Peau Santal Miller Harris for women and men

I like Peau Santal. It’s the second most interesting scent profile from the discovery kit, quite different than anything else I’ve smelled so far, designer or niche.

On me, Peau Santal is true to its name. A delicate, soft, sandalwood forward scent with green, earthy, spicy, powdery nuances and a more warm vanilla, ambery base. It has a very pronounced papyrus and violet leaf note in the middle that gives a harsher, sour edge, a strong contrast against the smooth, soft cashmeran, sandalwood and olibanum. The base structure is where Peau Santal is the most enjoyable, with balsamic, ambery facets and hints of ultra creamy vanilla.

On my skin at least, it’s a scent true to its name, a skin scent with moderate longevity. While I can appreciate the uniqueness of the perfume, it’s not a scent profile I would enjoy wearing often so I don’t see the need to add a bottle to my collection. The two ml sample will be sufficient in case I am ever craving a scent like this.

Because of the scent profile and performance, I think Peau Santal would work for most seasons, except winter. I see this scent just right for fall mostly, it gives a comforting feel.

My housemate described it as a "sexy man" smell. Enough said. Didn't last terribly long on me but I liked it while it was there.

I’ve enjoyed sampling Peau Santal. To me it is a better version of Santal 33, which I get a pickle vibe from. I do not get that from Peau Santal, it is woody and aromatic, very unisex. It has moderate longevity, I get about 2 hours where it projects nicely, and then it is more intimate. I have 25 Miller Harris samples and what I’m enjoying about this brand is that they all are very aromatic, you get gorgeous whaffs of their perfume. To me, Peau Santal smells very natural, it’s a sophisticated, but easy going scent that should get more buzz than it does.

Oh my god I'm so in love with this. Bought a sample and instantly purchased a fb.
It works beautifully with my skin chemistry, it feels like my new signature scent.
It's the most feminine woody I've ever tried, this makes me feel confident and sensual.

Somehow this gives me instant nausea. The pepper and bergamot are too strong. According to my husband, it smells like a very old restaurant with burnt incense.

I do love this fragrance. It smells spicy and sweet. I just feel it’s very linear and doesn’t have the projection, depth or longevity I would hope for. It does smell very relaxing, soft and not as harsh as other sandalwood scents.

For someone who doesn’t generally like sandalwood scents (synthetic, which most of them are, at least) this one is palatable. Maybe I should say ‘tolerable’, like Mr Darcy ;). There is almost more cashmeran in this than sandalwood and I get a hint of saffron and papyrus. Quite lovely just not to my personal taste.

As a scent:
Peau Santal > Papyrus Moleculaire > anything else > Santal33

As a frag you use in daily life (wearability):
Papyrus Moleculaire > anything else > Peau Santal

Papyrus Moleculaire = the best spicy aromatic Egyptian papyrus/cypriol oil and santal wood on a resinous bed. Not complex but is a gorgeous blend with high ingr quality. I want a bottle but too expensive.
Santal33 = sharp, cheap, mundane synthetic sandalwood, Bieber.
*Peau Santal = dry, spicy, leathery, aromatic, and intimate. Pink pepper is strong. It combines all the goodness of the notes listed, but the projection equates to a cashmere blanket. So I sold my bottle after having been trying to love it.

And to the comment below, you shouldn't expect all sandalwood to be creamy. A YouTuber has misled you big time.

This lacks substance and is quite dull for a sandalwood scent. The sandalwood isn't as creamy as I would like either. Smells like Australian sandalwood which is very crunchy to my nose. The pink pepper in here is also overbearing. I would have rather they used just the saffron instead. I'm just not enjoying many of Nardin's creations. I would rather they bring back Bertrand D. I think he is a much better perfumer. This perfume reminds me of Powdered Veil and Nanshe. They are all so similar to my nose that I can't tell where one begins and the other one ends.

Very pleasant soft sandalwood scent. It’s more of a fresh and creamy style rather than warm, ambery or spicy. I get quite a strong citrus scent in the opening, plus a clean, grassy vibe throughout which I assume is the papyrus. It’s light and office friendly, but I was hoping for a bit more substance from a sandalwood scent. Also doesn’t last very long (maybe 2 hours).

Beautiful, calming sandalwood. It's a "my skin but better" in the realm of Fleur de Peau but I prefer Peau Santal. It doesn't really smell like FdP, just evokes a similar feeling. The sandalwood does smell more like Santal 33, but the latter is not a "my skin but better" type of scent, IMO, which is why I compared to FdP. I detect no pickles in Peau Santal like in some other sandalwood fragrances. I don't normally like leather or pink pepper but they are so subtle here. I like that MH uses leather with restraint in their fragrances, at least from the ones I've tried. Although if I were to choose a calming sandalwood fragrance, my current favorite is Piano Santal, but this is a close 2nd for me.

Powdery in a modern way with some sweetness.

Yet another Miller Harris fragrance that is so lovely but lasts just a heartbeat and it is gone.
More than likely just my chemistry but lamentable all the same.
A day has gone by and I would like to add to my previous commentary!
I happened to put on the flannel top I was wearing when I tried the tiny decant and it smelled heavenly. Soft and warm sandalwood!
So, perhaps if I had a bottle and I could spray this lovely fragrance generously my initial doubt would evaporate. Sounds like a plan!

I got a sample of this from Miller Harris, and I love it. So much, in fact, that I bought their Woody Trio, and this scent is included. I'm not well-versed in the fragrance lingo, but I know what I like. This lasted from 0630-8pm (now), and I can still smell it on my skin & clothing. It is unisex, but leans more feminine, to me. A previous reviewer mentioned cucumber notes, and, now that the scent is fading, I detect it, too, but I'm not mad about it. In my opinion, this is an excellent everyday scent.

This is a true skin scent and sandalwood is the star note in this composition.
The opening is fresh and peppery - it almost tickles my nose. After a while, the scent becomes creamier and warmer but it remains fresh, thanks to the violet leaf at its heart. Olibanum adds a resinous, yet slightly green touch, and papyrus gives a dry, almost leathery facet to the fragrance. Cashmere wood applies powdery musk-like nuances, whilst crisp amber and vanilla enhance the creaminess and the warmth of the sandalwood.
Although the warm and creamy notes are contrasted here with fresh and dry elements, the scent is round and well blended.
Peau Santal bears little similarity to Santal 33, however it is much softer and smoother. It is a perfect skin/skin-like scent.

loads of other reviews have covered the ground well so all i'll add is:

"peau santal" smells like cacharel's "noa" and tom ford's "santal blush" had a lovechild.

Now this is extremely light and ethereal that I had a problem in detecting any scent at all. I eventually could pick up on a peppery freshness and a very soft sandalwood. Though it's so silky smooth and light you have to work your nose to try to discern it's presence.

As time passes I can pick up very tiny hints of incense and violet within the very soft and light creamy sandalwood. The pink pepper adds a nice rosy dimension to the soft sandalwood and the fragrance comes across as very sensual. It smells nice with quality ingredients but for a Edp I feel it needs more body. Projection is way below average and longevity is about three hours.

This has a surprising freshness to it, not listed in the accords. Then I looked at the notes and spotted violet leaf - it gives a cucumber fresh green scent and you can definitely smell it here, it should be voted higher but I guess people don’t realise that it’s what’s responsible for the freeness in this. It’s very dominant.
There’s also wood, more of a mix than pure sandalwood though, despite the name, and a soft warm very light peppery spice too.
So it is warm because of the peppery spiciness, but the violet leaf definitely keeps it a bit cucumbery and suitable for summer. A contradiction.
Also there’s not enough vanilla to describe the wood as creamy for sure. This is much more feminine leaning than your usual sandalwood fragrances due to the cucumber fresh feel, although some could interpret that as masculine I guess, so overall it’s still very unisex.
Dries down more musky than sandalwood, which is disappointing.
Be warned. This is not a creamy sandalwood spice bomb.
If you’re looking for a sandalwood dominant scent there are better out there. If you’re looking for a cucumbery summer-suitable very lightly spiced woody fragrance then this could be it.
Quite unusual. One to try.

Edit: after maybe 5 or 6 hours there is a sandalwood skin scent.

To me, the opening was really, really good. Very warm - everything I would want to experience with Sandalwood...
But then the drydown kicks in, and it smellwd like several other perfumes wasn't crazy about. I can't even think of what they are, they are such a hard pass for me!

This is a very elegant, creamy sandalwood fragrance. However, it doesn't seem to last long with my body chemistry (or maybe I just go anosmic to it quickly?). If it lasted longer on my skin, it would be a love and full-bottle worthy.

It smells clean and sharp at the same time. I would wear this fresh out of the shower and then layer other scents with it. I love it. It could be a bit overwhelming at first, but then settles into this beautiful woody scent.

Just got a sample of this after buying Violet Ida and I gotta say I am absolutely OBSESSED. A warm soft delicate sandalwood that feels like a warm hug or a big, fluffy cashmere scarf.
Comparing it with other perfumes in the iconic sandalwood fragrance universe, I would say this is the 'warmest' smelling of them all, with Santal 33 as the middle between fresh & warm and Commodity's Book on the 'fresher', more masculine side of the spectrum. I have no words to describe how good this one is. If you are looking for a less fresh, sexier cozier version of Santal 33 then this is for you my friend.

Sandalwood queen in full glory. I absolutely love it, it's totally addictive. The scent is pretty unisex, which makes it even more interesting.

It's similar in vibe to Estée Lauder Sensuous but a lot better and longer lasting.

This is good, I don't feel I could pull it off as it's so not ''me''. I have a love-hate relationship with sandalwood (and most woody notes) I love them in small quantities but not if they dominate. I prefer the dry down of this perfume, where it's a bit smoother, creamier and more musky. This is a stunning perfume though, as long as you like heavy woods and musk.

مشابه بسیار نزدیک سانتال 33 اما کمی سبکتر، عمیقتر و کم جان تر
-----------
Scent & Quality: 10/10
Longevity: 7/10
Sillage: 6/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 7/10
Affordability: 5/10
-----------
Overall: 7/10

reminds me of narciso rodriguez for her and escentric molecule 04, which for me is not a good thing - pungent, sour sandalwood and musk. if you are not a fan of those two, then you likely wont like this one. it does stay close to the skin so i understand why others liken it to a cosy blanket or scarf. if these notes work for you, then it's worth a test!

the perfume equivalent of comfort food, it makes me feel cozy and warm, I love it!

This really is a very beautiful soft cashmere, buttery leather dream of a perfume. 10/10 suitable for any occasion or just at home to live in a heavenly wonderland.

One word: soft leathery magical cloudy blanket.

I love MH but I didn't like this at all. From the first spray to when it wore off (which was NOT long after, maybe about 45 minutes to an hour?) I got a relatively single-note sandalwood perfume. Some people have said that it mellowed out to a floral but for me it simply mellowed out into nothing. There was a small amount of bergamot for a few seconds but then wood and then nothing else. I received this as a 2ml sample when I bought Brighton Rock, so luckily didn't pay anything for it, and will be passing along the rest of that sample to someone else as it just wasn't for me.

This is a lovely, complex and intriguing fragrance! I notice a strong similarity to Gucci's Mémoire d'un Odeur (even though they hardly have any notes in common), but Peau Santal has that distinct olibanum note. Both are truly unisex fragrances, though the olibanum might just tip the Peau Santal just a little more to the masculine side. In any case, while it's a rather unusual fragrance, it's a safe blind buy for a fragrance lover.

at first, very woody and musk. but then it develops into a floral scent which captures you. I have given it around 7 hours for it to develop in. a bit powdery and spicy.

yesterday sprayed it on while driving my car and I knew it: massive moss - immediately in a nice warm sunny wood after a fresh rain shower - unfortunately after few seconds back in cold and rainy reality

This smells like a sharper, harsher, MUCH less lovely La Fumee. Smoke mixed with pepper and citrus. People talking abut softness, creaminess and cosy cashmere....I have NO idea how you got there??? This is shrill. Sour. A confused, coarse, faintly hysteric fume. Ugly smelling. Very masculine. And it's old-fashioned, in the sense that it's a re-hash of a tired staple from Miller Harris. This is a perfume house looking backwards instead of forwards. What a shame. HUGE, huge miss.

The sandalwood's fine - soft, sweet, submissive - but the peau is problematic. On me this second half reads as a slightly sweaty, gently unlovely musk... maybe it's the violet leaf, as all the other notes listed here ought to be a hit, and Miller Harris is usually at least moderately appealing. Not quite sure what went adrift in the middle here, but for my taste it went astray. Not at all bad overall, but there's that slight tang of stale human which turns me off. May appeal to those seeking a really gentle, femme sandalwood scent with a femme, fluffy feel and no spice, as long as they've got the skin chemistry to mesh with it. To me this is miles from the punchy, savoury, fennel-flecked flavour of Santal 33 - it's far closer to the marshmallow-sugariness of CDG Concrete. Try, do try, but don't blind buy.

Not much to say about Peau Santal other than magnificent. From first spray in the morning to last brush of my hair at night (which I give a spritz) it lingers like a cashmere shawl. It is sexy, cosy, soothing - office worthy, date enhancing, special night in juice.
This is one top fragrance Miller Harris - with great longevity and well mannered sillage - only shares itself with me and those special enough to come close ;)
Touché

Just the most beautiful soft sandalwood fragrance. There are no sharp edges, it's like a soft blanket enveloping you with all the lovely, warm aspects of sandalwood. The other notes blend seamlessly in the background. Lasts a few hours on me, with reasonable projection, however I just want to keep spraying myself with this as it is almost addictive.