Ingredient Spotlight: Sandalwood
The golden sensuality of fragrant sandalwood oil has been treasured, celebrated and coveted by humans for millennia. Adding a powdery, warm depth to a fragrance, this exquisitely nuanced woody scent retains a sense of sophistication through its creamy softness.
Extracted from the heartwood, it takes 40 years for a sandalwood tree to produce the most well perfumed oil, thus making it a precious resource, and one that is in extraordinarily high demand. The finest sandalwood comes from the Santalum album tree - while many trees from the genus Santalum produce fragrant oil, the rich, glowing aroma of Santalum album, native to India and Southeast Asia, remains the most highly prized.
After thousands of years of use in cosmetics, perfumes and religious ceremonies, sandalwood stocks must now be protected, in order to preserve this exalted extract for future generations to enjoy. Fortunately, today there are exquisite synthetic alternatives to the natural oil – some almost chemically identical to the original. The use of these synthetic oils allows demand for the scent to be met, without further endangering the existence of such an historically significant species.
Sandalwood Fragrance Characteristics
Sandalwood intertwines seamlessly with a wealth of other fragrance ingredients, including floral, fresh and woody blends, making it exceptionally versatile. The enveloping cosiness of sandalwood is particularly perfect for this time of year – a long-lasting, warming depth, much needed on the cold, damp days of winter and early spring. Read on to discover The House of Creed’s finest sandalwood fragrances for him and her – each one filled with optimistic, comforting notes to delight and intrigue the senses.
Fresh Fragrances With Sandalwood
Bright and dynamic, these fragrances evoke the wonders of the great outdoors, to revitalise and awaken the wearer.
Inspired by the lush green landscapes of the Emerald Isle, Green Irish Tweed is a refined, sophisticated fragrance for him, verdant and fresh with notes of peppermint, violet leaves and lemon, with a lingering base of sandalwood, Florentine iris and amber that conjures a sense of classic, timeless nostalgia. Exhilarating and crisp, Silver Mountain Water evokes the fresh, iciness of the Alpine region. The uplifting sharpness of zesty citrus, green tea and salt accord is perfectly balanced by sweet blackcurrant, warm sandalwood and comforting musk. Elegantly sparkling, Millésime Impérial opens with the scent of bright bergamot, fruity blackcurrant and green violet leaves, balanced by hearty iris and a marine accord. Its rich base of sandalwood, cedarwood and musk creates a refined finish, timelessly stylish and sophisticated.
Spicy Fragrances With Sandalwood
Fresh notes blend captivatingly with spicy ingredients in perfume to create exciting, adventurous fragrances – particularly effective when warm, creamy sandalwood is used as a cohesive base.
Conjuring rugged, mountainous landscapes, Himalaya is a fresh, spicy fragrance with an innovative edge. Citrus notes of bergamot, grapefruit, lemon and mandarin interweave with smoky gunpowder and heady spices, whilst sandalwood, vetiver and cedarwood dry down to a temptingly seductive base. A celebration of an adventurous spirit, Viking Cologne is bold, fresh and daring, with zingy citrus and an aromatic bust of lavender, rosemary and sage. Deepened by a spicy intrigue from pink pepper and nutmeg, and fused together with a woody base of patchouli, frankincense and sandalwood, this striking fragrance for him and her is best suited to the modern explorer.
Woody Fragrances With Sandalwood
Earthy and characterful, woody fragrances possess a natural, aromatic charm.
Capturing the intriguing essence of the Iberian Peninsula’s expansive forests, Bois Du Portugal is rich and crisp with exotic, woody notes. With bright citrus and basil, an aromatic heart of lavender and spices, and a rich, smooth base of sandalwood, cedarwood, vetiver and ambergris, this fragrance for him is refined, elegant and timeless. Effortlessly indulgent, Original Santal turns heads with its sensual opulence. Mysore sandalwood is accompanied by warm ginger and cinnamon, seductive vanilla and sweet tonka bean for an alluringly warm and woody fragrance. Capturing the spirit of a classic British gentleman’s club, Tabarome Millésime is a powerhouse blend of warm and woody notes, evoking smoky cigars, luxurious leather upholstery and the finest brandy. Rich and assertive, smooth sandalwood interweaves with ginger, vetiver, musk and tobacco to create this timeless, masculine fragrance.
Floral Fragrances With Sandalwood
Floral notes are some of the most celebrated and popular of all fragrance ingredients, and when combined with warm, smooth sandalwood, the effect is utterly irresistible.
The iconic Aventus for Her is a fresh, empowering celebration of the modern woman. Crisp, inspiring opening notes of green apple, pink pepper and bergamot blossom into a floral heart of Bulgarian rose, sandalwood and musk, before this sensual perfume dries down to an opulent base of amber, ylang ylang, peach and lilac. Theatrical and romantic, Angelique Encens is an effortlessly glamorous fragrance that opens with coriander, rose and violet. With a warm heart of sandalwood and cinnamon, and a smoky base of musk, incense and vetivert, this is an exquisitely decadent fragrance that creates a lasting impression. The elegant, sophisticated scent of Fleurissimo is brimming with feminine, floral joy – a wedding bouquet distilled into a beguiling perfume. Tuberose, violet, jasmine, neroli and Bulgarian rose delicately intertwine on a bed of warm sandalwood and rich iris to create a glamorous, yet ethereally beautiful perfume.
A fragrance from The House of Creed is a symphony of expertly orchestrated ingredients, and those that include sandalwood in their blend will always carry within them a rich, golden warmth, ideal for cold winter months and the fresh days of early spring.