10 Best Le Labo Perfumes of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

This perfume makes me feel like the best-smelling person on earth. It's truly the Sofia Richie Grainge or "quiet luxury" of perfumes because it smells rich but isn't dripping with gold or throwing logos in your face.

The notes (see: pear, jasmine, ambrette) aren't necessarily distinguishable; they just blend together and evoke a very clean and simple yet warm and musky scent. It actually has iso e super, which is what gives it that salty, almost-sweaty, skin-like quality that makes it so subtle. But don't get it twisted: The performance and projection of this fragrance is shockingly incredible. I've been stopped on the street many times asking what I'm wearing when I've spritzed this on my neck or clothes.

• Key notes: Pear, jasmine, iso e super, ambrette
• My rating: 5/5

Glowing customer review: "A subtle skin scent that is what I imagine a paper mill or printing press warehouse would smell like. I suspect this smells a little different on everyone as it mixes with your own skin musk. Its sillage is soft enough to not overwhelm—I almost forget I'm wearing it. However, it clearly lingers since I've received compliments and inquiries on what fragrance I'm wearing. If you would enjoy an understated fragrance that inspires you to cozy up on a leather couch and read a weathered library book, An0ther 13 might be up your alley."

You can't roundup the best perfumes without a mention of Le Labo's most famous fragrance, Santal 33. At this point, it's the quintessential woodsy scent that's been duped time and time again, but the original will forever one of my favorites. Yes, it's chock-full of sandalwood and cedar for that fresh chopped wood scent (some even say it smells like a just-sharpened pencil), but it's also blended with warm amber and spicy cardamom that help it smell a bit more perfume-y than legit wood to me.

Some might find Santal 33 "basic" or overworn. And yes, sure, I probably smell at least one person wearing this every single day in NYC. But (!) there's a reason people are obsessed with the scent: Because it smells damn good. (FYI tho: If you want a similar scent for a lil cheaper that isn't as well-known, try Maison Louis Marie Bois de Balincourt—it's one of my go-tos and people constantly say I smell like Santal 33, but a lil sweeter).

• Key notes: Sandalwood, cedar, leather, cardamom, amber, iris
• My rating: 5/5

Glowing customer review: "I'd take a bath in this scent if I could afford it. I hope I'm buried with a bottle when I die."

I'm all about a full-on aromatherapy moment with my perfume. Like, lemme spritz on some zen, okay?! Lavande 31 is a scent I'll definitely be keeping by my bedside to wear to sleep because it just smells like a chic, expensive spa. The lavender note is totally front and center, but it's balanced by bright citrus and warm and rich amber and tonka. It's super smooth and blended to perfection, which is exactly what makes it perfect for bedtime. I won't lie awake picking apart the fragrance; it simply smells fresh and light.

• Key notes: Lavender, neroli, bergamot, musk, tonka, amber
• My rating: 4/5

Glowing customer review: "Great new take on lavender. I wouldn’t say this is too feminine at all, which was a worry. I’m finding myself wanting a bottle!"

I go feral for fig notes in a perfume, so I'm not shocked that this spicy, black-tea fragrance is one of my top favorites from Le Labo. It's fresh and crisp, thanks to the bergamot and fig, but has a smooth, warm finish from musk and cedar. And ooooh, the tobacco note gives it a deep, smokier finish. I wear this when I wanna be wrapped up in a cozy cashmere blanket (or smell like I'm at the Edition—IYKYK).

• Key notes: Fig, bergamot, cedar, vetiver, musk, tobacco
• My rating: 4/5

Glowing customer review: "There really aren't enough stars to show how much I love Le Labo products, especially the Noir 29 scent. I fell in love with the scent after I stayed at the London EDITION. Marriott|EDITION Hotels commissioned Le Labo to create a signature scent for their hotels. The scent became so popular, Le Labo created Noir 29 for consumer use. Every time I wear the scent, I get compliments and I find that I'm randomly smelling my wrists. It's subtle but distinctive. A little goes a long way with the EDP. I highly recommend!"

Everyone loved the fig/tea vibes of Thé Noir so much that Le Labo developed Thé Matcha, a fig/matcha fragrance. But to me, it's kind of like if every single Le Labo perfume got together and had a baby. It's earthy and woody, yet green and citrus, but also warm and cozy. It's a gourmand, but not in a sickly sweet way. Instead, it veers more toasted and creamy.

To me, it's a skin scent, meaning it sits really close to your skin and just mimics your body's natural chemistry. So if you want something with major sillage, this prob won't be your favorite. But I love catching little whiffs of myself throughout the day when I'm wearing this.

• Key notes: Fig, matcha tea, cedar, vetiver, bitter orange
• My rating: 4/5

Glowing customer review: "Matcha is so unique and it smells gorgeous. It’s earthy and zen. Works great with my body chemistry. Five stars!"

If 1989 (Taylor's Version, ofc) was a perfume, it would be Neroli 36. It's wearing a sweater and denim shorts to the beach to sit in the sand and drink canned wine and eat cheese and crackers, idk! The aldehydes note gives it a fresh-linens vibe, yet all of the bright citrus from orange blossom and mandarin orange. If typical coconut-y, sunscreen-esque summer scents feel a bit too forced for you, def smell this one, which has all of the beachy white florals, but instead pairs it with musk for some creaminess.

• Key notes: Orange blossom, aldehydes, mandarin orange, jasmine, vanilla, tonka bean
• My rating: 4/5

Glowing customer review: "Such a lovely scent. When first applied, the aroma smells like a floral, clean scent. As the day wears on, the scent changes and warms up and moves into a more fruity scent. Really enjoying this fragrance."

Listen, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not super into rose perfumes. They tend to smell powdery and mature IMO. That said, I'll always make an exception for Rose 31 because it's so light and not at all cloying or heavy. It's so traditionally feminine and elegant, to the point that I could see myself wearing it on my wedding day (a decision more daunting than the person I'm marrying, tbh). Legit the only downside to the airy, lightweight quality of Rose 31 is that it only lasts a few hours on me—womp—so I always carry a lil travel size to reapply throughout the day.

• Key notes: Rose absolute, cumin, vetiver, musks, cedar, amber, guaiac wood
• My rating: 3/5

Glowing customer review: "This is such a lovely scent—great for any season. It is much more masculine than your typical rose scent. I would typically not be drawn to rose, but received as a sample and fell in love. If you like the more subtle notes of Jo Malone (not too perfume-y) but with more staying power, you will like this!"

If you like a strong, heavy floral that smells like it's practically blooming as you wear it, sniff Lys 41. It's filled with classic floral notes (jasmine, tuberose, and lily), but is grounded by musk and vanilla so it has a very mature, elegant vibe. It's a bit too heady for my tastes when worn on its own, so I prefer punching up the sweet notes by pairing it with a strong vanilla perfume like Kayali Vanilla 28 (this is actually a v common layering perfume with Lys 41, FYI!) to make it a bit more grounded and smooth. But I won't deny, she's a beast—of all the Le Labo perfumes I've tried, this is definitely the most long lasting.

• Key notes: Lily, tuberose, jasmine, musk, vanilla
• My rating: 2.5/5, but 4/5 mixed with vanilla

Glowing customer review: "I love this scent but felt like the vanilla/woods notes listed weren't coming through much at all. I started layering it with Kayali Vanilla 28 and WOW it's incredible. Such beautiful white florals here. The boost of vanilla just adds a yummy base and grounds those flowers a bit."

Patchouli can be very overpowering in perfumes, but when it's done right, it can make a scent feel earthy, warm, and deep. And that's the exact vibe of Patchouli 24 from Le Labo. To me, this smells quintessentially like a campfire. I can't necessarily pick out the patchouli note, but it overall just smells like woods, smoke, leather, and rain—basically, my dream. It's a bit too strong for me to wear all the time, but I've been known to spritz it on the men around me from time to time when I want them to smell like a sexy lumberjack.

• Key notes: Leather, patchouli, birch, tar, vanilla
• My rating: 3/5 on me, but 5/5 on my date

Glowing customer review: "If you're searching for an intense smoke bomb fragrance, this is it. This is definitely not an in-your-face herbal patchouli. This is much more toward the smoky, peaty, boozy side of things. This has been a signature fragrance for years and always garners compliments. This is heavy on the birch tar, which may not be for everyone, the initial blast is an intense smoky rubbery scent that cools down after a while into a slightly sweet bon fire kind of smell. One of my favorites and great for cold weather, in the summer I could see this being kind of BBQ-ish, but I still go for it."

Bergamote 22 smells like if you mixed a designer perfume with one of those all-natural cleaning sprays... but like, in the best way? It smells like my most productive Sunday: Clean kitchen, fresh sheets, podcast going in the background. The citrus notes are a bit more medicinal and sharp than a usual bright, bursting fruity note, which gives it that cleaning-supplies vibe that some might find a bit strong (meaning you might wanna grab a sample of this before buying it blind if you're unsure). But I actually love it—the vetiver addition makes it a bit spicier and smoother.

• Key notes: Bergamot, vetiver, grapefruit, orange blossom, vanilla, amber
• My rating: 3/5

Glowing customer review: "I ordered this without first smelling it—which is a risk. This now one of my all time favorite fragrances, It is seductive while at the same time very clean smelling. I have not loved a scent this much in YEARS, Quality product. I also have the body lotion to layer the scent."