The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille Review (2021) + Peace, Perfume and Sustainability Draw

 

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille

Native Nova Scotian entrepeneur Barb Stegemann is a businesswoman with a conscience. Since the advent of her environmentally-socially-and-economically responsible perfume venture The 7 Virtues in 2010, Ms. Stegemann has been engaging struggling countries (and the women in them) through her sourcing of natural materials, and encouraging local economies to develop crops such as orange blossom and roses in Afghanistan as legal fair trade instead opium poppies. Her considerable energies have extended across the globe, including such locations as Rwanda, Haïti, the Middle East, India and Madagascar. Every one of The 7 Virtues fragrances tells a story – and involves sourcing/employing/sustaining a particular country in need. Her latest perfume, Santal Vanille – supports environmental education for the women of Sri Lanka, whence comes the /sandalwood utilized – thus creating fair wage employment for local communities.

Barb Stegemann of the 7 virtues

 

Barb Stegemann

“My real job is to make rebuilding more exciting than destruction. This I do through perfume.” ~ Barb Stegemann

Ms. Stegemann pondered long and hard upon the inequities present in her own North America – where women own the buying power, but one out of every five children lives in desperation and deprivation. Her eventual solution revolved around philosophical thinking, an approach which assigns the placing of higher value on leadership, reason and intellect – and development of seven core values: wonder, balance, truth, courage, justice, wisdom and beauty. While Barb began adult life as a journalist, she soon recognized the necessity of ‘learning the language of patriarchy’.

The 7 Virtues of A Philosopher Queen by Barb Stegemann 8th edition

The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen is in its eighth edition

In business as in politics, one benefits from understanding the language utilized before you can negotiate change. She made it her business to educate herself, learning to network. The first printing of her experiences (2008) evolved into The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen (A woman’s guide to living and leading in an illogical world); since then eight editions have surfaced. These principles and their application translated into her social enterprise The 7 Virtues. All her products are clean, green and ecologically sustainable.

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille with sustainable sandalwood from sri lanka

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille collage by Michelyn

The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille is bien-être in a bottle: a woody gourmand balanced on the brink of aridity. More elements conspire to evoke an atmosphere of low humidity than not, yet Santal Vanille retains a decidedly tropical feel. When I work with perfumers, it’s not uncommon for me to suggest lashings of black pepper when a fragrance skews too sweet or sticky, as it possesses dry-woody freshness and piquancy as well as warmth. Lemon peppery olibanum (aka frankincense), myrrh and cedar wax as bone dry as can be; some vanillas are woodier than others, but the sweet always lingers. So it may be with sandalwoods – and the Sri Lankan variety is santalum album, similar in character to Mysore with its creamy woody drydown.

Envision that creaminess enhanced by a coconut milk note, warmed by cardamom and only a trace of dark cocoa absolute. Encircled by all these beautiful dusty materials, sweetness prevails above all (I have sweet-amplifying skin, so naturally I pull all the sugar available). The resultant effect is one of profound tranquility and unhurried pace, sanctuary sought and rendered.

Notes: coconut milk, cardamom, vanilla, myrrh, Sri Lankan black pepper, olibanum, Sri Lankan sandalwood, cedar wood, cocoa absolute

Many thanks to The 7 Virtues for my lovely bottle and book!  My nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Deputy Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor

Available at Sephora and online at The 7 Virtues

Santal vanillle by the 7 virtues

photo by Ida©

Thanks to the generosity of Barb Stegemann and The 7 Virtues we have one 100 ml bottle of Santal Vanille available to one registered reader in North America. Be sure to register or your comment will not count. To be eligible for the draw, tell us where you live and what appeals to you about Ida’s review of The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille and where you live. Draw closes 4/30/21

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All photos courtesy of The 7 Virtues unless otherwise stated

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30 comments

  • jojosi3 says:

    Hello and thank you for the draw from Canada!
    I like The 7 Virtues as a brand, in terms of their product and their ethics. What I appreciated from Ida’s review on Santal Vanille, aside from the notes, is that it described an effect of “profound tranquility and unhurried pace”, and immediately made me think of one of my best friend’s, and how she would enjoy (and deserves) a fragrance like this – I would love to gift this to her!

  • MilesofM says:

    Sustainability is not something discussed often in perfumery, but it should given the history of the industry causing ecological damage for the raw materials. But also, I’m interested because the scent sounds good too.
    Located in Canada

  • raymondchau says:

    Santal and vanilla seem to combine together for visualization of creamy sweet coconut accord. It is not a novel blend, but I am still excited about how it would appeal and develop during wear.

    I am located in Canada!

  • aud604 says:

    The notes of this make me think of Elephant by Zoologist, which is one of my favorites. I don’t have much else to say but that I appreciate the insight into this house! Thank you from Canada.

  • AleksCipri says:

    I have to try Santal Vanille. It sound amazing! Sounds like the scent I would love to smell around me every day. It has all of the notes I love combined together. I love dusty fragrances, adore frankincense and coconut. Sandalwood is one of my favorite notes also. Amazing! Big plus is that the company cares about local economies and helping less developed countries. I’m from Illinois, US.

  • Andrei Artimon says:

    Never heard about the house , but the notes sound right up my alley , new york , usa .

  • Julesinrose says:

    I have never heard of this book or Ms. Stegemann and I plan on reading it now. Thank you, Ida! And thank you, for when you write a good review I take note. Speaking of notes, these sound quite good. In Maine, USA

  • C K says:

    I like the transparency of The 7 Virtuea as well as their ideals. I found it interesting and innovative that they are working with women in Afghanistan to encourage them to grow orange blossom and rose rather than poppy that would be used to make opium. Helping in multiple ways. The perfume itself sounds really nice as well and has a number of notes I tend to enjoy including the namesake ingredients of sandalwood and vanilla. Plus if it can help with tranquility that is more than welcomed by me. I have noticed online that the brand is carried at Sephora also so if they’re also carried in store hopefully I’ll be able to sample the line. I’m from CT USA. Thanks for the generous draw.

  • glowup says:

    Indiana USA This sounds like a gourmand dream, the woody notes with the citruses sounds amazing for me in the summer. Indiana USA

  • Courtenay Courier says:

    The idea of a warm, woodsy vanilla with cardamom gives great satisfaction. I am in Canada.

  • wilsonwc76 says:

    This sounds wonderful! I love the conscienceness behind the house, and this scent sounds lovely. I love a sandelwood scent, and combining it with vanilla and coconut milk and cardamon sounds delicious! I’m in NYC.

  • INYA says:

    Thank you Ms Stegemann, and Ms Ida, for all that you do. I’m definitely going to read the 7 Virtues book. We all need and much deserve tranquillity and blissful peace. Thank you for a much appreciated article and generous draw! Mich USA

  • xoe says:

    I love the concentration on environmental sustainability and education. And Ida’s review makes me really want this. It sounds abasolutely divine. I am in the US.

  • Diana D says:

    I love that the perfumer is environmentally conscious. I am trying to switch over to fragrances/skincare products that use more sustainably sourced ingredients.
    This sounds like a really cozy scent. I love when sandalwood is used in the base of a perfume. It feels like a warm blanket that envelopes by body.
    I live in the US.

  • Cass says:

    The notion of a dusty tropical is not one I have encountered before. This sounds great. This company is somewhat local to me, so it’s nice to see this part of the world represented in perfumery. The conscientious sourcing of ingredients is also excellent.

    Thanks for the draw. I am in Canada.

  • Vahagn says:

    I liked Barb Stegemann’s wise words- “My real job is to make rebuilding more exciting than destruction. This I do through perfume”
    and this perfume sounds amazing with it’s Mysore, Sri Lankan black pepper, cedar, olibanum and pf course – VANILLA.
    USA

  • drjedi says:

    Barbara is doing a difficult job and making a positive impact in the world. I learned from Ida’s review of The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille about how Barbara trained herself in the language of business and politics, and went on to write a successful book on it, as well as creating ecologically sustainable perfumes, of which The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille is one. Adding pepper for its warmth and piquancy to a sweet and sticky perfume reminded me of how one makes adjustments while cooking and tasting. Ida’s comment that “The resultant effect is one of profound tranquility and unhurried pace, sanctuary sought and rendered” sums up how Santal Vanille would be a calming and cheerful perfume. Thanks for the review and a generous draw. I’m in USA.

  • Dami C says:

    Wonder, balance, truth, courage, justice, wisdom, and beauty are seven virtues of essential importance for applying change and achieving equity. The importance of understanding the language used before to make those changes is something I hadn’t concretely thought about before. The fragrance seems to nicely balance spices and woods, and I’d be curious to try it.

  • GennyLeigh says:

    I was unfamiliar with Barb Stegemann and her 7 Virtues venture, but I applaud her for trying to make a difference and using the medium of fragrance to help spread the message. Santal Vanille sounds lovely with the vanilla and sandalwood base and the coconut, cardamom and black pepper that helps spice things up. The bottle and the image on it is beautiful. Commenting from MD, USA.

  • Bryant Worley says:

    I think Ida did a very good job in giving us Ms. Stegemann’s background, as well as the inspiration for the fragrance. It was nice hearing about the good work Ms. Stegemann is doing, as well as, hearing about the depth of thought put into each detail of the fragrance.

    I live in Waldorf, MD, USA.

  • moshe says:

    I’m from Mexico.
    Santal Vanille sounds relaxing zen and cozy.
    I would love to meditate through it.

  • Brian says:

    I appreciated learning about Barbara Stegemann’s fragrance company and the fragrance “Santal Vanille”. I found her story to be, at least, somewhat edifying. I appreciate learning about perfumery by means of reading Ida’s description of this fragrance. According to the review of it, I definitely want to have this fragrance and I plan to learn more about this company. I live in MD., U.S.A.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thank you for the great and informative review Ida. I love the idea and the mission behind this fragrance and hope to see more from this house. I will definitely be looking into where I can pick up this book.

    I love this this a fragrance that evokes tranquility and surrender – need more of it in todays world.

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • mronhubbard says:

    This sounds like a win-win– cozy yet sophisticated. And it sounds like a great company with an inspiring leader. It’s marvelous to hear about something positive in the world of business. (USA)

  • MissJanners says:

    I really appreciate the values of the brand and its creator. A sweet woody fragrance with cacao is something I’m very interested in these days. I love the packaging, and I already have a love from this brand, which is Vetiver Elemi.

    I live in Canada.

  • Josephine says:

    The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille sounds like a warm sweet blanket of scent. I love frankincense and myrrh. I enjoy learning about women owned companies that are socially and ecologically conscious. I’m in Virginia, USA.

  • Michael Prince says:

    What appeals to me about Ida’s review of 7 Virtues Santal Vanille is Ms Barb Stegemann’s vision of an environmentally-socially-and-economically responsible perfume venture. I love how every one of The 7 Virtues fragrances tells a story – and involves sourcing/employing/sustaining a particular country in need. She has a beautiful vision of supporting women and making this world a better place and has also written a book of how women in business can thrive in a patriarchy. I am from Ohio, USA.