately.) Lasts for a good amount of time--I don't like discussing sillage really because it's so hard to judge on yourself (you can go nose-blind, you can over spray, you can have less oily skin in winter, etc. etc.), but I will say that I walk past sweaters and scarves with Santal Blush on them days later and the smell still wafts up. If you're a lover of woody, spicy scents and want something squarely unisex, I would recommend checking this out. Glad to see it back in all the available sizes after so long.

A few years ago, I tried to trade for something discontinued, and I linked my fragrantica wardrobe, and told the other person "have a look and if you see something you like, maybe we can trade...", and funnily enough, they zeroed in on this one, and asked when it was purchased. Unfortunately, it's something I bought for myself, but my wife uses it, and I got it in mid-to-late 2014 -- apparently, sometime in 2017 or so this was reformed to FILTH, and the pre-reform bottles were suddenly in demand! I couldn't trade because, technically, this is my wife's now, and with that said, it sat in the back of my mind for the last few years. Today I tried it again, and OH BOY this is different -- muskier, more vanillic and sadly a poorer version of the 2014 bottle I/ my wife has/have. I put it on and my wife didn't like it the same way she likes her bottle. It's changed, and for the worse, I'm afraid. It's gotten less awesome and it just feels dialled in -- like a crappy clone / dupe version. Veil Santal Blush 2017 AD.

Yes, I am a Taylor Swift fan and yes, that is what brought this perfume to my attention. *ahem* now that I have gotten that embarrassing confession out of the way, in my defense, I am a total sucker for sandalwood fragrances so it did appeal to me in that way as well. Thankfully, I do love it on its own merits as a fragrance. I think this is a safe blind-buy if you know you like sandalwood. That being said, just note this is a slightly more feminine sandalwood, in my personal opinion. It’s soft and powdery and ever-so-slightly floral. In fact, Santal Blush actually reminds me a lot of my Guerlain Samsara EDT (the current formulation), except Samsara is more powdery and floral. They are extremely similar to my nose, though. The other sandalwood-forward fragrance I have is Diptyque’s Tam Dao EDP, which doesn’t compare at all, in case anyone is wondering. Tam Dao is a more masculine-leaning sandalwood, creamier and less powdery. I still love that one as well, but it definitely has different vibes.

Major love for TF Santal Blush. I bought my first bottle when it came out after smelling a scent strip in a magazine ad. I have always considered Santal Blush firmly genderless. I treated myself to the huge decanted bottle when Saks ran a good sale, and fortunately I have not tried the new bottle style yet. I hate the smell of fenugreek and immortelle, but in Santal Blush this note is what make the scent such a hit. It opens with sticky- almost sweaty- spices over creamy white florals. The sandalwood here is slightly powdery and milky. This fragrance is sexy with a capital X. I think the overall vibe of Santal Blush can go one of two ways: Heady/hyper-sexed/rich or lux-bohemian who frequents Tulum and Art Basel. It’s VERY Tom Ford for Gucci in style. Performance on me is inconsistent. Sometimes I feel it disappears in a few hours; other days it seems to linger and radiate from dawn until dusk. I always spray on clothes just in case.

UPDATE: I’ve been thinking recently there might be more cedar than sandalwood in this? anyone else see what I’m talking about? Lots of people describe this as creamy - not strictly true according to conventional wisdom, certainly not in comparison with no-longer-used Mysore Sandalwood. This is definitely the drier, woodier, Australian Sandalwood (still a bit “creamy” though!) This emphasises some of the more aromatic slightly bitter qualities of that material with the spices in the opening, and as it dries down you get more of the beautifully smooth woodiness coming out (to my nose there might even be more cedar than sandalwood in this) Might be one of the most addictive perfumes I’ve come across for me. Signature worthy and lasts pretty well on skin and absolutely forever on fabric (still smelling it a week later after spraying on my coat in a department store). Have only tested so far but defo want a bottle.

I'm backfilling reviews for my most loved perfumes if readers look to "fragrance twins" (as I do). I smelled SB a few years ago. It was a strange experience for me since it did not smell fruity, patchouli, oceanic, or citrusy. I was enchanted and intrigued, but it was not love at first sniff. A few samples later, I ended up buying a full bottle for cheap on FragranceNet and then couldn't stop spraying. Almost every day. SB is my foundation, my underpinning, my silk robe. It is the epitome of comfort and familiarity for me - yet at the same time, it is quite sensual and perhaps a little too daring for the office. (I wear it to the office on the regular, for context.) Warm, toasted sandalwood laced with cinnamon and cumin. I have layered with Vanille Fatale and that is the ultimate combo for me, but I've also layered with lots of other vanilla-centric fragrances and it's heaven.

It may very well be my nose, or just that I'm not tuned in to the universe of Tom Ford's making. I'm a heretic yet remain ambivalent when it comes down to Santal Blush; while appreciating its otherworldly beauty I also catch myself thinking time and time again that actually, I prefer both Adam Levine for Women as well as the Superdrug dupe; both to be had for a song. It could also be that the caraway seeds and fenugreek make Santal Blush just that tiny bit overwhelming, tilting it over the edge. Maybe I'm just wearing it on the wrong day for me, or it feels like it's trying too hard. Maybe Santal Blush is just not my type - in a 'it's not you, it's me' way. The sandalwood is smooth, rich, welcoming, the other notes just so, yet... Beautiful, but not quite right. Overall, frustrating and yet, yet, I will return for more.

I've been wearing it since I got it in the mail. This fragrance reflects a mature laid-back confident mood; it is a highly attractive aroma. If you like intriguing scents that don't give out a scent dna straight away, I'd put this in your top three if you decide to buy it. I'm a male, and I wear this; it's a terrific trademark scent for a man. In addition, women like this, ESPECIALLY on a male. I'm not a fan of oud perfumes, but this has a woody creamy calming sensation that makes you want to wear it. I wouldn't spend money on anything I knew wouldn't smell wonderful; I'm typically a fan of light airy fresh fragrances, but this is in a class of its own. At the very least, get a sample. And men, don't let the fact that it's a perfume discourage you from enjoying anything. Get after it, whole bottle worthy for me.

OUT OF THIS WORLD Santal Blush , now I have found my favourite Sandalwood scent, . It has that creamy ,milky,musky balsamic sandalwood that is so comforting and sexy to me but it also has that certain elegance that some of my other sandelwoods are missing. Bois de Iles has it but its a different chanel style and the aldehydes play a role in it. This one is just classy elegant ,exquisite style. Right now I would say, this is Easily my favourite fragrance I own. Hands down! It has a airy light quality, it is not heavy nor cloying , it's not sweet but it's not bone dry. It's ever so slightly spicy and it's very very warm and ahhhhh so creamy woody ! Update. This is the best fragrance ever created. It's the musk and sandalwood combo that is more of a feeling than a smell. Its so amazing , get constant compliments !

This must be the best fragrance I've ever smelled. I cant tell you how hard I inhaled the arm of my jacket after spraying this in store for 2 weeks, it's absolutely incredible. I dont find it emits especially well but I would be sitting and randomly catch a whiff and it would make me so happy. It should be listed as unisex by TF as I dont see who couldn't wear this, I'd even wear this in summer as it doesn't hit you in the face. Obviously the longevity is excellent as I could still smell it on my jacket for 2 weeks. I dont actually have the product, but I cant not purchase it even if only for special occasions, and I have scoured for a clone so I have ordered SJP Stash upon recommendation as well as a Superdrug cheap fragrance that id supposed to be similar. Here's hoping, its honestly addictive.

(Review of the most recent formulations) For me, this is tied with Ébène Fumé for first place in the "woods collection" set I got. It is a tad more feminine leaning than Fumé or Bois Marocain and much more wearable for normal occasions. Projection is good and longevity is long lasting for me, I get a good 6+ hours with Santal. I'm going to go out on a limb and say if you like the Versace Crystal Noir type of scent, you may like this as well, it's certainly worth a try if you can sample it. More suited for cold weather, this is beautiful and long lasting. Expensive for a blind buy, but it is what it is I guess. Definitely work safe. I will be getting a bigger size of this for sure. Purchased from: Sephora

At first smell, the musk was overwhelming, with a little spice to it. The first few hours of wear present a cozy, intimate, musky sandalwood which I personally think smelt identical to Juliette Has A Gun 'Ode to Dullness', although maybe more on the aromatic side. After it wears down a fresher sandalwood comes out which really really reminds me of this beloved sandalwood incense I buy in bulk from the Asian supermarket at the top of my street for basically no money at all— clean smokey, simple sandalwood scent. Beautiful, probably one of the closest smells to god, although the sillage was a little disappointing, for the price point I'd want the whole room to smell me wearing this.

Tom Ford Santal Blush (2011) - spiced sandalwood - Most modern sandalwood perfumes are sharp and too green, but #yannvasnier creation reminds me of Sandalwood when I bought oil vials visiting India. Starts with spiced & aromatic combination of Cumin, Fennel, Fenugreek, and Cinnamon. Its Sandalwood heart is beautifully wrapped in florals, mainly Ylang-ylang and Rose, but plays a supporting role creating a lush texture to the main ingredient. As it dries down, pencil shavings, cedar trees and sandalwood become the main accord. It also has multiple carefully chosen white musks to create radiance to this very base heavy perfume. Up there with Bois des Iles and Egoiste.