Arabesque

10 thoughts on “Arabesque”

1. If you’re looking for a real sandalwood scent, then this is perfect. It’s a creamy, resinous, vanilla and sandalwood perfume. It lasts for ages and it has great throw! It’s mostly a winter perfume, but you can pull this off during summer because it isn’t too sweet or overwhelming.

2. I bought this while in search for a fragrance reminiscent of Chinese Buddhist temples, where sandalwood incense is usually the dominant scent. It’s certainly sandalwood-heavy, but the rest of the notes make it a softer, creamier experience. I got the Ultime and longevity is great.

3. Hands down the best sandalwood scent ever, I have owned this in ultime oil and 30 ml spray, both were heavenly. More wearable less astringent then Lush Smugglers Soul, if you love sandal, this one is the holy grail.

4. A friend back in school wore a sandalwood necklace that smelled identical to this. It was made of tiny beads the about the size of acini de pepe pasta. I’ve never been able to find a sandalwood scent even close to the wonderful smell of that necklace…until now. I can’t pick out any other notes besides the sandalwood. I’d say this leans towards the masculine but at the same time a unisex scent that anyone can pull off. This is by far my favorite sandalwood scent. I agree with other posts that this would layer well with ambers, vanillas and other woods.

   1. Oh no, what happened to Arabesque!?!? Either my skin chemistry has changed or Alkemia reformulated or changed something in this perfume oil. Where the old Arabesque was my #1 favorite sandalwood perfume ever. Now all of a sudden it’s sandalwood but the additional notes ruin the purity of the sandalwood for me. Even after considerable aging of my new Arabesque, it still hasn’t calmed down to the sandalwood note that I know and love. I really don’t know if it’s my chemistry or a change to the oil but it just doesn’t smell the same.

5. A wonderfully nuanced spiced sandalwood scent; Arabesque is dry and astringent when first applied (in the manner of cardboard, before drying down a little leathery), but the projection is mildly sweet and beautifully creamy. Orris root lends a powdery, spicy floral background to the scent, while the coolly vanillic benzoin blends into the spices to accentuate the richness of the woods.

6. Arabesque has been one of my favorite Alkemias since I started exploring them years ago, but I have definitely undervalued it and consequently have obtained and destashed bottles of it twice. It is because Arabesque is quiet, contemplative beauty, not a bold and dramatic powerhouse, and also because I’m stupid. But don’t let this dissuade you if Arabesque calls to you, because it is one of the best sandalwood perfumes I have tried and its also the most wearable of them all. Arabesque starts and finishes with a smooth, creamy, luxurious Mysore sandalwood. It’s a very tame wood, not a single harsh or offensive facet to it. Just perfect. Accenting the sandal is a healthy dose of sweet, resinous benzoin, which is vanillic, but in a more subdued way, avoiding any pastry-like scent. Far in the background is a touche of soft orris. The orris lends a tiny floral hint, but its not powdery, like it can be in other scents. Overall, Arabesque is gorgeous, silky smooth, tranquil, and perfect for wearing by itself or layered. For comparison purposes- I like this more than I like solo NAVA Santalum.

7. Holy terror vibes at first sniff.. must be the sandalwood! It’s a beautiful and smooth scent that’s hard to describe. It’s very comforting but dissipated rather quickly- I wasn’t left with much on the skin after a couple of minutes. Has an after-shave vibe to it? reminds me of a good, soft, light after-shave.

8. This is a very pretty sandalwood and spice scent in the bottle. My skin amps the orris, and things go a bit powdery for me. But if you enjoy exotic sandalwood scents, I’d definitely recommend this. The sillage was very good. I could see this layering well with vanilla and amber scents.

9. Similar to NAVAs Santalum in that its a spiced golden sandalwood with an edge that’s a lot like Egyptian musk. It’s a really lovely sandalwood perfume, though a bit simple for regular wear.