Santal Blanc

What a beauty. I generally gravitate towards gourmand and/or stereotypical "feminine" fragrances but as I fell deeper and deeper into the fragrance world, I also fell in love with clean, musky scents and their delicate nature. I'm saying this because this is what Santal Blanc is, to the core. I'm the kind of person who enjoys woody notes as either supporting / balancing notes, or on other people. I tend not to wear woody-centric fragrances as they feel really masculine on me--- again, in a stereotypical, classical way. Also, my skin loves pushing woody notes forward, so I always feel like they're pushed to the max when interacting with me. On my skin, the first minutes of SB give a dry yet quite soft sandalwood. At this stage, the mental image I get is that of sandalwood's shavings. As for the fig in the opening, it is perceptible but veeeeery subtle. I do agree that it's quite reminiscent of Philosykos EDP's fig but there is no green facets in SB at all, contrarily to the former frag. I personally don't get the sweet, fruity facets of the fig, rather its gentle and slightly coconutty milkiness. Within the first hour of wear, it then slowly evolves into something more powdery (as the violet notes come through), and the fragrance only gets softer and slightly creamy. The powdery accord doesn't give me makeup nor a vintage vibe, it just feels like a clean powder, if that makes sense... doesn't go to the baby powder territory either (to my nose, at least). As it enters the soft and creamy stage further and further, the musk gains in intensity and, without ever giving a full "fresh laundry" or "out of the shower" experience, it does give an overall "clean skin" aura to the fragrance. I'm now deep in the dry down stage as I'm writing this review, and I'm left with a quiet and slightly sweet scent. It's not an edible sweetness though. Funnily enough, it reminds me of the "sweet" quality of a papersheet, of a notebook... in fact, it really reminds me of the nice and comforting scent of a book. But again, it's really delicate and muted. I feel like this the consequence of a dry, nutty, slighty sweet tonka peeking through. I'm not sure but I also feel like the benzoin is accentuating both the creamy and faintly sweet aspects of the fragrance. Throughout the entire wear, SB's sillage is quite small, but I feel like it suits the scent perfectly. It adds to its discreet, low-key and effortlessly elegant vibe. Longevity however is quite decent-- it's a skin scent but the perfume lingers after the 7 hour-mark. Can I make my love for SB more apparent? I feel like nothing clashes with anything here. Every single note is interacting perfectly with the ever-present sandalwood, and serves as a supporting element to enhance and embellish a different aspect of it. Thanks to theses various interactions, you get to experience sandalwood when dry, milky & creamy. It's always done with restraint, elegance and softness. Ah yes, did I tell you how soft this fragrance is? SB is that soft-spoken and quiet classmate, co-worker or friend that always seems so calm and level-headed. They seem a bit distant at first, maybe a little bit cold even, but they're actually so warm and kind. They just listen more than they speak, and you enjoy how reliable and helpful they are. They're the kind of people that come into your mind when you're in a difficult situation, wondering "what would *insert name here* do?". Their presence is enough to calm you down, even when you guys just sit together in silence. They remain calm in stressful situations. They may move in silence. They probably listen to lo-fi tracks and chill, indie soul/R&B music. Signature-scent worthy.

VC&A Santal Blanc has been a love since it was first released. The only fragrance from this brand that I've been interested to add to my collection and purchased once in 2021, but it was such an unusually big purchase for me at the time that my bank thought it wasn't me and rejected it lol. Although sometimes price is not a deterrent to me especially if the fragrance is loved and of quality, which this was, I saw it as a sign to save my money and move on to buy other fragrances instead of just one that was a final 300 price tag for 75 mL. Timing is everything because this year is the first time I've ever seen it discounted and it reminded me of the scent that I love, used decant samples for, and still had two brand samples left for reference. I retried and the "it" feeling was still so strong, so I bought it and can now happily enjoy this figgy, milky, sandalwood scent. The fig is sweet and not green to the point of Diptyque Philosykos. Like a sweet fig milk that also comes across like coconut in the best way. The sandalwood is milky and not too cream-dense so it is perfect for the warmth. The violet borders an edge of sourness but never crosses into that zone. Still I wouldn't really crave this in outside winter because the violets in here may turn pickle-like. The violet honestly calms down very quickly in the opening and later adds a clean character to the fragrance as it continues its dive deeper into sweet milky glory. Santal Blanc lasts on my skin up to 12 hours and has very good moderate projection. Some people used to complain about its performance years ago but I could never relate. The comparisons are understandable especially for other fragrances sharing that sandalwood and violet profile, but Santal Blanc is different. The very smooth Le Labo Santal 33 shares a similar sandalwood-violet accord, but is more woody and less sweet without the coconut proxy. It also isn't as milky. Hermes Santal Massoia does have a sweet milk infused with dried fruits thing that's similar to the fig vibe in Santal Blanc, but it is mostly woody first with no violets or bordering sourness.

I’ve been pining for a sample of this perfume for several months and I finally got my hands on one. The Van Cleef Collection Extrodinaire has some standouts, and after wearing Santal Blanc for a full day I’m convinced this is one of the best. Yes, the sandalwood is synthetic as expected. The other notes that surround the wood essence are what make Santal Blanc remarkable. I don’t think of this as sandalwood per se, instead it’s a pretty white wood scent. The thick layer of fig milk and musk lean exotic, and this is a scent I could easily wear in the Spring and Fall (and possibly summer months though I need to test first). On my maiden voyage I wore this a full 10 hours, then this morning upon awakening I could still smell it. Like others in this line, it doesn’t have strong projection or sillage, but Santal Blanc has major stamina. On my perfume eating skin Bois Doré fades away in about 2 hours, and California Reverie lasts maybe 3 hours max. Granted others in this line have better performance, but these are the two that I ended up buying for my collection. (For comparison, I loved Orchidee Vanille but that one barely made it to an hour which is why I could not justify a purchase). And I’m simply surprised, I wasn’t expecting longevity based off the notes. I love Santal Blanc and for the first time—for a Collection Extrodinaire perfume—feel the retail price is fair. That’s also a first. Overall a well done sweet fig and exotic wood based perfume in a gorgeous white bottle. EDIT this should’ve been named Santal Blanc Figue.

i’ve had a bottle of santal blanc for almost a year now. i still love it just as much as i did when i first smelt it in store. i actually found it whilst i was on a mission to find a dupe for a beloved discontinued perfume, so it’s quite special to me. it’s a wonderfully rounded, very addictive fragrance. so soft and creamy. although coconut isn’t actually a note in this, it is quite prevalent to my nose. however, it’s not the overly sweet, cloying, suncream type of coconut.. it’s subtle and airy. i smell fig milk rather than fig nectar. the violet, tonka and musk are what make this such a gorgeous, rounded fragrance to me. the notes blend so seamlessly together. i don’t often like clean, classy, polite fragrances, but there’s just something about this that i absolutely adore. only negative i have to say is that, for this price point, i would expect a better performance. it has quite an intimate projection/sillage, and quite an average longevity. i find that it lasts longer on clothes than on skin, so i like to spray it onto any flowy fabrics that adorn me when i wear it. it is certainly up there on my list of favorites. as soon as i run out, i will be repurchasing another bottle...... just not at retail price. i see a few trustworthy europe-based perfume websites, such as notino, sell it at very discounted rates.

I had the chance to smell the entire unisex part of the Collection Extraordinaire in a well retailed perfumery. The whole series is great, but I didn'tsmell anything that suited me, until I tested Santal Blanc. My first thought was that I'd never smelled a perfume this particular, delicious without being gourmand, and odd. As I let it sit on the paper strip, I couldn't help but falling in love with this silky, green and luxurious scent. I purchased it without even trying it on my skin - I was euphoric. The scent resembles exceptionally the creamy aroma of fig trees, combined an intoxicating yet immaculate sandalwood. At the moment of the spray one can sense a hint of citrus. I cannot detect any of the other notes. If I'd read the notes before getting to know Santal Blanc, I would have never imagined I'd fall in love with this perfume. It's an incredibly sophisticated, ageless, pleasantly sweet fragrance, with an enormous sillage and a remarkable longevity on my skin. It's labelled as unisex, and even though to me it definitely falls under the womanly category as it hasn't got anything masculine, I guess a man could pull it off too. Give this perfume a chance, and test it if you can - it's worth the price, and it smells different from anything else I've ever tried. My new signature. A fresh yet sweet woody scent.

My favorite fig perfume so far... I wear it everyday. The opening is a green sharp fig, you can even imagine the color and the velvety texture of the fruit with an airy feeling, followed by the smell of tangerines and soft wood. A woman sitted under a fig tree, eating a tangerine while leaning against the tree. The winds blows, the smells combine, faint woody smell, green figs and the taste/smell of the citrus in her mouth... Time passes and the notes start to evaporate... the sandalwood, in my opinion, starts to reveal its true purpose: creaminess. The fig goes from green, leaving behind the airy feeling, to ripe, becoming purple, juicy, sweeter rounded by the creaminess of the sandalwood to give the illusion of fig milk. Musk, tonka beans and benzoin give the composition a great base to stay on skin due to the volatility of the tangerine and violet notes. The composicion remains based on fig+sandalwood = fig milk with the support of the base notes to last all day. On my skin there is no overly woody profile or mega powdery profile as fragrantica suggest but a green profile that is airy, evolving to a creamy fruty-sweet. No vanilla-sweet. No balsamic. No warm spicy. Warm skin temperature, daytime perfume. Recommended 100%. For me is one of the bests! The sweet spot of fig fragrances!

I randomly tested this while in store with the specific intent of picking up a different fragrance. Needless to say I walked out with two perfumes instead and the chokehold Santal Blanc has on me right now is a bit ridiculous. The first time I smelled this my immediate thought was "this could be a year round signature scent," and so far, it is living up to my hopes on versatility. (Though I do still need to test it in the really cold weather). On it's own, Santal Blanc is a scent that is just such a smooth, creamy sandalwood and you do have to like sandalwood to enjoy this fragrance. I do not really get the coconut or the dill pickles other mention and I feel like on my skin, it's just a decadent, smooth sandalwood. I know people are wary of fig as a note but as I think it may be the only fig fragrance that I own, I can only say that I like it here. This is a scent that smells luxurious and expensive but isn't loud or bold. It lasts a good while 5-6 hours but it does sit close to my skin. I also find it plays really well with other perfumes when layered and I particularly have been enjoying layering lighter florals over top of this. It helps add a bit of depth, letting me wear more of my light bright florals into the fall.

So weird to read all those polarising reviews. For me this is a very easy to like scent but I guess skin chemistry is extra important here. I read a comment that said this feels like a baby from Sensuous by Estee Lauder (creamy, feminine sandalwood) and Philosykos by Diptyque (green fig that here reads more like fig nectar and fig milk). I completely agree, it’s a lactonic, musky, floral and creamy-woody scent. Soft like velvet with a touch of coconut. Don’t be put off by that fig note, it’s not that apparent, just a supporting note and everything else is blended to perfection. To me, it’s absolute stunning, natural and soothing like a spa product or an aromatherapy piece, while still managing to remain classy, luxurious, elegant. But it is a humble elegance, a quiet luxury, a casual, effortless classiness. You probably won’t hear people say “what a beautiful perfume!” but something like “Wow YOU smell absolutely amazing!” Santal Blanc is suitable for all seasons and especially sunny summer days spent close to the sea. Probably my favourite offering right now from the Extraordinaire Collection of Van Cleef & Arpels. Truly lovely but definitely test before buy.

Looking at the comparisons I see that number one is Parisian Musk by Matier Premier. I guess I can kinda see the similarities but it's a stretch. I actually consider this a woodier version of Prada Cargo De Nuit which is an amazing find because that fragrance is discontinued and has completely disappeared from everywhere. I remember immediately liking the smooth white woods this has. It's synthetic no doubt but it's an excellent use of these materials. And because it's synthetic, it performs very well especially in the longevity department. It's essentially a smooth woody sandalwood with tonka and musks. There's some violet the surfaces and sticks around for a while but it's not overpowering and it fades leaving the clean woody base. A long lasting and simple musky, sandalwood. Good for almost an situation and not too heavy so it's very versatile. Scent 8.5/10 Performance 8/10

Santal Blanc, what a beautiful and shy masterpiece you are! Shy? Yes, it is a very quiet fragrance. It does not project much and that is my kind of scent. I love perfumes that are intimate and shy. I love to wear perfume for myself without announcing to the world that I have arrived. Santal Blanc is creamy, woodsy and slightly sweet. There seems to be a slight coconut-y note in it that lends a softness and creaminess to this understated beauty. I cannot say it reminds me of Le Labo Santal 33 at all. Santal 33 is screechy and has a VERY woodsy almost pickle like tone to it (from the Sandalwood). Santal Blanc on the other end is quiet, polite, restrained and classy. Truly. I absolutely am thrilled to have it in my collection, it is so very pretty to wear especially in the cold months of the year. A must try from the Collection Extraordinaire from Van Cleef & Arpels!!

An exceptionally beautiful sandalwood fragrance made creamy by the milkiness of fig, resulting in an almost coconut-like accord, with put being particularly beachy. The supporting notes of fluff, white mask, semi-sweet tonka, and vanillic, resin benzoin support the sandalwood and fig nicely. They do not make the composition feel heavy. Instead, they help keep things light and airy. I've see it compared to Santal 33 and I do not find them similar. I enjoy wearing this much more than S33 and while unisex, it leans more feminine while S33 leans more masculine. Right now, I only have a purse-size decant, but an inclined to pick up a full bottle. This line of perfumes from.Van Cleef & Arpels is really impressive, and for an exclusive line, the cost is fairly reasonable. You may luck out and find a bottle for a decent price on the grey market and eBay.

Santal Blanc is amazing and I think it’ll quickly become a staple! The scent is pretty much spot on what I was looking for, it’s amazingly light, clean and airy. I don’t get much of the mandarin, it smells a little like the leaves rather than the fruit, giving it a subtle green edge which blends smoothly with the subtle woodiness of the sandalwood. It is not very sweet, nor do I get much of the milkiness. It really is a bit like a skin-but-better scent but, at least to my nose, not the very musky kind but rather a tea-ish spa and skincare skin scent, hence what makes it quite sophisticated. The scent is a very office friendly, inoffensive, sophisticated, good for layering type of scent that to me is entirely unisex. As for longevity I will have to see :)

This is so beautiful. Until this perfume, I hadn't yet met a woody fragrance that I liked. This is a very soft wood, with rounder edges than some of the 'sharper' woods I've come across previously. This perfume is so creamy, it's latonic and almost mallowy, but not sweet. There's such a beautiful milky coconut note which is hand in hand with a ripe fig note. It's almost mouthwatering! It's refined but comfortable, cosy but refreshing. I've worn this so far in the summer but I think it would be suitable for most seasons. I'm intrigued to try this in the cooler months, to see if the woody notes peek out a bit more. All in all, a really beautiful scent. Longevity on skin isn't fantastic, but projection is okay. Worth a try or even a buy, for sure.

❀ I’ve long chased the perfect creamy scent...that delicate balance of softness, warmth & skin-like comfort. This one comes surprisingly close. Imagine coconut-laced sandalwood, steeped in fig milk and dusted with velvet-soft tonka. It floats like a powdered cloud. Weightless, intimate, almost otherworldly. But then... the twist. Many have tried to name it. My husband catches cucumber. I get wet earth, almost like damp roots after rain. It's jarring at first, even unsettling, but somehow magnetic. The contrast between the dreamy top & the oddly grounding base turns this from a comfort scent into something more complex. Not quite perfect. But in that imperfection lies its intrigue.

I’ve never much understood what people meant when they referred to “your skin but better” scents. I tend to stay away from heavily musky stuff, so maybe that’s why. But after wearing this, I think I finally get it! After a slightly sour but pleasant opening (the violet is strongest here), creamy sandalwood, a whisper of milky fig, and just the right amount of musk seems to sink in and really blend with and enhance my own skin chemistry. A very personal and comforting fragrance that I think is all-seasons friendly. I like to think of this as a more feminine (but still very unisex) sister fragrance to Maison Crivelli’s more masculine smelling (but also unisex) Papyrus Moleculaire.

Im not sure about pickles, but its for sure giving corn tortillas on me 😭 It's so beautiful that I almost don't care, and might fall in love with it anyway It's stunning on paper, all creamy fig tree and musk. Very remniscient of Philosykos, but a watercolor version. Like how Monet would paint Philosykos. On skin the sharper edges smooth a bit, and after the drydown this perfume smells the way a cashmere blanket feels. The Tostitos vibe morphs a little and whatever that note is sort of blends in with the woods, which shine as the mandarin and fig start to lift from the skin. Good longevity, moderate sillage, slightly feminine... all season especially spring

If you wanted to love Philosykos but found it a little too punchy and green, this may be the perfect scent for you. It is Philosykos with a little half and half poured on top. I find it very clean, soft, and wearable while having some tartness from sandalwood and sweetness from the fig. It smells like a perfume where someone would hug you and say "wow you smell wonderful" rather than "I love this perfume". It smells like it could be a really expensive body lotion or combination of a few body product scents. YMMV but for me it wears down very evenly and 8 hours later is a skin but better scent. Feels a bit pricy but I'd indulge in a full bottle.

V&A Santal Blanc is so beautiful. It is the cleanest, purest, and need I say sexiest Santal blend I have gotten my nose on. It is very good! Most Santal dominant scents smell very vegetative, like sweet relish or pickles, or cucumbers--Not this! And I believe its the fig fruit along with the light floral touches that take the fragrance in the non-pickle direction. The drydown goes a little metallic on my skin and I like that facet. I find VASB very unisex, straight down the middle. Its gorgeous! It's not a beast or heavy projector, but the juice is worth the squeeze! I look forward to adding a full bottle to my collection.

After testing this in store, I decided it’s number 1 in my wishlist and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The sandalwood is so creamy and smooth - almost lactonic to me, which mixes in with the lingering smell of a really ripe, milky fig. The violet in this is powdery (definitely feel like it smells more like iris than violet?) and seamlessly mixes with the other notes, especially the tonka bean. This fragrance is sweet but not in an overbearing or gourmand way, it’s elegant and femininely sweet. This is one of the most well blended scents I’ve ever smelled and I am simply obsessed

right off the bat, a beautiful and masculine unisex scent. if it had almost too much citrus in it i would have hated it, but it doesnt list a citrusy scents apart from the mandarin orange yet those are usually sweet, yet it is interesting that my nose picked up a summery fresh citrusy note. I would recommend it for any one and it is a definite hit with its nice blend of spiciness woodiness and muskiness, very balanced. I really want this. i must say this is such a strong scent that it was and is the first fragrance that my nose picks up from the rest of the testers, absolute projection power