Ramón Béjar is one of those lines that knows how to do simple well. There’s really no need for an intro with “Secret Sandalwood”. I think you can figure out what sort of fragrance this is.
Secret Sandalwood opens with something fruity and creamy that reminds me of Juicy Fruit gum. It’s a fruity ylang with a hint of greenness with humidity. I don’t know what secrets Secret Sandalwood has because it’s no secret that it’s a sandalwood perfume. Within minutes, it’s a milky, woodsy sandalwood that gets more balsamic with wear. It starts to remind me of sandalwood and an animalic ambergris. It dries down to a musky sandalwood that wears closely to the skin.
It may sound simple because it is. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a good sandalwood with creamy florals. It works for any occasion, any season.
Notes listed include bergamot, tiare flower, ylang ylang, sandalwood, vanilla and musk.
Give Secret Sandalwood a try if you like sandalwood perfumes. Or if you like perfumes like Malle par Dries van Noten, Diptyque Tam Dao, Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule and/or Tom Ford Private Blend Santal Blush.
Projection is average with longevity above average.
The 2.55 oz retails for $295 at Osswald.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A really good sandalwood with creamy florals. I’m not really into sandalwood perfumes. I love the note but I’m not so wild about sandalwood “singular” scents. They always seem like they need to be layered with something to make them work. And there’s no way I’m layering a $295 perfume! Anyway, if you like sandalwood, this is one worth sampling. Because, it is good.
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*Sample obtained by me. Product pic from geurengoeroe.com. Claire Trevor from permareperterras.wordpress.com.
Hmm. I’m edging back into the perfume world (not that my bookshelf ever stopped being packed tight with bottles, but they had very few new friends) and remembering what the gaps in my collection were. The Perfect Sandalwood was one of them–I seem to be hard to please. Tam Dao isn’t sweet enough, Santal Mujuscule is too sweet, Santal de Mysore is lovely but has a little too much personality to be plain sandalwood, Art of Shaving Sandalwood is mostly Art of Shaving Eucalyptus…
This one sounds like it could be the thing. The animalic aspect could give it an unsweet edge without prickliness, maybe?
Hmmm.
Also, howdy!
Welcome back!
Sandalwood is weird for me. I love it but I have the same issues as you do. There isn’t a “just right” one in my collection. The closest to that for me is Santal de Mysore but it does have much more going on. And why do all the “men’s” sandalwoods just smell like camphor?
This one is good. Mostly sandalwood but the florals do help it from going bitter/sour. It’s just this price…everything seems like it’s $300 these days.