I’m a sucker for fragrances that are happier occupying your personal space than the whole room. Musc Santal has absolutely no interest in making an entrance. Instead, it rewards the people lucky enough to be standing close by. Clary sage and juniper berries give the opening a crisp, aromatic freshness before Narciso Rodriguez’s signature musk begins to settle in. Sandalwood and cedar follow, adding a creamy warmth that feels less like wood and more like the soft texture of well-worn cotton against your skin. Everything melts together so naturally that it’s difficult to tell where the fragrance ends and you begin.
It’s one of those fragrances that seems to disappear, right up until I catch it on my sleeve a few hours later and remember why I put it on in the first place. While other sandalwood fragrances dress the note up in smoke, spice or oud, this lets it quietly disappear into musk, creating something intimate, comforting and effortlessly modern. It never chases your attention. It earns it.
Versace Eros
- Fragrance Family: Woody
- Concentration: Eau de Parfum
- Motivation: The Charmer
Not every fragrance has to be mysterious. Sometimes you just want something that’s unapologetically good fun, and Versace Eros has been offering exactly that for years. Italian lemon, mandarin, mint and candied apple burst out of the bottle with the sort of confidence that could only belong to god of love Eros. Clary sage and geranium stop things becoming too sweet, while sandalwood and vanilla add a soft warmth that gives all that energy somewhere to land. It’s bold, fresh and just the right side of cheeky.
There’s a lot going on here. Citrus, mint, candied apple, vanilla… it should be complete chaos. Somehow, though, it isn’t. And that’s because of the sandalwood. It gives the fragrance a velvety texture that keeps all that confidence in check without taking away any of the fun. It’s still the life and soul of the party. It just remembers to book the taxi home.
Floris Sandalwood
- Fragrance Family: Woody
- Concentration: Eau de Parfum
- Motivation: Quiet Confidence
