J’s image of Headspace Santal
Headspace’s perfumes capture a specific moment with their headspace technology letting the perfumers make these memories come alive expanding them, like Santal, which was the standout for me when I first smelled my way through their beautiful Discovery Box. In Headspace Santal, Senior perfumer Julien Rasquinet of CPL Aromas cleverly uses sandalwood as a structure to deliver a stunning vintage champagne accord full of red fruits, letting the woodier facets form the after taste/dry down of the aroma, as its left to haunt your skin like a delicious memory that flickers fresh in your mind, one that you can meditate on and enjoy throughout out the day.
A collage by J of champagne and sandalwood
Headspace Santal bursts on your skin like thousands of tiny champagne bubbles effervescing, gently releasing red berry aromas along with whispers of orange peel giving it a brightness, though Santal’s champagne accord has a more special aged vintage feel and depth giving you lots to enjoy. Dry soft powdery woods slowly envelope your body, as they would your tongue, as if it’s kissing you. The champagne’s delicious dark citruses and apple tartness is there too, its sour makes the sweet bloom with a whisper of deep lychee fruitiness, it also hints of a floral honeyed intensity, green like linden blossoms, but ones that are trapped deep within this complex rich and rather stunning champagne accord. It’s by far one of the best champagne notes I’ve smelled, giving a luxurious feeling, as its aroma envelopes you from its opening moments.
Ingrid Bergman 1960 and Phoebe Bridgers as part of Boygenius via wikipedia
Ingrid Bergman once said “A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” Headspace Santal has that breezy weightless playful feel that reminds me of the beautiful sensation of as well as the hours after you first kiss someone new. Perfume has this innate power to say more than words can as it unlocks memories and feelings. Its champagne pop and fizz deliver this seemingly endless tantalising sensation that leaves you in this floating hazy state, while also being effortless and fun. In the opening verse of ‘Me & my Dog’ Phoebe Bridgers, as part of the super-group Boygenius, beautifully encapsulates that elusive feeling that often defies description, leaving words feeling inadequate, yet it is the actions and occurrences surrounding that moment that express this beautiful abstract emotion, its universal nature resonates with us. Just as the meaning of when our lips intertwine, says more than words can full emote.
We had a great day/Even though we forgot to eat/And you had a bad dream/Then we got no sleep/’Cause we were kissing’ –‘Me & my Dog’ Songwriters: Lucy Dacus / Julien Baker / Phoebe Bridgers
A detail of a 1901 poster advertising Champagne Heidsieck by Alphonse Mucha. creative commons
Rose brings a playful elegance to the champagne; with saffron giving a richness that makes the rose petals feel all sensual and velvety. It turns the vintage champagne into a sparkling pink one, giving Santal a bright bubbly feel, flirty and fun with its soft bubbles popping lightly releasing its soft fruity aromas. It’s like a selection of red berries has been muddled in the glass with some flickers of cherry, strawberry and raspberry giving sweet little kisses around you as the musky woody bready undertones and tart apple of the champagne envelope you in a luxurious hug.
Perfumer Julien Rasquinet and Nicolas Chabot courtesy of the brand
Santal’s dry down is where you find the sandalwood feeling more pronounced. Pairing it with that delicious vintage champagne accord is rather clever as the champagne picks up on sandalwood’s slight sour creaminess, like you’re tasting the grapes used to make the drink along with its tart apples from the opening. Sandalwood’s smooth powdery creaminess also gives you that sensation of champagnes warmth and feel as it flows down your throat letting its rich sensation envelope you. Again, the feel of kissing someone for the first time is invoked, that wild bubbly energy of excitement that turns into a warm fuzzy sensation, as the feeling flows through your body making you feel weightless is captured beautifully here in Headspace Santal the musky powdery woods of the base make your feel like its floating.
A kiss via Wikipedia
The earthy balsamic patchouli and vetiver adds to the soft wood dryness, making it slightly smoky with a hint of resins, as a soft incense aroma thickens things up, giving you this clear focus the moment your in. Here in perfume form, Santal stretches out that sensation delightfully for hours. The red fruits end up feeling deeper in tone, like softly swollen lips from an evening of kissing, as the velvety saffron rose leaves you in a soft yet elegant floral glow. Headspace Santal feel like one of those amazing nights of falling for someone new, it bubbles with excitement then lets you linger in the musky woody pleasurable haze remembering those sweet fruity kisses as the champagne bubbles gentle fizzle on your skin forming a creamy incense like mist of memories.
Notes: Red Fruit Accord, Rose, Saffron, Sandalwood, Olibanum, Patchouli Heart, Vetiver.
Disclosure: Headspace Santal was sent to J for review, thoughts and nose are his own.
J Wearescentient, Senior Editor, artist & olfactive writer
J’s image of Headspace Santal.
Thanks to the generosity of Headspace we have a bottle of Santal for a registered reader in the EU or US. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on J’s review and where you live. Draw closes 8/28/2024
Please read more about Creative Director Nicholas Chabot who was Michelyn’s best creative director of 2016.
Julien Rasquinet is featured in Our Young Perfumer Series. Headspace Tubéreuse was a Finalist for the 2023 Fragrance Foundation France Awards: Best Perfume from an Independent Brand.
Enjoy J’s review of Kirsch which was in his top 10 of 2023 and the limited edition Cedre. Danu’s review of Genievre, Lauryn’s review of Sauge, and Rachel Ng’s review of Myrrhe.
You can buy Santal on the Headspace Website
Available at Luckyscent and Jovoy Paris. Also at stockists here
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