Perfumes can be polarising. Some swear by the amber and mellow jasmine notes in Thierry Mugler's perfume, Alien; others find it overwhelming (one Reddit user could smell a single drop on their wrist for a whole 24hrs). Other perfumes though, quickly amass a cult following. Meet one such fragrange: Le Labo Santal 33.
Le Labo's Santal 33 landed in 2011, a year rife with celebrity perfume launches. Justin Bieber released his own scent, Someday, in the June; Britney relaunched Cosmic Radiance in July, and few could walk into a New York department store without being offered a spritz of either.
The arrival of Le Labo back in 2006 heralded a new age of fragrance. Le Labo's minimalist label stood out in a sea of glitzy bottles. The spirit of the brand was different too: Le Labo believes 'there are too many bottles of perfumes, and not enough soulful fragrances', and that 'fine perfume must be irreverent.'
Irreverent though Le Labo is, consider one of its standout statements: 'celebrities should pay full price.' And pay, they seem to do. Le Labo's Santal 33 counts Alexa Chung, Justin Bieber, Ryan Reynolds and Sophie Turner as loyal fans.
Shop: The Cult Perfume Loved By Alexa Chung And Justin Bieber
A rich, woody, musky scent
www.libertylondon.com
Description
The brand says, 'A timeless and transcendent depiction of the American West, it fuses rich smoky wood alloy, spices and leather with sweeter notes of iris and violet to create an addictive unisex scent that is both comforting and unforgettable.' Dreamy.
Pros
- Can be delivered next day
Cons
- Is often sold-out
What does Santal 33 smell like?
Every Le Labo scent is marketed as unisex. The brand says that Santal 33 is made to 'intoxicate a man as much as a woman', and combines heady iris, cardamom and violet notes with a leathery, musky edge.
Find TikTok's assessment below:
Grazia's junior beauty editor Rachael says: 'If you want swathes of compliments as soon as you walk into a room then spritz yourself with a hefty dose of Le Labo's Santal 33 - it's honestly stunning. One of my favourite scents, it's dramatic and heady without being overpowering thanks to its warm and creamy notes - there's something decidedly comforting about it. The dry-down is perfect and it stays on the skin from day until night without the need for regular reapplication. Would recommend.'
{#h-}
Rachael Martin is Grazia’s Junior Beauty Editor where she covers all things beauty, health and wellness.