Sandalwood
Santalum album
Milky, creamy, almost sweet wood. The softest of the woody notes.
The note’s label
- Family
- woody note; among fragrance families, woody
- Position
- base note
- Impression
- Pairs with
- Evokes
- milk · smooth wood · warm skin
- Raw material
- heartwood, distilled
- Natural or synthetic
- Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum), with a lower santalol content, and synthetic sandalwood molecules are also used.
The heart of the tree
Only the heartwood of an older tree is fragrant. Indian sandalwood oil contains around 90% santalols, Australian Santalum spicatum about 39%, which is why it smells drier.
Because Indian sandalwood is so scarce, synthetic sandalwood materials have been developed since the mid-20th century; today they account for most of the sandalwood effect in perfumes, laundry detergents and fabric care.
In perfume
Sandalwood is a classic base note of floral and amber fragrances. It rounds off rose and jasmine and carries vanilla well.
On the label
Sandalwood oil (Santalum Album Oil), santalols (Santalol) and one synthetic sandalwood material (Trimethylcyclopentenyl Methylisopentenol) have been on the allergen list since 2023.
In the fragrance archive
- Kenzo Kenzo pour Homme (1991)
- Azzaro Silver Black (2005)
- Calvin Klein CK One (1994)
The archive is for reading only. Nothing in it is for sale.