Oriental

Benzoin smells like sweetened vanilla cream kissed with caramel and a whisper of incense smoke. Imagine walking into a bakery where warm pastries have just emerged from the oven, then stepping into a Buddhist temple where resin smoulders on hot coals. It's honeyed and slightly powdery, with an almost medicinal undertone—like comforting cough sweets wrapped in silk. There's a subtle almond note too, creamy rather than sharp. It's deeply gourmand yet spiritual, simultaneously cosy and exotic.

Woody

Sandalwood smells like warm, creamy silk wrapped around your skin on a cool evening. Imagine the subtle sweetness of vanilla mixed with a gentle spice—almost peppery—alongside a soft, almost powdery dryness. There's a faint milky quality, like almond paste or coconut cream, but not fruity. It's deeply comforting, never sharp or aggressive; rather, it unfolds slowly, like the smell of an old wooden jewellery box lined with fabric, releasing its aroma only when you lean in close. Grounding and intimate.