Woody · Natural material · Heart notes, Base notes
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is a fragrant oil from the heartwood of sandalwood trees, mainly Santalum album, which also grows in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. It smells soft, warm, creamy and slightly milky-sweet. Sandalwood is usually placed in the base notes, where it gives the dry-down a smooth finish.
· Written by the FRAG team
What does sandalwood smell like?
Sandalwood smells like smooth, oily wood: soft, warm, creamy and slightly milky-sweet. It is neither sharp nor smoky, so sandalwood is often used to smooth out other notes.
On skin, sandalwood emerges slowly once the opening fades and stays close to the body. Sandalwood from Santalum album and from the Australian species, Santalum spicatum, has a different oil composition, so the two do not smell exactly the same.
Where does sandalwood come from?
Sandalwood comes from the heartwood of the sandalwood tree, the hard, oily centre of the trunk. Its oil is obtained by a long steam distillation, and about 75% of it is santalol, the compound behind the classic sandalwood scent.
Santalum album is native to Indonesia, with important populations in East Nusa Tenggara, including Timor and Sumba. Because the wood has been heavily harvested, its wild population is now listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Much sandalwood oil now comes from plantations, for example in Western Australia, and perfumes often use synthetic sandalwood molecules as well.
Sandalwood as a perfume base
Sandalwood has long been a classic base-note material. Because it evaporates slowly, sandalwood acts as a fixative that helps other notes stay on skin longer, though how long a perfume lasts still depends on your skin, the weather and the concentration. Sandalwood also softens sharp spices or dry woods.
With rose and jasmine, sandalwood feels soft and floral. With vanilla and cardamom, it turns warm and creamy. Iris and musk make sandalwood feel clean and powdery, and in Middle Eastern perfumes it often keeps oud company.
Sandalwood for day and night
Sandalwood is soft and never loud, so it works day or night. In hot weather, a sandalwood perfume with citrus or white flowers feels comfortable at work. A blend of sandalwood with vanilla or oud suits an evening out.
