Sandalwood is my favorite fragrance. I rarely use perfumes. To me, most of them smell too sweet, too floral, or down-right icky. Instead, for the past half dozen years or so, I buy a vial of sandalwood oil at my local Annual Renaissance Festival and use that in lieu of perfume. One 1/2 oz vial usually lasts me an entire year.
A few years ago I discovered another marvelous sandalwood item: bar soap. The all natural, no animal by-products, cold-processed, etc. type of bar soap. I was in aromatic heaven!
Lately, though, the places I previously could find sandalwood bar soap in abundance seem to have stopped carrying it. Instead I’m seeing sandalwood mixed with patchouli (which I’m not particularly fond of, but bought anyway because of the SANDALWOOD ingredient), or fragrances like tomato or mint. I want to smell mysterious, not edible.
So while in Europe the end of September, I was on the look-out for soap stores or shops that sell soaps, in hopes that EUROPEAN stores would stock the elusive sandalwood bar soap. Alas, all my efforts came to fruition in the form of one small bar of sandalwood/ylang ylang soap. (Sigh.) Yes, I bought it. Still haven’t decided whether or not I’ll actually use it…
Upon returning ho
me, determined NOT to mourn sandalwood bar soap, I tracked down the company (Plantlife) that makes the soap I like the best. It’s in stock!! YES!! I will be ordering several bars come payday.
I’ve decided that while on future vacations, whether in the USA or overseas, I’ll continue to be on the lookout for sandalwood bar soap. Because while it’s good to know I can order it online, I still prefer the joy of discovering said bar of sandalwood soap on the shelf in a store, picking it up and deeply inhaling the wonderful musky aroma. 🙂
Pen and Keys 
I’m sure if you’re like me you rarely have the time, but maybe one day you should consider making yourself Sandalwood soap. You’re already buying the oil that you could use to scent the glycerin. Why not save yourself the trouble of hunting down the perfect scent?
Gabrielle, I’ve actually thought about doing just that. Something else to add to my list of skills. 😉 Perhaps one day I will. 🙂
A few months ago, I found some Amber Bergamot at Anthopologie. I bought a second bar–and the hand lotion–just so I don’t run out any time soon. Glad you found some more of yours!!!