Book

This has been bothering me for a while and I'm excited that I've experimented enough with this fragrance that I can finally say it: That is NOT dill pickle you are smelling. That is eucalyptus. Gorgeous, startlingly photorealistic eucalyptus. However, doesn't smell much like books to me. What I get instead, after an introductory flash of watery green, is a dry, gentle eucalyptus. Not sinus-clearing, like eucalyptus oil, but more like cracking open one of those stiff, waxy leaves and inhaling. The scent memory this evokes is intense: reaching up to the leaves trailing over the sidewalk, the patch of stringybarks by the lake, all the bark and leaves scattered by the path. Those leaves you secreted away in an old book, to crack open when you want to remember the land you left behind... It helps that the wood notes here -- cedar, cypress -- bulk out and accentuate that eucalyptus note. The effect is of the whole damn tree: the leaves, the wood, the dry air around it. It's impressive stuff, but maybe they should've just called it Eucalyptus Tree. After a bit, the perfume dies down to a trail of musk and sandalwood, which you then realize has been bolstering the heart notes the whole time. Performance is only okay, though. Sillage dies down to intimate quicker than I'd like, and the whole thing could be said to last 4-6 hours.

I think that pickle note is weather/skin ph level dependent. Used it on hot day and it was my homemade pickle in brine smell lingering in background (still liked it). Cooler weather opened up whole different story. Slightly smoky, woody scent. Freshly printed newspaper early morning that is still warm and has slight smoke smell, paper glue and birch sap used together for school projects in grade 4th. Not your regular mainstream cute perfume and not a safe buy. It is more like a memory in bottle, something that you would wear for yourself as a sensory experience. I find it slightly more masculine leaning yet very wearable for a woman unless your preference is strictly florals/gourmand. Unsure where people are getting old book scent because it lacks that slight musky, sweet vanilla undertone that comes from paper breakdown. To me, it is fresh print. Moderate longevity. Eucalipytus is very subtle and does great job balancing and blending scent.

I was so excited to find this at TJ Maxx for $30; as an avid reader and aspiring writer, I was intrigued. I always have a lot of trouble refusing to buy a Book, and this was no different. It’s DELISH. It smells like a book! And also reminds me of Burberry Beat, which I used to wear rather often before I started wearing almost exclusively unisex or feminine fragrances. This is an interesting return to a very classic and masculine aura, without any of the tiresome aquatic and “sporty” notes you find in all of the more jejune fragrances marketed toward men. And I am KVELLING over how great it looks on my vanity next to Pure, by Distillery General, which I layer it with often. It’s very similar packaging, and it SMELLS great with it too! Pure is a very rich floral fragrance and it complements the woods like an absolute dream and honey I am a-SNOOZIN’!

this is incredible. santal 33 but softer and greener. the woods, cypress and eucalyptus remind me of bushwalking in native forests, i think the inclusion of euc is genius. the bergamot is present but not too forward, which i like. it lends a little freshness and citrus to the fragrance without turning it into a citrus perfume. the musk makes this fragrance soft, when i feel santal 33 can be 'sharp' - though this may be due to pepper which Book doesn't have. after a few minutes, the amber, bergamot and eucalyptus come to the front. the amber is a lovely, warm, slightly honeyed surprise! i thought fragrances like this didn't suit me after santal 33, but this is amazing - softer and greener (the euc still blows my mind), while still having the iconic woodsy notes. will consider a full bottle!

On my skin, this opens with sweet sandalwood. Which is awesome. When it settles down a bit, I can really sense the cypress note, but is blended so good, that it doesn't bother me. Then the cedar comes in, but sandalwood stays the most dominant, it is definitely a king here. Even though I understand people to find it more masculine, I find it really beautiful on my skin. It has similar sandalwood note as Santal 33, but on me, it is not as sharp and aggressive. It kind of stays sweet and silky, which I love. While fresh, it is also musky and velvety, it's the perfect balance. Book- is more creamy and soft, while Book+ is maybe too sharp, this one is really Expressive, as it wants to be. Probably goes on my wishlist.

I got the sample and immediately fell in love with it. It is a gentle musky scent and stays soft on my skin throughout the day. It has more of a pillow-y touch rather than a paper-y bookish feel which I don't mind. It doesn't dry down as a muddy or an old scent. Instead, it feels like opening an untouched book which once belonged to someone who smelled like bergamot. It feels like a scent that is rubbed off on you by someone else. You want to catch it but slips right through you. It has a mellow escaping effect. It is not sharp and fast but rather slow in its flow. You can slightly smell the eucalyptus as you spray it one but it doesn't overwhelm. I will be definitely buying the full bottle.

Unlike many of the reviewers, I find Book to be bookish in that I interpret the cypress, rosewood, cedar, eucalyptus, etc. as rather inky in the composition as well as pulpy. It's cool and warm, distant and close, damp and dry. So, it acts like a book, affected by the weather, the room, the reader. It's not like a library or a bookstore. It's a bit of decay, slightly sour. Book needs layering and I do so with sweet vanillic ouds, often, such as Lattafa Raghba, and it feels like curling up with my favorite tome and burning a stick of my favorite incense.

i love it! so nostalgic and beautiful, evokes the scent of my loved one's skin after a day spent in the woods. it's crisp, clean, and intimate. smells straight up like chopped wood in a bonfire. i wouldn't say it smells like a book, but it does give scholarly, dark academia vibes, very roast-y, like the scent of a wise old professor in a room with a fireplace. when i wear it it makes me feel cozy and comforted. idk why all the reviews say they smell pickles, cuz i don't smell that at all. on me i just smell the woods!

I am so sorry to the pickle smellers out there because this scent is a GEM. I bought 3 consecutive bottles and just finished my third today after wearing this as my signature scent for years as well as my wedding scent after my husband introduced it to me. While I would like to branch out and try something new, this scent is so comforting to me and I feel sure I will repurchase again some day. Think later nights in the library cozy and warm while it rains outside. If this works with your skin chemistry it WORKS.

Strong eucalyptus and bergamot. It certainly is a very refreshing scent that never becomes cloying and stays mostly the same throughout its lifespan. It also sticks very well and I continually get whiffs of it throughout the day. It doesn't smell exactly like books, but upon smelling it I'm still reminded of books, if that makes sense. It's a fragrance that somehow captures the concept of a modern book with a black, textured paper cover and crisp pages. I don't get the dill pickle note at all, so YMMV.

I actually really like Book! It does not at all smell like an old book, which is one of my favorite smells... However, I also love the smell of dill, which this definitely smells strongly of especially on first spray. The dill does fade but it remains very herbal and green to me, which I don't normally enjoy but I find that the subtle woodiness definitely adds a richness and depth that I really love. Not sure how often I'll wear it as I'm typically a sweet-spicy girl, but I'm really pleased with it.

A beautiful sandalwood fragrance. Smells a lot like DS & Durga Debaser & Radio Bombay, and also like No.04 Bois de Balincourt from Maison Louis Marie, with some enjoyable citrus at the top. I may well buy a FB of this. I love the warm, spicy scent and the notion of wearing a fragrance called Book. I got a Commodity sample set and have been sniffing my way through it and either liking or loving almost every one so far. They all seem to be great unisex offerings.

Beautiful beautiful book.dusty bookstore, polished floors age old bookshelves stuffed full of vintage books. You can smell the wood of the shelves, the musty ness of the books. It’s woody creamy aromatic at the same time. I can understand why some say they can smell dill pickles, I suspect from the eucalyptus and cypress. It does have santal 33 similarities, I have both but prefer book any day. I’m in love with this.

This is such a memory scent for me. The opening totally smells like the garden shop my mom used to take me to when I was a kid. Damp, woody, aromatic and a little vegetal. The dry down is a lovely smooth musk on my skin, with a hint of that greenish freshness still. Book doesn’t have much sillage but I don’t mind, I wear this scent for myself. It does, however, have some serious staying power.

I got a sample of this in a discovery set and chose this one to get a travel size. It has a great lasting power, and the longer it sits on my skin, the more vanilla I smell. It smells like you want to curl up and read a book. It's not yelling at you or distracting you from the pages, but it adds a friendly companion to your reading and encourages you to linger a little longer.

The opening of this smells like white, fresh, crisp book pages, but after about an hour it fades to something that smells like an comfy old bookstore with wood floors on my skin. I would describe this as a clean, unisex scent for those who are looking for something with no sweetness, or floral notes. This scent lasts 7-9 hours on my skin and has a medium sillage.

Rich deep woods with eucalyptus... very forest in twilight hoa hoa hoa- esque (in the best way possible) I'm loving what the eucalyptus is doing in this fragrance. This fragrance makes me feel like I'm hiking in a foggy forest and have stumbled upon a wooden cabin spa. This fragrance is chic, understated, and put together.

Love it. After it settles, it smells like an old-timey library with wooden bookcases and very old books, at least on my skin. It is lovely, but it does not project much. On the paper strip I used to test it, it smelled much fresher and it stayed that way. I could see it smelling more heavily of greens on a man.

It doesn't smell like a book, but it doesn't smell like a pickle lol. I do kind of get the cucumber vibe. I think it's pleasing. I wouldn't recommend dousing yourself in it because the cucumber smell can be overpowering. I do about 3 sprays. It stays about in my wingspan bubble. Fresh, woody, soothing.

A woody, creamy sandalwood, with some freshness still to it and a bit dusty all at the same time; much like a book! I felt it had similar notes to Le Labo's Santal 33 as others have mentioned, but a bit dustier. As a nerd, I find this scent very comforting. ❤

It reminds me of being in Paris when it's raining in the spring. The dry down to me, smells like the opening of Gris Charnel. Cozy, woody chai tea scent. I have the strongest dislike for Santal 33, this does not smell like it at all, worlds apart to my nose.

GORGEOUS Lovely gentle cedar + eucalyptus combo! It is fresh, humid, piny, clean, woody, gentle, beautiful. In portugal we have a lot of eucalypt groves that we call "eucalipal" and this just feels like taking a walk in an eucalipal after a soft rain.

Book is one of my favorite fragrances of all time. I absolutely adore this. This is what the pacific northwest in the United States smells like to me. It's woody, fresh, clean, and bright. I can wear this scent all year round, no matter the weather.

Book is a love for me. it's very cozy and comforting. thankfully i don't get anything "pickley" from it, just a beautiful, creamy, dusty, woody fragrance. it almost gives old basement library vibes but in a good way.

This is nice, clean, woodsy, fresh. Not sure where these pickle people are coming from. This is close, but long lasting. A great blind buy for me.

Alright I have santal 33 and this REALLY does smell like it. I’m not sure how long it lasts as it was a tester strip. But it’s very similar

Definetly Santal 33. I liked it enough to buy, and the 15% off coupon, $127.50 shipped compared to $335.00 for Santal.

i’m not gonna lie, the eucalyptus note in this one terrified me conceptually. i was so worried about trying this one, because the idea of smelling like a koala exhibit is not appealing at all to me. very very glad that this eucalyptus is not koala-like in the slightest 😌. i get what y’all are saying about pickles, but upon first spray, this smells more like cucumber. like fresh cucumber. for a bit, i almost got something peppery. pepper and cucumber, but strangely it wasn’t bad? i was really enjoying the greenness of the cucumber and that nice wood, pepper smell, but it definitely didn’t smell like a book at first. when this dries down, however, it is photorealistic old book. yellow pages, worn paperback on dusty shelves. vintage hole-in-the-wall bookstore, not barnes and noble. from there it kind of goes back and forth between that shower cucumber and book smell. honestly the thing it reminds me most of is the old spice avocado cucumber deodorant lmao. i liked this one a lot! it’s somehow green and fresh and musky and woodsy at the same time. like the other commodity fragrances, projection and longevity is small. the vibes: clean pilates girl in her 20s rediscovers her childhood bibliophile tendencies. pistachio green workout bodysuit, a sunny wooden window nook, and a favorite book clutched in eager hands.

This listing is the re-released Book, the one you can find on their website since relaunching (the Silver or "Expressive" version.) I imagine reviewers are going to be confused so long as the original Book (with the little "Co" symbol at the bottom) is still on Fragrantica, though listed in the "Discontinued Collection." Any discounted bottles found at resale stores or on Poshmark are probably the original version, not this one. I smelled the original Book on a professor friend of mine. It was a fragrance fit for its name: Strong, aromatic, woody, with a little bit of sweetness. Scholarly, a little musty, and refined. This re-released version maintains all of that, but leans a bit woodier and less aromatic than the original. The opening bergamot note is fantastic; crisp, and much stronger than the old formulation. Pairs well with Earl Grey tea and a crisp fall day. As many others have said, it is truly a Santal 33 dupe, down to the pickle scent some people notice in both. Medium sillage, long lasting. I prefer Sandara by Phlur for its added greenness and sweetness. I look forward to trying the new Personal and Bold versions of Book.

I get the dill smell but I'm honestly surprised I like this. Its so different from things I usually go for, and makes me think of walking around on a rainy night. For me it's a very fresh and unforgettable scent, and interestingly has a very green aspect to it (think fresh cut grass, but it doesn't smell like that lol I just can't think of a better way to describe). I think the eucalyptus is played up quite a bit on my skin. I can't picture alot of people liking this, but I'll definitely use it up at some point. + smells a little more spicy on my skin somehow, while - dries down to something a little more dusty woody with a splash of bergamot. I have to mention, I get scent is different for everyone but people posting complaining about "why doesn't this smell like a book", do you not research a perfume before you get it? Clearly you're on this site, and several people bring up it smells like dill, so why are you so upset when you get it and it smells like dill... it's unfortunate but just because a perfume is called something doesn't mean that's what it will actually smell like.

i get why people say it smells like pickle. To me this smells like a very dry dark wood. Nothing like Cedar or Agar, very dark, aromatic. It is a scent that has that eucalptus vibe and i feel it even dusty. This smells like a book yo left on the shelf and has accumulated dust over time, It smells like when yo take that type of book and open it to quickly and the dust gets in the air mixed with that classic paper smell. It doesn't smell like a new book it smells like a very old scrawny book. It also reminds me of those old cigars with a strong dusty scent of tobacco. In full honesty it might be something in beetween the two. To be fair i like the scent because it's very evocative although i do not know if your avg joe would enjoy this since this is not sweet, at all. It stays close to the skyn and is very masculine, and formal. I would not wear this to an informal occasione defenetly. Mark: 7.5/10

I recently purchased the exploration kit and Book "Expressive" is one of my favorites so far. I think this scent is very pleasant and wearable, and it's character feels like a spring morning. I was intrigued by the "Scent Space" concept, that allows one to choose the projection preference for each scent. However, I have noticed that overall, the collection seems a bit weaker than most EDPs. The projection and longevity seem low/average to me. I think one might be able to just apply more, or reapply more often, but this feature makes me hesitant to buy. I tried the "Bold" version and didn't really notice a big difference. I think I would have preferred the option to buy this fragrance as an extrait de parfum as opposed to all of the different projection levels. It's a nice scent, they should keep it simple.

This does somewhat remind me of going through the old books my grandparents used to store in the basement as a kid, also because it has a bit of a musty smell, so I associate it with old books. Maybe this is contradictory to what I just said but it also had a crispness to it, woody with fresh spicy notes. Other Commodity scents do not really make me think of what they are named after, like Paper or Milk, but this does, or maybe I just really wanted it to, who knows. It is a unisex fragrance, perfectly wearable, best for spring and autumn days in my opinion, and the longevity and sillage on this one is pretty good too. I wore it today and kept catching whiffs of it throughout the day, and even though it's not something I would normally wear, I did like it.

Really beautiful and warm woody aromatic. Heavy on the sandalwood and cedar, then dries to the most comforting and calming eucalyptus. It’s unisex, but leans the tiniest bit masculine. Tends to be on the pickly end of the sandalwood spectrum but not enough to make me dislike it. It’s like you’re a fairy who’s also a lumberjack in a vast, dry deciduous forest who leaves a trail of cedar shavings in her path. Comparatively, Book (-) is much less about the aromatics and more about the milky musks. But there’s something about the addition of eucalyptus to this that brings it to the next level. I like this one much better. 8/10

I think this fragrance should have been called Forest instead of Book. It's a fresh woody scent that smells like being outdoors. I didn't like it as much on the tester strip, the eucalyptus seemed to last forever there, but on the skin it's really very woody, maybe a bit too much cedar at first but that mellows thankfully. Unfortunately like the rest of the "expressive" scent space the longevity is pretty poor and it settles into a personal scent rather quickly. I still like it though, safe enough blind buy if you like dry woody fragrances.

At first spray I got a pleasant crisp wood note. It smells very much like a soft sandalwood and has a subtle sweetness to it and even a hint of fresh spice from the eucalyptus. Even though it is the expressive one I think it is quite intimate and people would need to get closer to smell you. It smells quite unisex perhaps leaning masculine. It really smells like a tree that was just cut down and turned into a fresh book. It is a pleasant scent that I would enjoy on others but I prefer sweeter scents myself.

I really enjoy Book, when I’m in the mood for it. It’s smooth, woody and creamy, with lots of clean freshness from the eucalyptus. The cedar and cypress are prominent initially, but over time the sandalwood and musk take centre stage. It’s a perfect, almost “damp” smelling autumn scent, also lovely in winter, but probably one I’d avoid in summer. I’d say it’s a true unisex also. On the whole I prefer Book- because it has more of a black tea note, but Book is a good staple for those less girly days.

I don’t know how to feel about this scent. The smell itself is amazing, it literally smells like I’m walking through a farmers market. It’s so nostalgic it evokes insanely strong memories of my hometown market. Then I read the reviews and realized what it was - the dill. Such a fresh, green scent and my favourite herb! So yes, I love this scent. But I would never wear it. I don’t really want to smell like a produce aisle, but I would love to smell it. Maybe on someone other than me?

To compare this to Book -, Book opens with the same cedar blast. I still get the hamster cage vibe only slightly less clean as Book -. Settles down into a lovely soft woody scent. There is a noticeable difference in how long this lasts on my skin and how much it projects compared to Book -. I wish I could get the projection of Book - with the staying power of Book. I find it lovely. It gives me a similar vibe as Santal 33 but without the leather and a much more subdued acidic smell.

I love this so much, a very sharp woody scent that is very much reminiscent of a fresh book. I bought this in helping my sadness of the discontinued whispers in the library. I am a little disappointed with the longevity and find myself having to put an oil under or reapply every few hours. I do use this as a layer with fleur de peau as my office scent and get complimented frequently on the pairing. Love the scent but the longevity and price makes it one I will not re purchase

This scent really reminds me of my childhood (I dont get the dill/pickle scent but thats not really something I usually pick up with Sandalwood fragrances). It smells like I left a book/magazine outside accidentally and it got rained on and I didn't realise until the morning. The bergamot adds a nice Spring/Summer feel to it. The longevity isn't the best and I don't think I would pick up a full sized bottle, but I will enjoy my little 15ml as long as it lasts.

Book [on a tester strip] is so pickly! Blech! It first reminded me of a generic, cheap sandalwood I smelled at TJ Maxx. However, hear me out... It is so much better on skin! You can detect all of the notes individually (cypress, eucalyptus and sandalwood) and that pickle note settles down. A soft woody scent with a tiny bit of camphor. It’s a beautiful, truly unisex fragrance - reminds me of the holidays. It’s a skin scent within a half an hour (to my nose).

I sprayed this for the first time maybe 10 mins ago, it’ll be interesting to see how the scent develops but at the moment it just straight up smells like Santal 33, not that that’s a bad thing, but I already have that in my collection. **UPDATE** 3 hours in, still smells very much like Santal 33, just softer, slightly musky. Maybe a good option although still expensive, for those who can’t splash out on the crazy Le Labo prices.

I was really looking forward to this one. It's called Book, so I expected a papery, crisp, slightly woody rendition. uh... where's the book? in my bath tub? because this smells like straight up soap. yes, confirming the eucalyptus is SUPER cucumbery to a point where I expect Commodity to add it as a base note. what else can I say? clean, refreshing, inoffensive, boring. nothing wrong with that, just gets lost as a collector.

This comes off the bench with a cucumber splash then eases into fresh cut cypress and deep rosewood. Have you ever walked around a lumber yard? THAT's the smell. I have both Le Labo's Santal 33 and Santal +Vetiver from Salt + Stone and Book absolutely belongs in that family - perfectly suited to be the middle child. The scent memory this captures for me: sitting in the stacks of the Central Library in DTLA, circa 1994.

It’s beautiful until you hear the dill pickle comments, then you cant unsmell it. I did find the intimate version to be a little less pickley and all round the best of the three, so maybe try that one if you love this fragrance but cant stand the dill. Although I like all the commodity fragrances, I do find they all feel unoriginal and like dupes for other popular fragrances (many of which at a similar price point).

right off the bat, you can smell the eucalyptus note and as it settles, the sandalwood takes over in a really subtle way. it’s not woody, it’s very fresh and stays fresh even when it settles, it’s not very strong and i think it would be a great intimate scent to wear. it’s like you just took a shower in the rain in the middle of a forest, it’s very calming.

The opening really does smell like a book - quire unique in a very pleasant way. Woody, creamy - leans more masculine and office friendly. Not the greatest projection, but lasts on my skin for a good time. Will look to add a full bottle to my collection if I can get it in the UK - currently only the 10ml samples seem to be available.

I'm taking back my harsh review"don't want to smell like a man", I think i was in a bad mood. This is actually a (natural woody, animalistic scent) smells quite alluring, and subtleness but strong. Reminds me of winter days in a lovely cardigan and aromatic candle burning and some jazz playing and just feeling zen. It's subtle power.

idk what kind of pickles y'all are eating, but this does not smell pickle-y to me at all lol. everyone's nose is different i guess! to me this is a really fresh, lively wood-and-citrus scent. more masculine-leaning imo, and somehow also a bit aquatic? it's a really nice scent but just a bit too masculine for me to wear personally.