Sand and Skin Floraïku 2023

At first spray, it was a stunning salty smell like the sea and sand. But soon settled into a lingering incense. Like the standard incense sticks you get in a box for a few dollars - Nag Champa or Sandalwood. It's not a subtle similarity, it's spot on. While I love those scents, I would never pay this price for my skin to smell like it. LOVELY scent, wonderfully made. Not for me.

Sand & Skin took me by utter surprise. A well blended and executed beachy profile without being gourmand or the use of coconut. I also love that they evaded the usual direction of jasmine and instead incorporated ylang-ylang; avoiding the essence of sunscreen. I understand that sunscreen is commonly used at the beach, but sunscreen does not represent the beach. Fragrances that are typically associated with beaches don't usually resonate with me for that very reason.

"Like a sunny island dream, Sand and Skin is all about the languor and pleasure of a moment of eternity set on a fine sandy beach". This I can relate to. Dreamy, creamy, warm and even powdery. Tactfully done using only wood, resins, vanilla and one yellow floral note. The use of raw materials is always a plus. Floraïku used ylang ylang fractions and vanilla Co2 in this formula. I have been on a long hunt for the perfect daytime scent for Spring and Summer that is just as easy to wear as it is distinctive. Sand and Skin fits that criteria marvelously.

I have to give credit where it’s due: the packaging and presentation are absolutely stunning. The bottle design, the details, the whole aesthetic easily a 10/10. It looks luxurious and artistic, and it really stands out in a collection. Just having it on display feels special.

Sadly, the scent itself doesn’t work for me. On my skin, it gives off very old, vintage granny vibes. There’s also something that strongly reminds me of traditional Asian shops that familiar creamy, woody, slightly powdery smell that many of them seem to share. It’s nostalgic in a way, but not something I personally enjoy wearing.

In terms of smell, it opens soft and creamy with a floral touch, mainly from ylang-ylang, mixed with a smooth vanilla sweetness. As it develops, the sandalwood and amyris become more noticeable, giving it a warm, powdery, skin-like character. The drydown stays very gentle, slightly resinous and woody, with a calm, almost dusty softness.

I understand why many people find this comforting and elegant, but for me it leans too old-school. I’ll most likely keep it just for the beautiful bottle as part of my collection, but I don’t see myself reaching for it to wear.

A gorgeous object just not my kind of scent.

This was love at first sniff because it's so soft and pretty. It has an incense vibe, but the very best resin-based incense with light cedar and other wood notes and soft, lightly-sweet vanilla. Normally, I think of incense-style fragrances and cedar as being for cold weather, but this one is so soft that I think it would work year-round. This is also one that would be safe to wear anywhere.

Sand and Skin surprised me a lot. On paper it was very soft and slightly sweet, becoming creamy over time, but on my skin it turned completely different. It opened dry, balsamic and almost smoky, with an incense-like character that dominated before slowly softening. The contrast between paper and skin was striking, almost like two different fragrances, and made it feel more unusual than comforting.