Arden for Men - Sandalwood (Eau de Cologne) by Elizabeth Arden

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Arden for Men - Sandalwood Elizabeth Arden 1956 Eau de Cologne

7.5 / 10 41 Ratings

A popular perfume by Elizabeth Arden for men, released in 1956. The scent is woody-spicy. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Woody

Spicy

Fougère

Earthy

Green

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Clary sage

Lavender

Bergamot

Petitgrain Lemon

Lemon

Heart Notes

Sandalwood Basil

Basil

Patchouli

Cedar

Geranium

Vetiver

Base Notes

Oakmoss

Amber

Musk

Opoponax

Labdanum

Tonka bean

Ratings

Scent

7.541 Ratings

Longevity

7.433 Ratings

Sillage

7.033 Ratings

Bottle

5.842 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro · last update on 01/05/2026.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Arden for Men - Sandalwood After Shave Lotion

Vintage Collection - Sandalo

Gucci pour Homme (1976) Eau de Toilette

Sandalo Eau de Toilette

Spanisch Leder / Peau d'Espagne (Eau de Toilette) by H. G. Lettner & Söhne

Spanisch Leder Eau de Toilette

Pour Homme (1971) Eau de Toilette

Reviews

7 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/10/2018

7.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Jazzy76
320 Reviews

Jazzy76

My father's sillage

I cannot write about this fragrance without mentioning my father, dead 22years ago.
Arden for men Sandalwood was his sillage and I remember as it was just Yesterday this fragrance so warm, Woody , strong but discrete and very classy at the same time. As classy as He was.
He wore with sporty or classic pulls , with shirts or with elegant outfits , expecially in autumn-winter and nowadays I think that this classic fragrance can be used by Young men too, for a classy, vintage touch!

10/21/2019

8Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Taurus
1189 Reviews

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Taurus

Top Review 10

Contradictory, yet consistent

Among the classic Eau de Colognes, most people, myself included, still imagine light citrus-fresh scents.

So I was all the more surprised by this flea market find, which I would certainly have initially categorized as a normal EdT if not even an EdP based on its color and theme.

My mini (see photo below) has a much darker hue, which is almost typical for a sandalwood scent with a higher concentration. But it is clearly labeled as Eau de Cologne and according to other sources, this is not an isolated case. Sandalwood is also more commonly associated with heavier, darker fragrances. So: Rethink!

The second surprise followed immediately after application. This EdC indeed starts off rather airy and light with a hefty dose of lavender and a good pinch of clary sage. There is virtually no trace of lemon. What surprises me more here is the temporal association, as I was mentally more in the 70s. However, I must admit that I had less exposure to men's fragrances or EdCs from the 50s, making comparisons somewhat difficult. But for this relatively prudish era, I find the scent quite provocative.

Shortly thereafter, the main theme of sandalwood reveals itself. Very present, yet not so overpowering and somewhat dry. In addition, earthy-soft patchouli and subtle basil also have their say, with oakmoss and resinous notes joining in later.

Nevertheless, sandalwood and the contrasting lavender remain the essential players of this EdC, softening the associated rusticity. What remains is still a very masculine scent with a dark core and gentle exterior. The longevity and projection exceed the expectations of an EdC significantly. I would even claim that it is the longest-lasting cologne I have ever encountered.

So far, so good. The brand Elizabeth Arden created something quite interesting here, although I wonder if this spicy-woody EdC has undergone one or another reformulation over the years. The image at the top right currently shows a bottle with a rather light content and a white cap, which one would more likely associate with an Eau de Cologne. Similar bottles can be found on eBay, leading me to speculate that this is the most recently produced version.
The original from the 50s would be all the more interesting, whether the approach was identical or even entirely different. Eyewitnesses are welcome to share their insights.

07/19/2011

7Scent 7.5Longevity

Chanelle
751 Reviews

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Chanelle

Very helpful Review 12

Oldie but goodie

Elizabeth Arden, unjustly little known in Germany today, was a former competitor of Estee Lauder and Helena Rubinstein, and had her heyday in the era of pencil skirts and stiletto heels. Many fragrances created under her leadership are now produced under license by other companies, have completely disappeared from the market, or are only simmering on a low flame. The cosmetics and skincare, which are certainly not inferior in quality to those of the aforementioned ladies, are unfortunately hardly known in Germany anymore. In the 60s, there were already several men's fragrances from Arden, including Greenwood and the sandalwood currently being tested. This one is still sold in the USA today at a bargain price, and I wanted to know what distinguishes it from the almost 10 times more expensive Santal by Creed.
The top note is already completely different, classically masculine: herbal-soapy, citrus is hardly noticeable.
The heart note also has hardly any unisex character, but surprisingly feels quite familiar to me. It has this warm, slightly creamy patchouli-chocolate-wood note that I found in almost all the men's fragrances I tested in the last few days. Here, however, it is very subtle; you have to get quite close. The scent is very pleasant and does not smell outdated at all (possibly except for the top note), leaning towards cozy, with little sillage and presence, but if it still resembles the fragrance from the late 50s, I understand that. Back then, among the majority of US ladies, overpowering perfume was still almost a kind of devil's work. Hard to believe, given the fragrances Arden then unleashed in the 80s, right?
In any case, I consider Sandalwood to be a men's fragrance that is quite wearable today, so to speak, Kokorico's grandfather!!!

01/04/2015

Santalum
13 Reviews

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Santalum

Very helpful Review

-The Scent of Sex-

A tabloid-like hook that, like its great model, only touches the truth at best approximatively.
Womanizers in search of the ultimately and definitively confusing drop of feminine charm must be disappointed at this point.
Here, rather few panties fall to the ground.

In fact, I could have titled the text "A Whiff of McCarthy" or "Three-piece suit & Pencil skirt."
I chose the title because I recently enjoyed watching the series 'Masters of Sex,' which is set in the 1950s in the USA.
A staunchly conservative and convention-bound era, marked by hysterical anti-liberalism. Captured in rigid sexual morals and an archaic understanding of gender roles.
A time when a large part of men would never have used perfume and at most would have emitted a hint of aftershave and brilliantine.
From this perspective, it might have been an almost avant-garde statement to wear fragrance at all, and Elizabeth Arden's Sandalwood a daring creation.
However, to today's noses, it seems incredibly outdated.
Or - positively framed - classic.
Perhaps I am not so wrong in imagining Dr. William Masters - as he is portrayed in the series - with this scent.
Progressive on one hand, regarding his research in the field of sexuality and his sometimes original ideas, yet still a child of his time, unable to escape his self-consciousness and the general corset of values.

I would be interested to know how it smelled in its original formulation, or whether the composition has survived the passage of time unscathed.
It is referred to as a Cologne and accordingly presents itself in terms of longevity and sillage. A strong opening that quickly fades, leaving only a delicate, skin-close whisper.
Did I just say classic? Yes. Fougère.
And far less complex than the many fragrance notes would suggest.

Strong lavender in the opening, accompanied by citrus elements and a hint of sage spice.
Quickly becoming softer and revealing much wood - dominant is the namesake sandalwood, quite dry and light - but also patchouli. Subtle, warming, chocolatey.
The base is oakmossy and has a light sweetness that beautifully frames the long-lasting sandalwood.

Started as a complete blind buy, because it first of all carries Sandalwood in its name, which almost always works for me, and it is also extremely cheap - the current market prices are lower than those of average drugstore fragrances - it has now become an everyday scent for me, which I like to use as a conservative counterpoint to the prevailing fragrance trends in my work environment.

I shudder at the thought of the stuffy 50s, but with this scent on site, I could imagine a time travel and possibly work as a secretary at the Johnson & Masters Institute.
Especially if the real Virginia E. Johnson is also played here by the enchanting Lizzy Caplan.
Which brings me back to the headline after all.

01/16/2015

8Scent

Epikuros
24 Reviews

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Epikuros

3

early childhood memories.....

In my long-lasting sandalwood search phase, I also came across this one from Elizabeth Arden, but I hardly expected anything from it, as the name sounds quite distant to me. I seem to remember that Elizabeth Arden was very well-known during my childhood and then faded away in the late 60s, playing no more role.
And positive associations do not connect with the name in my memories at all - it was more of a women's thing or a thing of mothers who bought cosmetic stuff (especially hairspray...)

So, when I test it, a rather strict-sharp 50s/60s scent comes to my nose first. However, this opening fades quite quickly, becoming more pleasant - and eventually, it turns into a very beautiful and rounded sandalwood scent. After spraying it on, it's best to block your nose with cotton..... or chop wood or something similar and wait.

Overall, I must say that EA is indeed a nice scent that can still be worn very well today - especially since about €11 for 100ml is really cheap. You can't go too wrong with that!

I find it amazing that this nearly 60-year-old fragrance is still around. It's probably older people who keep repurchasing it. But it's not bad for younger sandalwood lovers either! - You should give it a try if you like sandalwood.

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