Santal Blanc Van Cleef & Arpels for women and men

So sad I only got to experience this gem after it was discontinued.

Ah well...

Milky fig and creamy sandalwood. That mandarin gives it a little bit of a tart edge at the top. Dries down into a clean musk that reminds me of 312 Saint Honore. Mmm. It makes me feel clean and relaxed.

This smells so damn good everything comes together perfectly

Compliments galore in public, critical “cucumber melon” comments in more intimate settings, such as the work place. While I do find Santal blanc comforting, clean, and “blanc”, I see many here claiming it to be a creamy sandalwood, which to me it is not. I am searching for just that. Santal Blanc is a frothy white, at its densest.
Otherwise it is fig-infused coconut water, sitting atop lotioned skin. It is not entirely cohesive in that way, but does suggest a thought-out skin care routine that is unfussy whilst spa-like. I wear it all the time.

Mixed feelings about this one,love the opening the fig is nice! When it fades, and that's pretty fast, it's perhaps too musky for me,I need to try again. Nit sure if I like it or dislike.

Creamy sandalwood with coconut milk mixed with fig. Mixture with Santal 33 & Philosykos.

After testing this in store, I decided it’s number 1 in my wishlist and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The sandalwood is so creamy and smooth - almost lactonic to me, which mixes in with the lingering smell of a really ripe, milky fig. The violet in this is powdery (definitely feel like it smells more like iris than violet?) and seamlessly mixes with the other notes, especially the tonka bean. This fragrance is sweet but not in an overbearing or gourmand way, it’s elegant and femininely sweet. This is one of the most well blended scents I’ve ever smelled and I am simply obsessed

I expected to like this fragrance after seeing the notes, but it doesn't blend well with my skin chemistry... I tried few times in different seasons but it made me nauseous everytime.
I don't recommend blind buying it because it's one of those perfumes that completely change depending on the skin.

Definitely a unisex scent. I'm not getting any pickle notes thankfully, although it does express more masculine with my skin chemistry. Interestingly, it reminds me a bit of Fierce by Abercrombie & Fitch so that's a major throwback.

So weird to read all those polarising reviews.
For me this is a very easy to like scent but I guess skin chemistry is extra important here.
I read a comment that said this feels like a baby from Sensuous by Estee Lauder (creamy, feminine sandalwood) and Philosykos by Diptyque (green fig that here reads more like fig nectar and fig milk).
I completely agree, it’s a lactonic, musky, floral and creamy-woody scent.
Soft like velvet with a touch of coconut.
Don’t be put off by that fig note, it’s not that apparent, just a supporting note and everything else is blended to perfection.
To me, it’s absolute stunning, natural and soothing like a spa product or an aromatherapy piece, while still managing to remain classy, luxurious, elegant. But it is a humble elegance, a quiet luxury, a casual, effortless classiness. You probably won’t hear people say “what a beautiful perfume!” but something like “Wow YOU smell absolutely amazing!”
Santal Blanc is suitable for all seasons and especially sunny summer days spent close to the sea.
Probably my favourite offering right now from the Extraordinaire Collection of Van Cleef & Arpels.
Truly lovely but definitely test before buy.

This is the first time I’ve experienced a perfume smelling pleasant on paper but seriously bad on my skin. This made me smell like someone who has underlying body odor from eating a lot of spices. Hard pass for me on this one.

I wish I could smell what others can smell in this fragrance. The Van Cleef and Arpel fragrances are so beautiful. However, if you are prone to some sandalwood smelling like dill pickles (and I’m learning that I sometimes perceive sandalwood as dill pickle for whatever reason now), be careful with this one. I could only smell pickles. What a shame.

Creamy sandalwood, creamy iris (the aroma chemicals for iris and violet overlap and this is more the smoothness of iris to my mind) almost mimosa-like?
But, there is a sharp and incongruous note, which I think may be the green fig (certainly not the rich sweetness of dried fig) which rather spoils it for me

I first loved them: soft, musky but with a "strong woman" vibe, so I bought them. However, there is a specific sharp note that I can smell all the time and that is too intense for me. I was more than sure first, there is a black pepper in the notes, but no... So I assume it is Benzoin combined with Sandalwood. Way too "spicy" for my nose, gave it to my mom.

The fig really stands out for me in this one (thankfully it is not to green) with a beautiful creamy sandalwood. It is a nice soft fragrance with a musky dry down. It is dry and a bit powdery, I don't find it sweet at all. I feel it is a good year-round scent. Not overwhelming but quite long lasting. Definitely unisex.

Looking at the comparisons I see that number one is Parisian Musk by Matier Premier. I guess I can kinda see the similarities but it's a stretch. I actually consider this a woodier version of Prada Cargo De Nuit which is an amazing find because that fragrance is discontinued and has completely disappeared from everywhere.

I remember immediately liking the smooth white woods this has. It's synthetic no doubt but it's an excellent use of these materials. And because it's synthetic, it performs very well especially in the longevity department. It's essentially a smooth woody sandalwood with tonka and musks. There's some violet the surfaces and sticks around for a while but it's not overpowering and it fades leaving the clean woody base. A long lasting and simple musky, sandalwood. Good for almost an situation and not too heavy so it's very versatile.

Scent 8.5/10
Performance 8/10

Santal Blanc is a smooth, creamy woody scent with soft fig up top and a musky drydown. Fig as a note tends to take over, but SB manages to be a subtle take on a fig scent. It reminds me of Matière Première Parisian Musc, another smooth, musky fig scent, but this is woodier and less synthetic.

SB opens with sheer, fresh fig, followed closely by the smooth sandalwood which forms the crux of this scent. It becomes creamy as it unfolds, with the fig marrying nicely with the woody notes, adding a green edge.

As it progresses, some powdery violet adds a delicate powdery edge to the sandalwood. Some fig remains, becoming more lactonic as it progresses. It becomes musky as it dries down, blurring the edges nicely, with a hint of tonka bean keeping things rounded and smooth. Sillage is moderate and longevity is surprisingly long-lasting. It is a unisex spring/summer scent.

I find these modern Van Cleef & Arpels perfumes to be beautiful, wearable compositions that are elegant, high-quality and reasonably subtle. An unusually soft take on fig that lasts a long time. Underrated, quiet luxury. 4/5.

Without a doubt the creamiest sandalwood perfume i have smelled. It does have a strange and bitter cucumber smell up close, but if you just get a whiff it's perfect! Longevity on skin is average but on clothes it's easily more than 24hrs.

I got this in the summer thinking it would be the perfect hot day scent but just as meany people below I got a strong cucumber smell from this. Like cold cucumber juice.

In the fall this has transformed to a warm, cozy perfume and there is no cucumber smell to be found. I feel like the fall is the time this perfume works best and I guess the heat amps up the green note that's in this.

It's very creamy but it's not a sweet cream like in This is her by Zadig & Voltair or in Cloud by Ariana Grande. No, this is cream before you mix in the sugar or the liquid cream that you put a teaspoon of in your espreso to make it ekstra flavorful. And the fig is not a ripe fig. It's a green fig that is not yet ready to be taken of the tree.

There is no sweetnss to this but still it smells delicious. It's all the notes listed but the sweetnes has been removed. I love creamy scents but even for me after a cuple of hours this can become overwhelming. Also I expercience good lasting power. This morning I sprayed it before work and I could still smell it when I got home. It does become a skin scent after 2 hours but after that it does still linger on the skin and you will be able to smell it.

I randomly tested this while in store with the specific intent of picking up a different fragrance. Needless to say I walked out with two perfumes instead and the chokehold Santal Blanc has on me right now is a bit ridiculous. The first time I smelled this my immediate thought was "this could be a year round signature scent," and so far, it is living up to my hopes on versatility. (Though I do still need to test it in the really cold weather).

On it's own, Santal Blanc is a scent that is just such a smooth, creamy sandalwood and you do have to like sandalwood to enjoy this fragrance. I do not really get the coconut or the dill pickles other mention and I feel like on my skin, it's just a decadent, smooth sandalwood. I know people are wary of fig as a note but as I think it may be the only fig fragrance that I own, I can only say that I like it here. This is a scent that smells luxurious and expensive but isn't loud or bold. It lasts a good while 5-6 hours but it does sit close to my skin.

I also find it plays really well with other perfumes when layered and I particularly have been enjoying layering lighter florals over top of this. It helps add a bit of depth, letting me wear more of my light bright florals into the fall.

While I have loved my Vanilla Orchid from this range. This perfume has an extremely herbal opening on my skin. I do get the dill and basil, as well as the orange/manderine. I don't think the citrus does any justice to the creaminess of this perfume. Definitely not a blind buy. I have a bottle for sale with 5 sprays missing!

Please get DM me if you would like to purchase a full bottle.

This is so beautiful. Until this perfume, I hadn't yet met a woody fragrance that I liked. This is a very soft wood, with rounder edges than some of the 'sharper' woods I've come across previously.

This perfume is so creamy, it's latonic and almost mallowy, but not sweet. There's such a beautiful milky coconut note which is hand in hand with a ripe fig note. It's almost mouthwatering!

It's refined but comfortable, cosy but refreshing. I've worn this so far in the summer but I think it would be suitable for most seasons. I'm intrigued to try this in the cooler months, to see if the woody notes peek out a bit more.

All in all, a really beautiful scent. Longevity on skin isn't fantastic, but projection is okay. Worth a try or even a buy, for sure.

On paper it smells like pickles, on skin it transforms into the most beautiful, smooth and luxurious sandalwood ever! Summer yacht scent, it is absolutely STUNNING!

I have a full bottle that I’m selling for $100 only used once. Let me know if you want to buy. SOLD

انجیر شیرین و چوب صندل
بسیااار با کیفیت و درست
مشابه نمونه های آمده نیست
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Scent & Quality: 9/10
Longevity: 8/10
Sillage: 8/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 7/10
Affordability: 4/10
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Overall: 7.2/10

I’m not sure how anyone could find this scent “fleeting” it’s one of the most long lasting fragrances I own.
It’s the nicest Santal in my view when compared against Le Labo and Tom Ford’s offerings. This dries down to be creamier with some coconut notes. I like to wear this with a cocoa butter lotion in Summer, have complements every day.

So elegant, sophisticated, luxurious, high end...i could go on! All the notes are present and yet gentle and silky at once. The woody and creamy combo is perfection...I'm transported each and every time... I could say that this is a feminine version of Gris Charnel in a way - not a dupe, but has the same vibe and feels, only more feminine...In my experience, the fig here is light in its green and segues into creamy lactonic but not overdone - Nothing like Philosykos's greeeeeeniness. Beautiful. So happy to have it in my collection.

Tested this on the back of my hand yesterday. Still able to smell the musky dry down today. Projects strong enough that I smell this over the Bulgari I’m wearing today. So beautiful.

Update: bought it. Found it on fragrancenet for 80$ so much performance. I smell it all day I have it on but it’s never overpowering. Smooth woody creaminess. Very linear scent. The opening is slightly nutty in my opinion. Not sure where that’s coming from. Hands down 10/10 my favorite fragrance. I would be down to pay full retail for this.

I'm testing from a small decant and I always wonder if or how the scent may have been tampered with so with that said - I am getting a touch of the dreaded dill note. When reviews below mention fresh, they mean fresh - as in the freshie, herbal category. I am not getting anything creamy. A pass for me.

Nice creamy sandalwood. The green fig addition might be offensive to some. But overall rather well done. Unfortunately only lasted a short while on skin and only seven hours on clothing.

An absolute love for me. As a massive fan of fig and sandalwood having them both is a dream. Lactonic, smooth, rich, creamy, cozy and comfortable, yet clean and classy, it's definitely signature scent worhy. Doesn't develop that powdery on me, but it's musky for sure. Leans more feminine to my nose. If I'm in the mood for more fig, I layer with Womanity by Mugler and it's magical.

Sprayed it on a paperstrip at Lafayette yesterday and all i could smell was Farenheit by Dior.

This smells exactly like Philosykos from Diptyke. Very figy, slightly milky and green. A clean, business scent neutral but sophisticated. Not a sage blind buy, fig can be a little bit suffocating for some people. But i already had Philosykos and i can unfortunately admit if you have one of these you really dont need the other one. To my nose they are identical.

Truly such a beautiful scent. Impulse bought it when looking for another perfume because it is exquisitely soft and well blended, the fig and sandalwood are such a lovely combination. It’s a very comforting scent, very clean but in a delicate & lovely way. Also stays on clothes forever.

super creamy and refreshing sandalwood mixed with the smooth but light fig is simply a masterpiece, this thing lasts 10+ hours on my skin while projecting just right

Pickles on the wood base... Not sure I want to smell like that.

Sandalwood and fig. Both smooth in a lactonic way. Dry down is very musky. Powdery from start till the end. Unisex.

I want to smell that fig note but it is so light that you can barely smell it . It is okay as a perfume, not something special or unique at all. It is an everyday scent, soft and clean, don’t project well and lasts about 3-5 h.

Sweet creamy lactonic sandalwood with a dominating sharp green note that makes me nauseous. It's like mixing coconut cream and aromatic green tea.
The green note settles down a bit as it dries, but I still can't stomach it, it's cloying.
Perfectly unisex tho.

The open and mid of this one remind me quite a bit of This is Her by Z&V, but woodier and not quite as sweet. The musk that's prominent in the dry drown reminds me of the typical "good girl"/"hug from mom" musk in many other perfumes like Serge Lutens Clair de musc, SJP Lovely, Skin Musk, etc. This one smells really good but I prefer This is Her.

This is coconut ice cream in a bottle.

Very delicate perfume.
The first impression is a dry, greenish perfume very centred on sandalwood.
Then it evolves, and becomes musky and lactonic, very cozy and intimate.
A lovely skin scent, almost no flowers in it (i couldn't detect any violet, rather a faint frangipani note).
I enjoyed it for the hour it lasted (sillage is low, ...longevity poor) for that reason, it will not make it to a full bottle.

Such a beautiful and well balanced fragrance. I’m a huge fan of fig and soft woods and this one does it best. It smell’s expensive but approachable. You get every note but so perfectly blended. It’s a bright creamy soft wood that won’t offend anyone while still being unique and appropriate for most occasions. The violet really stands out in the dry down as well. I would wear this anytime but winter, just because it feels like it should be appreciated in the warm sunlight.

What a beauty. I generally gravitate towards gourmand and/or stereotypical "feminine" fragrances but as I fell deeper and deeper into the fragrance world, I also fell in love with clean, musky scents and their delicate nature.

I'm saying this because this is what Santal Blanc is, to the core.

I'm the kind of person who enjoys woody notes as either supporting / balancing notes, or on other people. I tend not to wear woody-centric fragrances as they feel really masculine on me--- again, in a stereotypical, classical way. Also, my skin loves pushing woody notes forward, so I always feel like they're pushed to the max when interacting with me.

On my skin, the first minutes of SB give a dry yet quite soft sandalwood. At this stage, the mental image I get is that of sandalwood's shavings. As for the fig in the opening, it is perceptible but veeeeery subtle. I do agree that it's quite reminiscent of Philosykos EDP's fig but there is no green facets in SB at all, contrarily to the former frag. I personally don't get the sweet, fruity facets of the fig, rather its gentle and slightly coconutty milkiness.

Within the first hour of wear, it then slowly evolves into something more powdery (as the violet notes come through), and the fragrance only gets softer and slightly creamy. The powdery accord doesn't give me makeup nor a vintage vibe, it just feels like a clean powder, if that makes sense... doesn't go to the baby powder territory either (to my nose, at least).

As it enters the soft and creamy stage further and further, the musk gains in intensity and, without ever giving a full "fresh laundry" or "out of the shower" experience, it does give an overall "clean skin" aura to the fragrance.

I'm now deep in the dry down stage as I'm writing this review, and I'm left with a quiet and slightly sweet scent. It's not an edible sweetness though. Funnily enough, it reminds me of the "sweet" quality of a papersheet, of a notebook... in fact, it really reminds me of the nice and comforting scent of a book. But again, it's really delicate and muted. I feel like this the consequence of a dry, nutty, slighty sweet tonka peeking through. I'm not sure but I also feel like the benzoin is accentuating both the creamy and faintly sweet aspects of the fragrance.

Throughout the entire wear, SB's sillage is quite small, but I feel like it suits the scent perfectly. It adds to its discreet, low-key and effortlessly elegant vibe. Longevity however is quite decent-- it's a skin scent but the perfume lingers after the 7 hour-mark.

Can I make my love for SB more apparent? I feel like nothing clashes with anything here. Every single note is interacting perfectly with the ever-present sandalwood, and serves as a supporting element to enhance and embellish a different aspect of it. Thanks to theses various interactions, you get to experience sandalwood when dry, milky & creamy. It's always done with restraint, elegance and softness. Ah yes, did I tell you how soft this fragrance is?

SB is that soft-spoken and quiet classmate, co-worker or friend that always seems so calm and level-headed. They seem a bit distant at first, maybe a little bit cold even, but they're actually so warm and kind. They just listen more than they speak, and you enjoy how reliable and helpful they are. They're the kind of people that come into your mind when you're in a difficult situation, wondering "what would *insert name here* do?". Their presence is enough to calm you down, even when you guys just sit together in silence. They remain calm in stressful situations. They may move in silence. They probably listen to lo-fi tracks and chill, indie soul/R&B music.

Signature-scent worthy.

This DOES NOT smell like Santal 33.
This is very heavy on violet and sandalwood. Smells very powdery but creamy at the same time. I feel like the white bottle definitely represents the scent itself!
It smells very clean but sophisticated and luxurious.
Perfect unisex!
I fell in love upon the first spray and 3 days later it was added to my collection .😂

P.S. It’s pretty long lasting and has a great sillage. Compliment getter😊

If you wanted to love Philosykos but found it a little too punchy and green, this may be the perfect scent for you. It is Philosykos with a little half and half poured on top. I find it very clean, soft, and wearable while having some tartness from sandalwood and sweetness from the fig. It smells like a perfume where someone would hug you and say "wow you smell wonderful" rather than "I love this perfume". It smells like it could be a really expensive body lotion or combination of a few body product scents. YMMV but for me it wears down very evenly and 8 hours later is a skin but better scent. Feels a bit pricy but I'd indulge in a full bottle.

Smells good, I do believe the Tonka bean and & Benzoin base notes makes this scent masculine leaning.
Women who enjoy tonka can rock this due to the fruit and violet, however, I find this is better suited for my husband.
It's a nice clean scent, in offensive to my nose.

V&A Santal Blanc is so beautiful. It is the cleanest, purest, and need I say sexiest Santal blend I have gotten my nose on. It is very good! Most Santal dominant scents smell very vegetative, like sweet relish or pickles, or cucumbers--Not this! And I believe its the fig fruit along with the light floral touches that take the fragrance in the non-pickle direction. The drydown goes a little metallic on my skin and I like that facet. I find VASB very unisex, straight down the middle. Its gorgeous! It's not a beast or heavy projector, but the juice is worth the squeeze! I look forward to adding a full bottle to my collection.

This reads like a Yankee candle or home fragrance to me. It is sharp and nauseating on the skin. There is much more fig than sandalwood. The fig is fig pulp, not leaf or branch. The sandalwood leans creamy/sweet, not dry. Then there is a dominating note of artificial vanilla which I think is what pulls it into the Yankee candle territory for me. Disclaimer- I love sandalwood, but I’m super picky with fig and vanilla scents. I think my skin tends to amplify vanilla notes as well.

My friend sprayed on some perfume and I thought OMG she is totally wearing one of my favourite ever perfumes - Katy Perry’s Indi! I asked her what it was and she pulled this out of her bag. She wasn’t overjoyed that it smells so much like a £5 perfume when she had spent so much money on it. I honestly wouldn’t have been able to tell a difference at all from a few feet away, so if you’re on a budget but like how this smells (same with Santal 33!) give Indi a try ;)

This is a very light fragrance on me. Even with over-spraying, once it dries down it's very faint and doesn't last long. Keep in mind that my skin eats fragrances, even stronger ones. So that could be why.

It's light, woodsy, powdery and almost creamy. This is perfect for when I want something light and dainty. I'll use up my bottle but I won't repurchase. There's others that I enjoy more.

smells like sawdust soaked in milk. sweet/creamy and bitter/dusty at the same time. made my top lip curl, and not in a good way. i don’t plan to finish my decant. i may let my husband try it since this pulls a masculine, but as for me - i’ve had a long-standing love affair with van cleef so i’m not mad about not “needing” to purchase another one.

A beautiful realistic fig pulp scent with white sandalwood, that becomes predominant in the base of the perfume.
I wore it last night and got compliments for it. Elegantly milky, almost creamy. I think it's best suited for informal occasions. Projection is good, lasting power on me not so much... 2.5 hours until it turns into a skin scent.

First time testing this one i thought milky fig.
So i got scared it would turn out to smell like, milky musk from parle moi. Not the case! Second time around i got coconut and mandarin a bit sweeter orange fruit lingered under the "coconut" so the creamy fig is blended so we'll, some small amount of musk, the blend is so,so goood. Worth having a sniff, it stands out amongst the crowd of fragrances.

I remember smelling a tester of Santal Blanc in a duty free store and thinking how fresh and inoffensive this scent is. I purchased a small sample it some months later, and it turned out to be absolutely different from what I remember.
I get too much coconutty sweetness, and in the very beginning, there was definitely some cucumber. I don’t see neither in the notes, but that’s how it smelled to me. This scent is very creamy, like a coconut nobody lotion or sunscreen, and it got too heavy very soon.
I ended up gifting my sample, as I think this scent doesn’t suit me at all. However, if you like coconut and looking for a perfect beach scent, this might be right for you.

This is one of those milky fig sandalwood fragrances that make me swoon. I love those clean skin kinds of smells and this is one of those; body milks, moisturisers, creamy baths. This is not a dark rich sweet fig. The fig is slightly green but mostly milky and just enhances the sandalwood which is still not that intense sickly milky sandalwood but just a very smooth lightness. Ultimately this is a creamy slightly sweet, musky sandalwood fig by the end, but weirdly it's also got a fresh green feel and it's not long lived, only a few hours. It's an elegant almost minimalist feeling fragrance, the kind of thing you can wear when you aren't allowed to wear fragrance, and it's good, but I think if you want projection or longevity, this is probably not it.

A fresh and breezy sweet sandalwood. Powdery, light, airy. Perfectly unisex. Shines in warm weather. Cooling with a distinct whiff of cucumber. I don't really find the fruit at any stage. Well blended. Just not my style.

Review of full bottle blind-buy.

I really love this one!! Sandalwood is an iffy note especially being the main note. It can be pickled or too “woody” but this is balanced so well on me!! The fig and Tonka bring out such a soft sweetness to this that’s amazing, almost feel like there could be a melon note as well. It just smells very clean and polished. Easily an everyday scent for me! Kind of intrigued to see how it wears in the cooler months. I have a sample for now but I’m cheap and can’t see myself paying full price for this because of how soft but it is really beautiful.

i lovee sandalwood in perfumes but this nooo they take it too far to the Carpentry 😶😶😶😶

I'm kind of devestated that the one I bought don't smell like the one in store. It was such a creamy wood with fruity fig and warm tonka, I was in LOVE. Reminded me of Estee Lauder Sensous, which also has a creamy sandalwood in it, but Santal Blanc is like Sensous and Philosykos had a baby. Might be that the fragrance only blooms during summer afternoons.

What I get now is a very loud violet leaf reminiscent to Fahrenheit, some cucumber and sandalwood. I'll try it again this summer, if it doesn't bloom I'll have to sell it :(

UPDATE: OHH This scent definitely shines in +18°C, I've tried it so many times from winter through spring and it's been so screechy. But in high scandinavian heat (aka 23° lol) it's so good! Opening is more juicy while the mid smells warm and a little salty on the skin. Creamy wood sweetned with oriental benzoin + the slightest green, fresh coconutty fig and a tonka dry down. Can't wait to wear it this summer.

When I put this perfume on my skin, for two seconds it smells like a fig, then smells like basil and after 10 minutes it totally transforms into Dior‘s Fahrenheit.

Wow this perfume gets really mixed reviews! I just blind bought this and it wasn’t what I expected but I still love it. It has a lovely fig note that reminds me of the fragrance I get when walking past some huge fig trees near my home - very fresh and soothing. I know that fig notes always seems to connote beaches, but they remind me of gentle breezes in a park. I don’t get any coconut which many other people smell, but I do get the smooth, creamy woods. I would describe this as a lactonic fig perfume rather than a sandalwood one. One slightly off-putting aspect is a slight whiff of something animalic (which I associate with some ouds or even cumin). This is only very slight and not really offensive (I have a minimal tolerance for this type of note), so it does not spoil the whole show. The fresh fig notes become less prominent after a while, as do the skanky, animalic notes. What emerges is the clean, smooth, creamy, oud-like sandalwood which is very understated and elegant. The perfume itself is very oily so I expected it to have a huge projection but it wears pretty close, longevity is 5+ hours. Unisex

Mixed feelings about this scent.
It's creamy(reminds me of coconut) , citrusy with some spiciness(a dill-like smell with some cooling cucumber).

To my nose this smell very much like a typical fresh male perfume.
But maybe I have to try it out some more to get use to it.

This is the only perfume that leave me the imprint that makes me miss smelling :))) love at first sniff.
To me its a polite, non offensive, classy and opulent scent. On my skin its sweet and creamy, the milky fig and woody creaminess but not too sweet. Its so soothing that i also spray it before bedtime too. Loveee

My signature scent for summer, it`s super fresh, soothing, unique (not in a extravagant way, but it`s different than typical summery perfumes) and I`ve gotten some compliments while wearing this. I don`t think you can overspray this, as it most likely will not offend anyone, but I have come to conclusion that I should spray less as it`s light but powerful and I am just wasting it by spraying it so much, as you can get noseblind to it. On clothes it`s eternal, I have gotten whifs of it when wearing shirts that have been in closet for months.
10/10

this smells like bounty chocolate bars, due to the sweet coconut, plus a cool cucumber, coming from the "dill" kind of sandalwood probably. Weird but also kinda interesting. I wear it during spring and got asked multiple times what coconut scent I was wearing. Very good projection and longevity on this.

Santal Blanc, what a beautiful and shy masterpiece you are! Shy? Yes, it is a very quiet fragrance. It does not project much and that is my kind of scent. I love perfumes that are intimate and shy. I love to wear perfume for myself without announcing to the world that I have arrived.
Santal Blanc is creamy, woodsy and slightly sweet. There seems to be a slight coconut-y note in it that lends a softness and creaminess to this understated beauty.
I cannot say it reminds me of Le Labo Santal 33 at all. Santal 33 is screechy and has a VERY woodsy almost pickle like tone to it (from the Sandalwood).
Santal Blanc on the other end is quiet, polite, restrained and classy. Truly.
I absolutely am thrilled to have it in my collection, it is so very pretty to wear especially in the cold months of the year. A must try from the Collection Extraordinaire from Van Cleef & Arpels!!

I love love love this fragrance! It is very clean, still soft and with a little bit of peppar to it. I associate it with fluffy robe with a cup of hot milk. Luxurious and elegant yet simple and warm. Mmmmm

The name is a bit misleading. This is a great fig scent! The (perfect) sandalwood together with the benzoin are giving the fig juice the stage it deserves during the day. Don’t be suprised when Santal Blanc changes for a minute during the day. I sometimes get whiffs of fig (leaves?) with only powdery flowers. Im used to that now and I like it a lot!

I haven’t owned anything like this before and I am starting to like it more and more. Specially now during fall in the Netherlands it has given me many compliments and Im a sucker for that LoL.
This beauty lasts and lasts on my skin, unbelievable.
*edit: when I apply a small second amount during the day I can stil smell it by the end of next day 🤍

Vanillic coconut thing with some faint woods in the base. Utterly inoffensive, and overall forgettable.

I love Van Cleef and Arpels brand, the bottle design is classy and I really like all of the notes written above so you can imagine my surprise when I found out the official notes on my skin were;
Top - stale greens, soggy cucumber, old flower water, Middle - musty wardrobe, soured milk,
Base - dash of B.O, bitter disappointment.

Performance and projection was great…unfortunately.

So glad I didn’t blind buy this. From the reviews and notes I was thinking I would love this, but I mostly get a sharp green note from this. That kind of reminds me of Aura. Not a creamy sandalwood at all.

Disappointed. Smells very ‘green’ on my skin and I actually hate it. I love creamy, milky woods but this is not it. There’s a huge zing of green freshness so if you’re looking for a sensual, cozy sandalwood - this is not it. Bois Dore is 100% better.

I am reading other reviews and my experience with this is completely opposite to most. It’s sour like a sour BO sorry to say. Notes of Sandalowood which is not creamy sweet Sandalowood, but as if you poured sour cucumber brine on a wood and added some sour yoghurt on top of that. A scrubber for me.

This was an unexpected find at Glasgow Airport. I thought my enthusiasm might be a figment of the frenzied mind of someone on their first perfume spraying orgy in 18 months, but I bought a sample anyway and have been wearing it ever since. As perfumesniffer pointed out (kind of), this is a fig fragrance more than anything. The fig is the fruit only: ripe, but fresh, and its scent blooms as it is worn. So, you have to like fig. Addictive milky dry down.

This is a summery "beachy" sandalwood scent, salty, and a little lactonic.
Edit: I agree with the perfumesniffer's review below. If you a looking for a fig-centered perfume, this is not it; but for a sandalwood perfume - this is great!

Van Cleef & Arpels Santal Blanc (2019) - figgy sandalwood - #michelalmairac creates a new take on sandalwood making its fresher and bright. He mixes the main sandalwood molecule with Figs, Powdery Violets on a base of white musk and tonka bean. In a way, the perfume reminds me of coconuts and sunblock on skin. Beach perfect.

"Sandalwood Drenched Figs"

So I initially wrote a critical review of this and then deleted it. At first, I was thinking of this as a FIG scent. And, as a fig scent, there are several others which are better, namely Diptyque Philosykos, L'Artisan Premier Figuier and Miller Harris Figue Amere. If I instead think of this as a SANDALWOOD scent, then I actually think it's pretty good. As a sandalwood scent, I think this is a great way to have a wearable woody scent that doesn't smell like hamster cage. As a sandalwood scent, this is a sweet, figgy blonde wood that is current and unique. VC&A Santal Blanc pretty much smells like figs and sandalwood; more prominently figs in the beginning, then it dries down to a woody-fruit scent. It's enjoyable. The longevity and sillage are even moderate, which is a bonus. Definitely smells like all the other frags from the 2010's sandalwood craze, except with the fruity-figgy quality amped up making it more fun and less minimalist boring hamster cage. This is a strong like from me. 7.5/10 I have a large decant and haven’t decided yet if it will be a FB.

VC&A are on a winning streak. I love Orchidee Vanille, also love Neroli Amara and Ambre Imperiale. California Reverie is delish. All of these are weak though. At least Santal Blanc sticks around more moderately, this is the longest lasting one for me yet (4-5 hours).

funny observation: asked a household member how this smelled (he was smelling it completely blind, no brand or notes), and he said "cucumbers and oud." so there's that!

I love it! It smells like coconut and flowers. Definitely for summer!

Its lovely. Very fig dominat makes me think of beach holidays in spain or italy. If you can afford it. If you can't don't worry its not that special. There are others of the line that are more worth the price imo :-)

I’ve been pining for a sample of this perfume for several months and I finally got my hands on one. The Van Cleef Collection Extrodinaire has some standouts, and after wearing Santal Blanc for a full day I’m convinced this is one of the best.

Yes, the sandalwood is synthetic as expected. The other notes that surround the wood essence are what make Santal Blanc remarkable. I don’t think of this as sandalwood per se, instead it’s a pretty white wood scent. The thick layer of fig milk and musk lean exotic, and this is a scent I could easily wear in the Spring and Fall (and possibly summer months though I need to test first).

On my maiden voyage I wore this a full 10 hours, then this morning upon awakening I could still smell it. Like others in this line, it doesn’t have strong projection or sillage, but Santal Blanc has major stamina. On my perfume eating skin Bois Doré fades away in about 2 hours, and California Reverie lasts maybe 3 hours max. Granted others in this line have better performance, but these are the two that I ended up buying for my collection. (For comparison, I loved Orchidee Vanille but that one barely made it to an hour which is why I could not justify a purchase).

And I’m simply surprised, I wasn’t expecting longevity based off the notes.

I love Santal Blanc and for the first time—for a Collection Extrodinaire perfume—feel the retail price is fair. That’s also a first. Overall a well done sweet fig and exotic wood based perfume in a gorgeous white bottle.

EDIT this should’ve been named Santal Blanc Figue.

Sandalwood+fig+coconut is all I smell. And what a divine, creamy, clean scent it is! I always feel refreshed and elegant while wearing this. Unfortunately, I don't get the sillage or lasting power that others seem to get from it :( I seem to be the only one to smell it, and even I don't smell it anymore, no matter how close I press my nose to my skin, after 4-5 hours. It seems to stick when I spray it on my hair though, as I get a whiff when I turn my head sometimes...

I wasn’t sure at first if I liked this because it’s pretty spicy in the opening and has an overall bouquet that isn’t something I usually wear. But when I tried blending it with other sweet florals it’s amazing!!! I used Pacifica French Lilac which I bought a while back and didn’t think I liked because it can be sickly sweet and finishes really soapy. These two fragrances together however... wow delicious. I would suggest SB for blending with any sweet floral or soapy sweet fragrance because the SB evens the sweet with a deep woodsy vibe and the spice adds another layer.

I really love santal, but this one is too oriental and feminine for me. Nice, exclusive scent, though, with phenonemal sillage, projection and longevity.

Santal Blanc by Van Cleef and Arpels is beautiful ! It is not really such a projecting fragrance but I dont think that is it the purpose of this scent . It is definitely unisex and so comforting , classy , reserved and humble .
The dry-down is amazing on my skin ! It is truly a signature scent that can adapt to every season and occasions .

right off the bat, a beautiful and masculine unisex scent. if it had almost too much citrus in it i would have hated it, but it doesnt list a citrusy scents apart from the mandarin orange yet those are usually sweet, yet it is interesting that my nose picked up a summery fresh citrusy note. I would recommend it for any one and it is a definite hit with its nice blend of spiciness woodiness and muskiness, very balanced. I really want this.
i must say this is such a strong scent that it was and is the first fragrance that my nose picks up from the rest of the testers, absolute projection power

Potent, fresh, refined, very unisex, versatile and long lasting. All fans of Bvlgari's Aqva Divina and Marc Jacob Decadence may find this richer and more appealing. All fans of Santal 33 will feel at home here. Zara Scent #1 is a more simplistic masculine-leaning version of Santal Blanc. Santal Blanc has enough feminine qualities for me to own it and reach for it, even more often than I originally thought.

EDIT: There's a new release from the house. Oud Blanc. Not yet in fragrantica database. Nothing "white" or "fresh" about the new release. This is Oud Bouquet Lancome. Don't blind buy it just because you like Santal Blanc. If you aren't familiar with Oud Bouquet Lancome, test it first. These two "Blanc"s from the house could be very much each other's opposites in the olfactory world.

This is a lovely fragrance violet-fig-coconut-sandalwood, green-floral-woody and a bit sweet-powdery. No resemblance to BO, Bvlgari Blv Homme or Fahrenheit. Don't get scared or attracted because of the impressions others have of this scent. Go test it!

Seems more masculine, in fact it's very similar to Bvlgari BLV Homme which is also kinda unisex.
Obviously this is better.

I discovered santal blanc six months before actually buying it and after smelling it many times I had to buy it for my birthday. It is a favourite of mine and unlike any of the notes or comments I smell coconut in it which is probably the milky scent of fig added to sandalwood. It's brilliant and not feminine at all on my skin but I get why it is unisex because it is very versatile.
The price and the fact that it is uncommon guarantees that it's not for everyone. It is of absolute great quality and I will follow the collection because Néroli Amara and California Rêverie are amazing too.

This scent is 95% same as Katy Perry Indi. I had a scent paper from shop from Van Cleef &Arpel Santal Blanc and I have at home Katy Perry Indi so I compare them side by side. Santal Blanc is sharper than Indi. And you know what - I actually prefer Indi`s warm mellow cosines over Santal Blanc.

I really like this fragrance, it’s very nice sandalwood with fig, some citruses and dries down to a bit salty skin scent. It almost blends in with your skin. Kind of like when the skin warms up on the sun and it has this salty a bit smell plus fig and sandal woody, all together its a bit creamy and very well blends in into the skin. It’s one of those your skin but better.
I don’t understand the dislikes this frag. gets. It’s really nice sandalwood fragrance. It’s definitely unisex, I can see myself wearing it as a big fan of feminine fragrances but also I think it would smell nice on men too.

I love it! I have been looking for unique cologne for the warm and hot days and finally found it!
P.S. After 8-10 hours It starts to smell like dill.Am I the only one that feel that note?

Is it just me or do I smell B.O in this fragrance?? I totally get how sandalwood could really be milky and smooth just like the other reviews here but the dry down just smells of cumin, curry, and the like! Wanted to like this perfume based on the notes but it really doesn't smell pleasant at all.

Sunny side up jhg

Hm I was really excited about this perfume. Sounded lovely and I like a lot of the collection, especially Ambre Imperial. I also really like sandalwood. I ordered a bottle before actually smelling it. However, I went to Neiman Marcus and got to smell it before my bottle arrived... I was a little disappointed. On the card I could barely smell anything - it was so light. It is better on skin, quite light and woody. Not very sweet. And not much depth or warmth.

It is nice, soft, and a little different, but I don't think it's anything special. Tempted to return my unopened bottle. I'm glad genny17 mentioned Alaia blanche in her review (before mine) as I checked the reviews for that and ordered a bottle - and that one I really like!

So Santal Blanc is nice, but I think I prefer something a little sweeter. It is very different to and a lot less sweet than Ambre Imperial.

It is a rather warm cozy perfume, the woodsy undertone is balanced with a warm milky vibe , so if you don’t like woodsy, this is a smooth wood..now, in my opinion, it is overpriced though for what you get..it is maybe not what I expected, but I got it 40% off, so a good deal for me..not sure if it is unisex, nowadays everything seems to be, but more feminine I think..it falls short in some ways for me, it has no depth, and speaking of Alaïa, I have the édition blanche, which is far more interesting than the Van Cleef...and to my nose, they aren’t that similar..I might keep it, I might not...it might perform better on colder weather..my final verdict is still out there !!
UPDATE
In the end it isn’t really special, probably because it doesn’t project much, it is nice but nonassuming..for the price I expected more punch.

I love the scent of this! Very cozy and soft. Unfortunately no matter how many sprays I use when I ask family/friends nobody can smell anything. So really no projection, but I can smell it on my clothes if I bury my face in them, and I love the scent that lingers even though I am the only one who can smell it 🙁
If it had more projection it would be amazing.

Opening: fresh green fig-orange combo.
Middle notes: fig-violet still green but slowly turning creamy.
Dry-down: creamy musky fig and white woods.
Very long-lasting and perfectly projecting.
Very beautiful!

This one is a very classy and sophisticated perfume. It lasts long on my skin and after hours of wear I can smell the pure sandalwood lingering. It's truly beautiful!

I had the chance to smell the entire unisex part of the Collection Extraordinaire in a well retailed perfumery. The whole series is great, but I didn'tsmell anything that suited me, until I tested Santal Blanc. My first thought was that I'd never smelled a perfume this particular, delicious without being gourmand, and odd. As I let it sit on the paper strip, I couldn't help but falling in love with this silky, green and luxurious scent. I purchased it without even trying it on my skin - I was euphoric.

The scent resembles exceptionally the creamy aroma of fig trees, combined an intoxicating yet immaculate sandalwood. At the moment of the spray one can sense a hint of citrus. I cannot detect any of the other notes.

If I'd read the notes before getting to know Santal Blanc, I would have never imagined I'd fall in love with this perfume.
It's an incredibly sophisticated, ageless, pleasantly sweet fragrance, with an enormous sillage and a remarkable longevity on my skin. It's labelled as unisex, and even though to me it definitely falls under the womanly category as it hasn't got anything masculine, I guess a man could pull it off too.

Give this perfume a chance, and test it if you can - it's worth the price, and it smells different from anything else I've ever tried.

My new signature. A fresh yet sweet woody scent.

The opening is a bit alcoholic, but later it gets nicer. I get a sweet and milky sandalwood. It’s sensual but too cold for my taste. It reminded me of This is Her by Zadig & Voltaire. But Santal Blanc is more mature.
It’s not my cup of tea, but it is a good fragrance, projects well in the first minutes.
Final note: 7/10

This really smells like a white wood. Very soft white sandalwood, mixed with the creamy light sweetness of fig milk.

Great light woody scent, perfect for classy spring days.

8.5 / 10.

@Nomen: Neiman Marcus carries the whole line, check with them if it has already arrived on their shelves!

Lighter, greener scent than what I expected when trying it in store. Very unisex.