Bottle Design:
Illustration: Plastic Crimewave

See Prices

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Magnolia & Cassis Strenesse 1999

7.6 / 10 84 Ratings

A popular perfume by Strenesse for women and men, released in 1999. The scent is woody-spicy. It is still in production.
Pronunciation Compare

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Woody

Spicy

Citrus

Fresh

Green

Fragrance Notes

Lemon grass

Sandalwood Vetiver

Vetiver

Tagetes

Rosewood

Perfumers

Mark Constantine, Simon Constantine

Ratings

Scent

7.684 Ratings

Longevity

7.169 Ratings

Sillage

6.470 Ratings

Bottle

6.066 Ratings

Value for money

6.812 Ratings

Submitted by AmyAmy, last update on 11/24/2024.

Interesting Facts

In the Middle East, this fragrance is being sold under the name "The Sandalwood Trail".

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Smuggler's Soul / The Sandalwood Trail (Solid Perfume) by Lush

Smuggler's Soul Solid Perfume

Smuggler's Soul Body Spray

The Maj

Habit Rouge Eau de Toilette

Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/20/2021

BrianBuchanan
363 Reviews

BrianBuchanan

1

Cutting up rough

It's good that the Gorilla's are raising the issue of sandalwood depletion.
But it would be better if their perfumes were properly finished, and not slapdash or spontaneous - depending on how charitable you want to be.
Smuggler's Soul is about illicit logging, but it contains the endangered Santalum album (no doubt legally harvested) as well as the austrocaledonicum variety (also decimated in its native lands).
The smell is a dry and coarse marigold, with milky-sour woods with a hint of lemongrass: a sort of sandal bath bomb. The idea is there but the rough edges could have been smoothed out a bit.

07/25/2020

8Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

Taurus
1161 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Taurus

Very helpful Review 19

How to Smuggle Vetiver into Sandalwood

Regarding the secondary designation "The Sandalwood Trail," the clear key data, and the first olfactory impression immediately after spraying, I was heavily inclined to believe I was encountering pure sandalwood smuggling goods.

At least sandalwood is well represented here, but it interestingly mingles with other woody, leathery, and smoky notes. One might almost think they have stumbled into a dark dive bar. In between, hints of fresh citrus counterpoints frolic about, brightening and endearing the smuggler's soul a bit.

However, if you sniff a little deeper, you cannot ignore the truly successful vetiver component. At times, one believes it drifts into the roughness of Guerlain's Vetiver, but sandalwood and lemongrass seem to keep it well in check. Nevertheless, it feels as if the vetiver forms a pliable intersection with the smoky wood or sandalwood note.

After about an hour, I had the impression that a considerable portion of musk had also smuggled itself into the mix - without this being indicated. Therefore, I am a bit confused, but one doesn't have to believe everything that is officially declared or listed.

While enjoying the scent for a long time, one often finds themselves wondering whether Smuggler's Soul is a velvety-smoky sandalwood oddity or rather a refined-rustic vetiver representative. At least it has the potential to provoke, and I can imagine it can be phenomenally polarizing.

Personally, I appreciate the brilliant interlocking of the main players, but it only becomes truly appealing with the subtle lemongrass as the third in the trio. Its role is not so dominant, but it provides just the right accent. A fragrance with soul and character!

10/31/2014

8.5Scent 5Longevity 5Sillage

Yatagan
415 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Yatagan

Top Review 49

Samhain

Do you want a scent for Halloween that also honors Reformation Day? Do you need a fragrance for the day before All Saints' Day, before the softly flickering candles for the deceased are lit again in Catholic churches (before theologians raise objections: I know the difference between All Saints' Day and the following day: All Souls' Day) and a creeping depression takes hold of you that you need to heal? Do you want a festive, elevated, somewhat dark yet refined scent? Perhaps you need Smuggler's Soul: this fragrance is backed by the story of the murderous sandalwood smuggler and his soul.

Before I delve further into the restless spirit of this lost soul, I must first take a moment to commend the comments from AmyAmy: Not only is she often, almost always, the first to introduce exciting, hard-to-find fragrances from England on the continent; the quality of her comments is such that there is generally not much left to say about the fragrances. This must also be noted in the case of Smuggler's Soul. So please read her comments. It’s worth it, and perhaps you will finally get to know some newer scents from the British Isles, you philistines.

To bring at least a (somewhat) new aspect into play: When I read that Lush's new launch would be a sandalwood scent, I was initially a bit disappointed. While I love English fragrances (especially the classics), sandalwood scents have sometimes confused or bored me, - because when sandalwood is too dominant, it can come across as quite penetrating, sweet, balsamic heavy, thus very different from cedarwood or other woods: one-dimensional. I initially overlooked that vetiver is also listed in the base note. I don't really need to emphasize that I love vetiver oil. I do that anyway in every second comment.

In fact, the vetiver note in Smuggler's Soul is so clearly recognizable, it is actually at the center, that I would almost rather refer to it as a men's fragrance than a unisex perfume. It is certainly wearable for women, but vetiver is often so strongly associated with men's fragrances that it could cause irritation among female wearers. However, please test it yourself, because the sandalwood base accord ultimately softens the whole thing.

Of course, lemongrass is also a bright, fresh component, so the scent will really not deter anyone who finds sandalwood notes too soft, too warm, too sweet, or too one-dimensional.

I have now tested the fragrance in liquid form and as Concreta (as solid perfume, recently available at Lush in attractive little metal tins with designs). I liked it a bit better in solid form, so I treated myself to such a tin today. One must speak of treating oneself, as Smuggler's Soul is quite expensive compared to other fragrances from the house: A bottle of 50 ml "perfume" (more like: Eau de Parfum) costs 90.00 euros, tiny 12 mg Concreta costs 18.00 euros.

At the Samhain festival (the Irish-Celtic precursor to Halloween), people have access to the beings of the other world: this belief can ultimately still be found in syncretic form in festivals like All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, which, seen this way, do not have to be in competition with Halloween.

If you want to gain access to the Other World: Smuggler's Soul will help you with that!
I will wear it on All Saints' Day. In half an hour, it will be time.

08/21/2014

9Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

AmyAmy
54 Reviews

Translated · Show original

AmyAmy

Top Review 22

Fresh Sandalwood

“Smuggler’s Soul” is one of the first fragrances released from the “Volume 3 - Death, Decay & Renewal” series. These twelve new fragrances were showcased for a week at the temporary Gorilla Perfume Gallery in London with corresponding installations. Nine of the twelve fragrances were available for purchase directly in the Gorilla Gallery, and they are now also available in the new (and first - the already past pop-up shop in Shoreditch aside) Gorilla Shop in Islington, Camden Passage. How and when global distribution will expand remains to be seen.

Alongside the launch of “Smuggler’s Soul,” the comic book “On The Trail Of Sandalwood Smugglers - A Daring Journey Into The Illicit Sandalwood Trade” by Plastic Crimewave, who has illustrated several fragrances from Lush, was published in collaboration with Lush. It tells the adventurous quest of Simon Constantine and his colleague for sustainably harvested and fairly traded sandalwood oil.

“Smuggler’s Soul” is described as “deep, dangerous and intoxicating.” Does it smell dangerous? This is probably more of a hint at the difficulties in sourcing the included sandalwood oils. But “deep” and “intoxicating” can certainly be used to describe “Smuggler’s Soul” without hesitation. This fragrance will undoubtedly find a wide audience within the Lush framework, which is not meant negatively, as I simply find “Smuggler’s Soul” to be extremely successful and very beautiful.

Somehow, “Smuggler’s Soul” always subtly reminds me of “Breath Of God” from Lush, or at least a more reduced (and yet flawless) version of it. When I smell “Breath Of God,” it of course smells completely different, but at least both fragrances share (besides the ingredient list perfume, behind which anything can be hidden) sandalwood oil and vetiver oil. Both fragrances are probably united by the Constantine signature.

“Smuggler’s Soul” thus smells very typically Lush and aromatic. Alongside the fresh-green notes of lemongrass, there is also the typical spiciness of vetiver, as well as a very slight floral note; I think I can perceive a hint of ylang-ylang. The sandalwood notes become stronger and slightly smoky as the fragrance develops, but they remain soft and full, without drifting into the typical creaminess of sandalwood.

“Smuggler’s Soul” has become a well-rounded fragrance, very convincing and engaging, unisex, suitable for many occasions, fresh and invigorating, yet comforting and cozy.