I had previously purchased Silver Scent from Jacques Bogart. It was a solid fragrance with outstanding performance and unique elements that made it stand out at the affordable price range.
Following my success with Silver Scent, I thought about purchasing another Jacques Bogart scent. Initially, I leaned towards One Man Show or one of the Silver Scent flankers. However, Santana Bay was my choice for this round.
With scant information or reviews about the fragrance, this was a blind purchase.
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Santana Bay wastes no time and opens with a fruity/citrus opening, combining bergamot and pineapple with a touch of spiciness from a cardamon note. While that is nothing extraordinary or artistic, one cannot deny the fragrance has an alluring opening.
As the scent fades into the heart and base notes, it becomes a powdery and sweet blend that smells clean. The powder is no doubt from the lavender and cistus heart notes, while the vanilla in the base note provides the smooth sweetness. There is also a hint of woods and freshness in the fragrance, which basically combines cedarwood and vetiver in the base note.
The overall scent profile is fantastic and is not something I would have expected from an affordable fragrance. The feel of the fragrance is a confident man shifting from the end of the workweek and preparing for a weekend of fun and good times.
Santana Bay is masculine and sensual, but the scent gives a subtle freshness in the heart and base note that a woman can use with relative ease.
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That said, Santana Bay has a profile that is quite familiar to some people.
Take away the pineapple in the opening and the vanilla in the base note, then add a touch of ginger in the opening.
Do that, and Santana Bay becomes YSL’s La Nuit De L’Homme Bleu Electrique, which is insanely difficult to find in retailers.
Normally, I dislike comparing scents. However, I am making an exception because Bleu Electrique is becoming difficult to find. While Santana Bay is not a 100% match, it is close enough to Bleu Electrique that Santana Bay can hold the line until (or if) YSL reissues the fragrance.
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For the bottle artisans, Santana Bay is nothing special. The bottle has an embossed ship on the back that looks okay, and the atomizer is like many other Jacques Bogart fragrances. (i.e., press hard to get a solid spray, or you may get a stream instead.)
That said, while Santana Bay will not be an artistic centerpiece for a fragrance collection, a person will not need to hide it in a drawer or closet out of embarrassment.
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In terms of performance, Santana Bay is great!
The fragrance lasts on my skin for eight hours, which is significantly above average for an eau de toilette. Like most eau de toilettes with solid performance, it can get a person through a workday or a long evening, but not both without a respray.
Sillage and projection are above average as well. It is not loud enough to announce your presence in a room. However, people that you pass will notice the fragrance, and the scent can linger in the air for a few minutes after you leave a room.
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In terms of social scenarios, Santana Bay is quite a versatile fragrance that can work in any season or climate. It is a reliable daily fragrance; spray it and do not think twice.
The citrus and powdery notes make the fragrance safe for the office, and possibly the gym (despite the vetiver note in the fragrance, which is super rare).
The scent is soft enough for leisure, whether you opt to read a book, go on a long drive, or jog for a few miles.
The scent can act as a scent for an evening out with friends, or a scent for a party, club, or any place with a ton of people. The only place where it would not fit in is at a formal gathering, where one may want to go with something with less sweetness.
However, as you probably noted, I said Santana Bay has a sensual feeling. It is a fantastic date night fragrance. The sweet smell is nothing unique, but it is smooth and not explosively sweet, drawing people in, and inviting them to move closer.
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Jacques Bogart’s Santana Bay is a superb fragrance! For the price point, it performs beyond expectations, and the smell is fantastic and alluring.
That said, like any fragrance, it is not for everyone. People looking for originality (as there are similarities to the YSL La Nuit De L’Homme line), or people who dislike the trend of citrusy or sweet scents, should pass, as the disappointment is like Thanos in Infinity War—inevitable.
People looking for a citrusy/fresh scent with some sweetness that has the versatility for any situation, season, or time may like this fragrance. Likewise, anyone that is looking for a solid signature fragrance in an affordable price range may find this amazing.
Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
