Le Labo Decants — How to Try Santal 33, Another 13, and More Before Buying

Le Labo occupies a specific position in the niche fragrance market: intensely devoted following, polarizing compositions, and prices that make a wrong purchase sting. A bottle of Santal 33 runs around $350 for 100ml. Another 13 is similar. The City Exclusives — fragrances only available in specific cities — are higher and harder to source.

This is a house where sampling before buying isn’t just recommended. For most of the range, it’s essentially required.

Why Le Labo Requires Sampling

The fragrances are unconventional. Santal 33 includes a smoky, pencil-shavings quality that’s either addictive or uncomfortable. Rose 31 has cumin in the heart — savory, slightly sweaty, divisive. Another 13 is built around ambroxan and musks that read as different on every person’s skin.

This is the design intent. Le Labo’s founders (Fabrice Penot and Edouard Roschi launched the brand in New York in 2006) built fragrance-as-conversation rather than fragrance-as-product. The compositions are meant to provoke a reaction. That makes them interesting; it also means your reaction needs to come before the purchase.

The Core Range

Santal 33

The fragrance that made Le Labo famous. The story of how Santal 33 became culturally ubiquitous in certain cities — particularly New York — is well documented. The composition is sandalwood and cedarwood anchored by cardamom, iris, violet, and a smoky woody note from violet and papyrus.

The smoky pencil-shavings quality comes primarily from the combination of those woody materials. It’s unusual and, for the people it works on, deeply satisfying. It tends to become more subtle on skin over time — developing into a warm, woody skin-scent — which is why the first wear often produces a stronger reaction than subsequent ones.

Longevity is good: eight to ten hours on most skin. The sillage is moderate and becomes closer-skin after two to three hours.

If you’ve never smelled it and you’re curious whether the reputation is justified: sample first. The polarization is real.

Another 13

Built primarily around ambroxan, a synthetic amber-musk molecule with exceptional skin affinity. The formula is deceptively simple: ambroxan is the main character, supported by ambrette seed and a whisper of iris. The result is a fragrance that smells different on different skin — some people get warm amber, others get clean musk, others get something almost animalic.

This is the Le Labo fragrance most likely to become a signature scent for the person it works on, and the most likely to be unremarkable for those it doesn’t. It has a devoted cult following for exactly this reason.

Another 13 was a City Exclusive (New York) that became widely available. Availability is now mainstream.

Rose 31

Rose and cumin is the description that causes people to pause. The cumin note is savory and slightly sweaty at first, and it’s real — you will smell it. The question is whether it integrates with the cedar and musks in a way that seems intentional (yes) or off-putting (depends on the wearer).

Those who love Rose 31 often describe it as the most human-smelling rose fragrance they own. Those who don’t describe the cumin quality as something they can’t get past. Sample with no expectations.

Bergamote 22

The most accessible entry point for Le Labo newcomers. Bergamot and herbal green notes open clean and bright. The heart is neroli and petitgrain. The base is musk and vetiver, mild and modern.

This is a straightforward fragrance by Le Labo standards — no challenging cumin, no smoky pencil-wood, no ambroxan morphing on skin. It’s a good summer option and a good first buy from the house if you want to test the quality without committing to anything polarizing.

Thé Noir 29

Smoky lapsang souchong tea over woody base notes. The smoke is genuine — this is a fragrance that smells like a burning fire at distance. The tea quality grounds it and prevents it from reading as purely industrial. The base is cedar and musks.

This one reads as unisex at close range but distinctly masculine at distance, which is unusual. Strong performance — ten to twelve hours. Not subtle.

Season: Autumn and winter only. Summer would be uncomfortable.

Lys 41

White lily over musks and sandalwood. The lily note is creamy rather than green or sharp — this is the soft, heavy variety rather than an airy fresh interpretation. It reads as feminine.

Straightforward compared to the more complex compositions in the range. Excellent in spring and summer. Good for formal occasions where you want something clearly floral without being assertive.

Gaiac 10

Gaiac (guaiac) wood with smoke and pepper. Dry, woody, slightly medicinal in an interesting way. The composition has a kind of austere quality that’s either compelling or cold depending on preference.

This is an acquired taste even by Le Labo standards. Worth trying precisely because it exists nowhere else in perfumery at this quality level.

The City Exclusives

Le Labo produces a set of fragrances originally exclusive to specific city boutiques. Several are now more widely available, but they retain the exclusive designation.

Worth noting: - Fleur d’Oranger 27 (Miami) — orange blossom, musks. Their most accessible floral. - Vanille 44 (Paris) — warm vanilla with musks. One of the more approachable options. - Patchouli 24 (Paris) — smoke, birch, vanilla. Birch smoke is prominent — niche even by Le Labo standards. - Ambrette 9 (Los Angeles) — an ambrette seed and citrus composition, lighter than Another 13.

The City Exclusives are harder to source as decants than the core range, but they do appear on Fraghead from travelers and collectors who’ve accessed them directly.

How to Approach Le Labo Sampling

The standard advice for Le Labo: order at least three fragrances in a first decant set, rather than focusing on one. The house’s range is coherent enough that knowing which type of Le Labo fragrance appeals to you — woody, musky, floral, tea — narrows the field for a full bottle purchase.

Suggested starting points by preference:

If you want something versatile and wearable: Bergamote 22, then Santal 33.

If you want something that might become your signature: Another 13, worn at least three times before deciding.

If you’re comfortable with challenging fragrances: Rose 31 or Thé Noir 29.

If you want the Le Labo treatment applied to a familiar category: Lys 41 (floral) or Santal 33 (woody).

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Le Labo decants available on Fraghead? Yes. Santal 33 and Another 13 are consistently listed by collectors. Core range fragrances appear regularly; City Exclusives appear less frequently but do show up.

How does Le Labo compare to other niche houses? In price: comparable to Maison Margiela Replica, lower than Roja Parfums, similar to Diptyque. In style: more challenging than most Maison Margiela, more accessible than Serge Lutens, less fruity-sweet than Byredo.

Does Le Labo have gender designations? The house positions most fragrances as unisex. This is largely true in practice — Rose 31 and Santal 33 are worn by all genders. Thé Noir 29 and Gaiac 10 read more masculine. Lys 41 reads more feminine. These are tendencies, not rules.

What is the minimum sample size worth ordering? For a first test: 2ml is sufficient to understand the fragrance. For any fragrance you’re seriously considering: 5ml, worn at least twice before deciding. Another 13 specifically behaves differently on second and third wear as your skin adapts.