Orange X Santal
Essential Parfums (2018)

I love the idea of a brand offering well-constructed perfumes at a reasonable price, but when the range seems to be veering towards the serviceable and stolid rather than offerings that may give my heart a bit of a flutter, I become somewhat less enamoured. Thus – Essential seems to be providing functional perfumes in the main albeit a bit lacking in fantasy and romance, or just old-fashioned va-va-voom. Still, much of the range is the epitome of office-friendly and if that’s an important criterion, then these perfumes are an easy choice.
Orange x Santal is a good example of this emphasis on the functional somewhat at the expense of the illuminated. The composition is well thought out, flowing through a few stages from an opening of lemon-kissed orange, to a somewhat uneasy mid-section when the woody base emerges via a whiff of iodine, to the settle when the transition is made and a kind of roasted-nut wood aspect (not sandal in my perception) interplays with a by-now mellowed orange. Effortless in the wear, and provides the requisite cologne freshness with a comfortable, non-pushy woods backing, this is completely skilled work – which makes me feel like a bit of a grinch because I still want it to do something a bit more. Maybe I’m just a non-essential kind of guy.

The opening is dry, peppery, and slightly-sweet citrus. The citrus actually starts to become more prominent as it dries down. The basil-sandalwood combo reminds me of Andy Warhol for men, but smoother and with a blast of orange.

As it dries down, the citrus goes away, leaving a subtle, synthetic sandalwood/Javanol scent.

Projection is good without being too loud in the opening and dries down to just average. Lasts all day.