It doesn’t matter if you’re a celebrity, a successful businessman, or an everyday fragrance fanatic. It seems like everyone loves Le Labo.
The New York City brand was founded by friends Fabrice Penot and Edouard Roschi in 2006 and grew so popular that it was purchased by Estée Lauder Companies in 2014.
It’s known for creating memorable, luxurious scents that smell unlike anything else. Bottles retail between $113 and $1,810.
I first tried the brand at the end of 2024, testing Santal 33 against a Target dupe. Though I wasn’t a fan of that fragrance, I was intrigued. I’d never smelled anything like it before.
Since then, I’ve tried samples (.05-fluid-ounce bottles that cost between $7 and $13 each) of 10 other popular Le Labo scents.
I took notes on what I liked and disliked, asked friends and family for their thoughts, and watched the clock to see which scents lasted on my skin all day and which evaporated into thin air.
Here’s how I’d rank them from worst to best.
Santal 33 doesn’t deserve the hype it gets — sorry.
Santal 33 might be Le Labo’s most famous fragrance, but it was also my least favorite of the scents I tried.
It had a strong, earthy scent with a heavy spice that, unfortunately, smelled like pickle juice to me. Many Le Labo fans and critics have also made this comparison.
After four short hours on the skin, the fragrance quickly went from overpowering to almost nonexistent, making it tough to justify the high price.
For those reasons, I’m not sure I’ll ever understand the appeal of Santal 33’s cult following.
I wouldn’t wear Musc 25 again either.
You can typically only buy Musc 25 at Le Labo boutiques in Los Angeles. The brand also sells its city-exclusive scents online each September, which is how I purchased a sample.
Though the perfume smelled sweet, citrusy, and floral at first, those layers quickly gave way to a strong powdery scent.
The latter note was too mature to represent the vibrant city of Los Angeles, in my opinion, and it didn’t smell great on my skin.
Shiu 25 isn’t for me, unfortunately, but I can see why others might like it.
Inspired by Beijing, the Le Labo website says, Shiu 25 is meant to bring balance and inner peace to anyone who wears it.
It has notes of iris, frankincense, and Shiu wood, which make it dark, earthy, and also floral. It’s undoubtedly unique and long-lasting, so I can see why some wearers might be drawn to it.
Like Santal 33, though, it smelled a bit like pickle juice on my skin — so I’ll have to skip this scent in the future.
Another 13 had potential, but didn’t reach it.
Whenever Santal 33 is mentioned, someone is bound to argue that Another 13 is better.
The fragrance was created in collaboration with An0ther Magazine and is now one of the brand’s core scents. Le Labo describes it as a hypnotizing and “addictive dirty potion.”
I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I’d say it feels accurate. Every time I sniffed Another 13, I wanted more. It faded into a blend that smelled like jasmine, citrus, vanilla, and musk — which I loved.
So, I wish I could say that the fragrance made my top three.
Unfortunately, when first sprayed, the fragrance smelled strongly of alcohol. Sometimes, it took nearly an hour to fade into the latter scent that I preferred. Other fragrance fans said they couldn’t smell anything else, no matter how much time passed.
It’s also not the strongest fragrance I’ve tried from Le Labo’s roster. After two hours or so, I almost forgot I was wearing it.
I’d like Gaiac 10 more if it lasted longer on my skin.
Like Another 13, Gaiac 10 could be a strong contender for being listed among my favorite Le Labo scents — if only it lasted longer on the skin.
It initially sprays as a light, leafy scent with a hint of sweetness, while notes of cedar and frankincense emerge later. It’s captivating and personal. You can only smell it up close.
That said, when I’m spending hundreds of dollars on a perfume, I’d prefer it to have more staying power.
Rose 31 had a classic scent but ultimately didn’t stand out.
With a name like Rose 31, I figured this perfume would be straightforward.
It started with strong whiffs of grass and spice, initially distracting from the rose. Once the main note took over, however, I smelled of florals and powder, which reminded me of a classic French perfume.
I can absolutely see why people might enjoy this perfume, and I did, too.
Ultimately, though, it was a little too simple for me. If I’m buying Le Labo, I want something that stands out.
Thé Noir 29 was captivating and masculine, yet anyone could wear it.
Thé Noir 29 is the Le Labo fragrance that surprised me the most.
I expected a musky cologne but got a masculine-leaning scent that smelled like black licorice. There was also a subtle trace of tobacco as it settled, along with a consistent note of cedarwood.
One of my favorite elements was that the scent lasted all day without being too strong.
My only gripe — a small one — was that it only felt appropriate to wear in the evening. I couldn’t see myself wearing this during the day.
I’ll be adding Cedrat 37 to my fall-fragrance lineup.
Berlin inspired this spicy yet calming scent that’s meant to be “fresh, acidic, and with an addictive candied sweetness,” the Le Labo website says.
Not only did I find myself seeking whiffs of the scent as I wore it, but I also found it would fill a gap in my fragrance rotation: what to wear between the end of summer and fall.
From now on, it will be Cedrat 37 for me.
And Vanille 44 has earned a spot on my shelves forever.
Vanille 44, from the city of Paris, is not your classic vanilla perfume. Instead, there are amber, wood, and citrus notes infused with the gourmand.
I found it to be warm and powerful on my skin, but not overwhelming. It’s perfect for winter and those last days of fall.
Hopefully someday, I’ll visit the City of Love and splurge on a bottle.
Everyone should have Lavande 31 in their fragrance rotation.
After being underwhelmed by Rose 31, I worried I might feel the same about Lavande 31.
However, Le Labo says on its website that this fragrance “knocks all preconceived notions of lavender on its head” — and I completely agree.
The fragrance smelled refreshing and sophisticated, with a mix of lavender, moss, musk, and even a citrus zest. I could easily see this becoming my signature scent, especially in the spring and summer.
What I really loved, though, was the product’s concept. Sometimes, you just want a perfume full of your favorite classic notes but with an interesting twist.
Lavande 31 fit that bill and exceeded expectations.
Thé Matcha 26 is probably the best and most underrated of Le Labo’s popular scents.
I was most excited to try Thé Matcha 26 for two reasons. First, I enjoy the scent of the drink this fragrance is named after.
Second, Le Labo’s description of the perfume caught my attention. It’s said to be “introverted and deep by nature” and is meant to be smelled only by “those individuals lucky enough to be very close to the wearer.”
Not only was that an accurate description, but the perfume’s notes were also phenomenal, in my opinion. It’s scented with fig, vetiver, and orange, which creates a soft, alluring, and calm fragrance.
If I were only going to buy one Le Labo product, it would be a bottle of Thé Matcha 26, without question.
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