Fragrance note

Sandalwood fragrances and their dupes

Sandalwood is a base note that smells creamy, soft and milky-woody, with a faint sweetness. The closest sandalwood dupe in our data is Lattafa Vintage Radio, a 90% note match for Initio Paragon, at $30 instead of $330.

Matched on real fragrance notes222 designer & niche dupesSave up to $413 a bottleShareable scent cardFree · no sign-up

What sandalwood smells like

Creamy, soft and milky-woody, with a faint sweetness. The most comforting of the woods, less sharp than cedar and less smoky than oud.

Sandalwood is a base note that lends a smooth, expensive woodiness and long wear. Real Mysore sandalwood is rare and costly, so most scents and their dupes use a cultivated or synthetic sandalwood that shares the same creamy character.

In the fragrance pyramid, sandalwood is typically a base note in the woody family.

The 22 fragrances we track with sandalwood, and their dupes

Ranked by note match. Average match 85%, average saving $247 a bottle. A ✓ marks a dupe that shares the sandalwood note itself.

01  Paragon → Lattafa Vintage Radio ✓90%
$330 → $30 · save $300Shop the dupe, $30
02  Olfactive Expressions No. 5 → Lattafa Ishq Al Shuyukh89%
$240 → $32 · save $208Shop the dupe, $32
03  Santal 33 → Dossier Woody Sandalwood ✓88%
$230 → $29 · save $201Find it on Amazon
04  Town & Country → Lattafa Emeer ✓88%
$400 → $32 · save $368Shop the dupe, $32
05  Layton → ALT Fragrances Stallion87%
$335 → $39 · save $296Find it on Amazon
06  Gris Charnel → Lattafa Liam Grey ✓87%
$240 → $30 · save $210Shop the dupe, $30
07  Cuir Intense → Lattafa Qaa'ed Al Shabaab87%
$320 → $32 · save $288Find it on Amazon
08  Pegasus → ALT Fragrances Silverine85%
$335 → $39 · save $296Find it on Amazon
09  Blanche → ALT Fragrances White ✓85%
$230 → $39 · save $191Find it on Amazon
10  Gypsy Water → ALT Fragrances Bohemian Water ✓85%
$200 → $39 · save $161Find it on Amazon
11  Green Irish Tweed → Al Haramain L'Aventure Knight ✓84%
$445 → $32 · save $413Shop the dupe, $32
12  Missing Person → Dossier Musky Sandalwood ✓84%
$99 → $32 · save $67Shop the dupe, $32
13  Aventus For Her → ALT Fragrances Señorita84%
$445 → $39 · save $406Find it on Amazon
14  Millésime Impérial → ALT Fragrances Sovereign ✓84%
$370 → $39 · save $331Find it on Amazon
15  Black Phantom → Oakcha Libra Elixir84%
$260 → $34 · save $226Find it on Amazon
16  Viking → ALT Fragrances Corsair ✓83%
$370 → $39 · save $331Find it on Amazon
17  Nepal Aoud → Lattafa 24 Carat Pure Gold ✓83%
$170 → $32 · save $138Shop the dupe, $32
18  Vanilla Skin → Dossier Powdery Vanilla ✓83%
$99 → $32 · save $67Find it on Amazon
19  Météore → ALT Fragrances Asteroid ✓82%
$370 → $39 · save $331Find it on Amazon
20  Bleu de Chanel → Maison Alhambra Blue de Chance82%
$155 → $30 · save $125Find it on Amazon
21  Imagination → Lattafa Art of Arabia I81%
$350 → $32 · save $318Shop the dupe, $32
22  Mojave Ghost → Dossier Musky Violet ✓81%
$200 → $49 · save $151Shop the dupe, $49

Sandalwood in fragrance, answered

What does sandalwood smell like in perfume?

Creamy, soft and milky-woody, with a faint sweetness. The most comforting of the woods, less sharp than cedar and less smoky than oud. Sandalwood is a base note that lends a smooth, expensive woodiness and long wear. Real Mysore sandalwood is rare and costly, so most scents and their dupes use a cultivated or synthetic sandalwood that shares the same creamy character.

Is sandalwood a top, heart or base note?

Sandalwood usually sits as a base note, in the woody family. Base notes last longest and anchor the dry-down for hours.

What is the closest sandalwood fragrance dupe?

Lattafa Vintage Radio, a 90% note match for Paragon, at $30 instead of $330.

What is the cheapest sandalwood dupe?

Dossier Woody Sandalwood at $29, a dupe for Le Labo Santal 33.

Related notes
CedarMuskIrisVanillaAll notesFind a dupe for any fragrance
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