Ambrette 9

Ambrette 9 is a beautiful, sweet embrace of apple, pear, and the comforting musk of ambrette seeds. This simple combination was formulated with babies in mind, as it was originally made for mothers to share with their children. My colleagues at Le Labo told me about this French custom and I thought the notes were fitting. This is one of my favorite fragrances because I find it so nostalgic. A friend told me it reminds her of her motherland, another told me it smells like a hug from her favorite aunt. Ambrette 9 reminds me of childhood - playing tag with your friends on a warm spring day and mom brings out a fruit bowl for you and your friends to share. The pleasant sweetness of the fruit mixes well with the light layer of perspiration on your skin. Ambrette 9 is a cherished memory in a bottle. On my skin, this fragrance develops into a soft, buttery sweetness. When I sweat, the sweetness turns into a slightly soapy, inoffensive musk. There is a slight coolness to it when first applied, then the ambrette warms up to you and makes her appearance. I wish this embrace lasted longer on skin, but it does well with a fragrance enhancer (Molecules 1 and 2 are a godsend). If you can find it, the perfume oil is stronger and mixes well with scent-free body creams. This fragrance is expensive and not strong enough to justify its price point, but I still think it's worth a try if you enjoy skin scents.

honestly this is what a skin scent concept such as Glossier You could have been with a good decent execution. Musk, musk, and musk, which also means that it does lingers for a really long time. For those who have problems with longevity and projection, it could be because either you are anosmic to a certain type of musks or you just didn’t apply the perfume correctly. I’m not a trained perfumer but based on my experience this smells pretty much like Ambrettolide which isn’t really the type of odour profile that I love, it leans heavily towards the feminine side and always reminds me of how a girl next door would smell with a lingering trail made of all the shampoo, skincare, makeup, body lotion etc. that she uses. Not for me, but I’m pretty sure it appeals to a majority of the population out there who are into this profile Those fruity notes in the opening are pretty much counterproductive here as it looks like most people judged the fleeting opening for what the perfume actually smells like.

On me this ends up as a super soft milky Anise scent with the slightest touch of sparkly citrus. Clean and simple, but super comforting at the same time. It definitely draws people closer. There are moments when it reminds me of Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey, and a super soft and creamier La Chasse Aux Papillons, oddly enough. I can also understand the sweaty milky baby, or yoga girls fresh out of the shower, as other reviewers compared it to, but there's just something about the milky Anisic dry down that puts this "dainty" scent as the Le Labo salesman called it, on my love and Christmas present list, and makes me almost forget that I originally balked at the price. I also love that it achieves this level of softness, while still having a distinct smell and doesn't veer into the land of powder.

I feel sorry for those unable to smell this fragrance or whose skin chemistry doesn’t work with it, because this is one of the most beautiful, addictive perfumes. The notes are pretty linear and unchanging. I wouldn’t say there are specific top, mid, or base notes per se: there’s an opening that develops in intensity but whose notes don’t change. Contrary to what some other people have said, I can smell it on myself for around 6 hours. This perfume stays very close to the skin and its notes are fairly clear to discern: it’s a beautiful symphony of musky ambrette, aldehydes, a background hint of cotton flower, all led by a predominant accord of the most heavenly pears and apples. Truly breathtaking if you are lucky enough to be able to attune to it.

When I was riding the train I kept thinking the 2 ladies (in yoga outfits) next to me smell soooo good (in a natural way). When I exited the train, 45 minutes later, I continued to smell it and realized it was me. This smells like a great-smelling female (lotioned up/hairspray/makeup/etc) who just got done working out at the gym. So in other words . . . this has a sweet natural musky smell. If you want to smell good in a natural way, this is for you. I'd imagine one would make a great impression wearing this in close/intimate situations. And this doesn't smell like Byredo's Mojave Ghost but I totally see the comparison. They perform the same way. Both are subtly loud. They're both that quiet girl/guy who everyone admires when they walk into a room.

I love this scent, because it's so strange on me. First it opens on an odd banana note, slightly sour and not so appealing, but you won't get it until your nose is against the arm. Then it develops into this bright musky slightly fruity (though I cant discern exactly, maybe pear) skin scent that peaks at a very slight aura around 2 hours in then drops back to an intimate skin scent. But as a skin scent it last and lasts and lasts on me. It's delightful, but definitely not worth full price. I picked up a half used 50ml for $60 (originally ~$200 full) and I'm happy with that. When it runs out I will probably not replace it, but it is very fun for now. Wear it whenever during the day, but I feel it lacks the intensity I want during the night.

I don't know. I bought a 5ml decant and sprayed 2 sprays on every pulse point and collarbones and it wafted in and out of existence. It's very VERY similar to clean reserves clean, which I'm comparing currently, I feel like if you have one you don't need the other. Considering the price point of amberette 9, I'd recommend clean reserve, maybe even sparkling sugar or radiant nectar. I'm going to keep trying it but it's so weak and so freaking similar to the clean reserves, I could not justify the price. You can get clean and radiant nectar cheap on fragrance.net. Love the scent, cannot justify the price

Now this is a very penetrant scent, but I must disagree with anybody who says it disappears in five minutes. It is so concentrated it lasts easily 24 hours on my skin though it doesn't leave a trail. The pear and aldheydes are very present and constant, but overall it's my favourite Le Labo fragrance. Well blanded and original, I find it unisex maybe not for everyday on men but in particular moments of the day, to use when you know you are in close contact to other people. It's not gourmand but leans to the sweet side. Very comforting and full-bodied, give it a try!

I got a tester of this recently - and it's how I imagine springtime in paradise smells. It opens with a delicious cloud of fresh pears, apples and meyer lemons, and then a soft mellow musk pokes through as it starts to settle. It sits pretty close to the skin, and while I didn't expect great longevity because of how delicate the scent was, the drydown lasted fairly long (~6hrs). It's an "off-dry" sort of scent, sweet-ish but not gourmand-sweet. Definitely want the FB soon so I can spray away before the spring is done. Gorgeous scent.

Ambrette 9: I love this fragrance. When it first hits my skin, it smells musky and nutty. This is my favorite part, but it’s short-lived. Then it kind of disappears for a while until it re-emerges as something fruity and musky. It’s fruity in a very unique way, like mixed fruits or a soft fruit punch. Then it starts to remind me a lot of Chanel N.18, however the latter has more of an exotic feel with spices and a little more heft. But for a light, fresh, your skin but better fragrance, Ambrette 9 is very nice.

Apple juice and digestive biscuits at first, then a sweet soft musk for the rest of the day. I don't know what ambrette smells like on it's own really, but I think I love it. This has a natural smelling musk that isn't like anything else. When I used to be a nanny the kids would hug me and say "you smell like you". You're not really getting perfume here. It reminds me a little bit of winter fruit that got warm in a patch of sun on the kitchen counter. I love it and will buy it until I'm dead.

I absolutely love this fragrance. I see so many complaints of longevity and projection but even though I disagree, I think that was the goal when making this MASTERPIECE. It's so intimate, soft & subtle but still projects for those up close & personal. Leaves you feeling calm & relaxed & I swear this has to be the loveliest ambrette frag I've ever smelled. It's so warm & fluffy with subtle hints of clean cotton sheets just washed with baby detergent. I LOVE IT!

Perfect perfume for sensitive people! It was my entry into the fragrance world, and it will be forever in my heart. I like to apply it before bed because it feels like a hug. Yes it does not project, but that’s the point. People who come close will still smell it on you! I got a few compliments from my colleagues. I believe this smell is impossible to hate. It smells of comfort and care. Ideal choice for small spaces.

Ok so when I first sprayed this almost 2 years ago, I hated it. It was bitter and the scent was just weird and not a comforting scent at all like I thought it would be. But I sprayed it again today, and I love it. It's honestly like nothing else I've smelled, and I have an extensive collection. Let this one settle on your skin before you judge it. Perfect everyday LOW KEY scent that will just make you smell good :)

Thankfully, this works wonderfully on my skin. It's a pleasant, musky skin scent, with distant flowers and an almost nostalgic warmth...a memory of a summer evening wandering through the woods. I'll often put my work shirt on the next day and wonder what that beautiful smell is...only to be reminded that it's Ambrette 9...and how grateful I am to know it, and to have it in my collection.

I love how it's musky but in a natural way, similar to sweet saliva or salty skin. This gives the fragrance richness while the effervescent quality from the lemon and fruits makes it also fresh and comforting. It is a beautiful creation. The second time I tried it I actually changed my rating from Like to Love! PS. The fruits are not listed but I detect pear and cassis.

One of the best ambrette fragrances I've ever tried. It's soft, cozy, and so comforting to wear. Can barely detect any fruity notes on my skin, but nutty and musky scent is very prevalent and so pleasant. Just wish it lasted longer, it lasts about 2 hrs on skin and 3 hrs on clothes. It's not so powdery but creamy on me and that's what I love about it.

Just ordered a bottle. Absolutely love it. It's very clean ethereal and airy to me. It sticks to my skin in warm weather and I can still smell it on my skin the next morning. Skin chemistry is a thing. When I first tested it on tester paper i could smell nothing but the next morning it was sensational. Probably my best buy of 2025.

Another Le Labo and no surprise, a lot of people cannot smell much. For those fortunate enough to smell this, it is pure heaven. A crystal almost cold intensive pear, cloaks you in a fun playful yet serious aura. Layers fantastically with Oud 27. Oh and get the oil, it's cheaper and better.

This is really pretty. Soft, fruity, musky, clean. It’s a strange one, though, as the scent comes and goes but it’s definitely there. Don’t give up on her! Make sure you notice how she lingers on your clothes and skin until the next day. A skin scent but long-lasting.

Chilled canned pears. Ice cold vodka. Wet hair. Starched linens on a hanger. Wood floors. Wool blankets. An athlete leaving a swimming pool, breathing heavily after so many laps but there is no sweat. Just the smell of chlorine on warm skin. Perfect.

All I get from this is straight up tequila. Maybe if tequila had a VERY tiny bit of fruit in it. After a while, it dries down to something a little more tolerable but the tequila note is still there for me. Just reminds me of a bar

Sampled on skin at Le Labo in Nordstrom. I thought it was absolutely delightful. Slightly sexy, musky, fruity but not too sweet. Sounds like I am in the minority! I will be looking out for your gently used bottles on eBay...

This might be my top 5 favorite scent of all times. IF you can smell this, it is AMAZING, very light, just beautiful. My sister can't smell it at all even when I stick my wrist in her face. Poor sis, she's missing out!

I LOVE this fragrance. It is homey and cozy- like cuddling in a warm blanket. It smells like what a hug from your mother would be like. Sadly it has zero longevity and sillage.

I still love this one so much! It’s not as light as you think! At times it’s actually quite strong—nice little scent bubble. Such a pretty, clean scent. Very feminine. 🤍

Scent ninja. It come and goes, but in a good way. Good for the office/ casual. It wont piss people off. You only need one spry because it fades and then comes back.

The prequel to Another 13!!! Another 13 has this ambroxan + Ambergris smell, and Ambrette 9 is fully in 13's ambrette part. Both of them are outstanding.

Does anyone know of a true dupe for this? So much softer than Another 13, and for some reason, lasts very well on my skin. Intimate but lovely

I love this fragrance so much, but I think saying it lasts ten minutes is stretching it. It evaporates in 10 seconds? I don’t understand?

beautiful, simple, safe... i feel safe? i think it makes me smell like my mom. ow. dries down to a soft clean peppery laundry.

Inoffensive, mild, and fresh. This fragrance is easy to wear and perfect for work/professional settings.

I completely agree with airsigns review. It's a beautiful scent just wish it lasted longer.

a beautiful scent, like a banana milkshake. I have no problem with lasting

Love this scent. I don’t want it loud, but wish it had a tad more sillage

Most realistic pear i've smelled. Niche fragrance extravaganza.

Smell like banana milk smoothie.

UPDATE: April 2020, Bought a second bottle. Ended up reaching for this so much more than I initially thought I would when I made my initial purchase. Now, full disclosure, I do combine it often with other fragrances just to give it another facet. But I love this fragrance on its own. I love how gentle, clean and simple it is. (Most of the time.) I spray it on my clothes because I find it lasts there longer than on my skin alone. May 2019, just bought my bottle. Something about it reminds me of a discontinued Jo Malone fragrance: Sweet Milk. It was part of their limited edition Tea collection. Ambrette does not knock my socks off, but it does interest me. It doesn’t have the level of projection I would like, but I guess that’s because this was intended to be an intimate, skin scent. I wear perfume to bed and this one helps me to create a lovely, lush atmosphere to fall asleep. As far as longevity, it plays with you. Like hide and seek. Sometimes you smell it, sometimes you don’t. Just when I think it has expired on me, I’ll make a turn and a light breeze will catch my clothing and I can smell it all over again. If you’re looking for something soft and lush for all year ‘round wear, this could be for you. I don’t think Ambrette is better suited to a particular age group. I don’t consider it a high end or formal fragrance. I am wearing it to bed tonight, might wear it around the house with nobody around tomorrow. Nice fragrance to go shopping in or just hanging out. Also good for business and occupations where you need to get very close to someone, like a hairstylist, or dental technician. It is pricey, but what good stuff isn’t these days.

I was excited for this. I'm a huge fan of blushed, chic, little, pretty musk fragrances like this. The warm, clean cotton-like effect of musk mallow is right up my street and I tried this on a day I purchased Mugler Over the musk. Not to mention a great perfumer at the helm this one was set to knock it out of the park. Frankly I feel like one of those Millionaire twats on Dragon's den looking at a potentially attractive business proposition but as the pitch from the nervy entrepreneur wears on the whole thing starts to fall apart! then when we get to the figures??? Wow! It really becomes un-investable. I couldn't smell it on the strip really...at all...like Iso E Super it was barely there but I got a light musky, fruity sweet smell....but I had to strain to get anything! On skin it opens up but isn't quite like the poofy, warmth I'd envisaged, more clinical and modern, synthetic feeling. Now it would be interesting to see if there's real musk mallow in this having made that statement? It's very nice, sits close to the skin and the fact that it doesn't resemble what I expect from an ambrette fragrance or an accord made from ambrettolide, just works in it's favour, making me more likely to add it to the collection. Aside from one fact... The city exclusives are in excess of £360 in the UK. I mean...seriously Le Labo? I know hipsters often have a few quid and will splash for the sake of fashion and trends but even they'd think you were taking the piss a bit with this one.

I really like this skin scent perfume, but I can understand how difficult this one would be to smell, especially in a department store or when sampling so many scents. You really need freshly washed skin with no other competing scents to get the full effect of this one. At first, there's a strong smell of alcohol as it dries. But in the heart, there is a beautiful light fruitiness (perhaps pear) to this - it's almost like drinking a fruity sparkling water, a fizzy and effervescent experience. In the dry down there's the milky and powdery musk of ambrette, it smells like you had worn a strong perfume the night before and you wake up the next morning in cotton pajamas with the smallest amount of Iso E Super left on your sleep soaked skin. The dry down does remind me of Byredo's Mojave Ghost, another ambrette perfume that's recognizable. The sales associate at Le Labo told me that this one was created to be a mothers and babies scent similar to the idea behind Bvlgari's Petits et Mamans perfume, something inoffensive to smell that wouldn't offend any sensitive noses when holding a child close and that mimics the smell of a newborn. My little sister who's still in elementary school really likes this one on my skin, she thinks it smells cozy and pretty and loves to hug me when I wear it so I can really see the appeal of this to a mother or a future mother. It sits very close to the skin and lasts around 4 hours for me.

Ambrette 9 is a simple, subtle musky scent with sweet floral-fruity nuances. Ambrette is one of the most universally appealing amber notes in my opinion - it is soft, sweet and musky instead of being overly animalic or - the worst case scenario in my book - a synthetic cloud. A9 is soft and deeply comforting - it makes perfect sense that it was created with mothers and babies in mind, according to @airsigns below. It is restorative and cosy in the manner of Petit Guerlain, for example. A9 is ambrette-dominant from initial spray, softly musky and complemented by sweet, fruity notes, more candied than resembling fresh fruit. There is a slight soapiness thanks to the aldehydes, providing subtle brightness that balances the light musk nicely. There is a floral undertone too, sweet and powdery. It fades pretty quickly, becoming a sweet, musky skin scent. It is pretty much a skin scent throughout regardless - sillage is intimate and longevity is weak - gone within two hours. While the performance is disappointing considering the price, A9 is smooth and comforting while it lasts, evocative of childhood memories. Feminine-leaning in my opinion, A9 is a year-round day/bedtime scent. An olfactory hug, but overpriced. 3/5.

A ghost of a perfume, maybe, but Ambrette 9 has such a beautiful run while it lasts. It opens like pear nectar misted through a muslin cloth. Gentle, barely sweet, almost translucent. You get that ambrette (musk mallow) as a botanical musk, soft and round like skin warmed just enough. Fruity but not in the way fruit usually behaves in fragrance. No jam, no syrup, no pulp. Just that glistening moment between bite and breath, where things taste clearer than they smell. Like pastel fruit all chewy and dewy, skinless, rindless. Underneath, a touch of citrus sparkle and that elusive pear again, this time more abstract, more suggestion than fruit. You think of white fabrics. Of organic shampoo. Of that faint scent your sweater picks up after a full day in and out of boutiques. Musky, silky, sheer, slightly lactonic (but never creamy), as if the whole formula was dialed to low-res to blur the edges. Then, poof. It’s gone. Vanishes like it never wanted to be here in the first place. Ambrette 9 really doesn't project or last. It’s intimacy in vapor form. Like someone’s breath on your collarbone. You lean in closer, and it’s already fading. A whisper of a scent. Frustrating, but god it’s a good whisper.

Potentially one of the least popular Le Labo scents– I remember handfuls of samples being practically pawned off to me if I lingered at the Barney's (RIP) Le Labo counter for so much as a minute. And it kind of makes sense; Ambrette 9 lacks the high performance and trademark grit of most other Le Lebo scents, so why bother dropping $200 for a mere 50ml of something that's already at the base of every other designer fragrance? Despite all that, I quite like how understated it is, being one of the most true and non-fussy skin musk scents I've come across yet. No metallic tinge, no animalic funk, no synthetic off-quality molecular compound trickery, no "skin, but make it floral/vanilla" twist. It's simply an intimate, lived-in musk, freshened up with somewhat ambiguous pear and citrus, and I enjoy all of these things in perfumery at large. In this economy though... it's a tough sell for me.

The review below me “ Just that glistening moment between bite and breath, where things taste clearer than they smell” is the opening of this perfume for me on skin 100%, spot on. It smells like a red apple to me, you’ve taken a bite after taking it out of the refrigerator and are going in for a second bite, you smell this before your teeth touch the skin of fruit. And a little bit of fresh pear. So luscious and crisp, no piercing tartness from green apples or very sour fruits, perfectly exuberant. After an hour the fresh fruits profile meshes with ambrette, musk and amber, creating a scent similar to Another 13 just fruitier. This is my second wear test; I’m in love with the opening, and I wish it stayed that way for longer.

Love this so much! Just got myself a FB after two samples. Yes I do wish the longevity was better, just sad I can’t smell it all day everyday. But it does not disappear. It’s there but very subtle. I accidentally like that I have found a perfume I do not have to worry I’ll overspray. Will not offend anyone, stays close to the skin. Alluring and comforting, just super soft and cozy. Do get a lot of warm pear, and I love it! This was my first encounter with niche and it was good for me to see how different perfume can be (do not have to be beasts where the goal is to smell as much as possible). There is something for everyone and as a “not a perfume person” this was exactly how I needed to start my perfume journey.

I go back-and-forth with this fragrance. Overall I think it is really beautiful. It is soft and sweet and has the perfect amount of fruit. It's like a soft pear or white grape. My issue with it is it takes forever to smell anything! When you first spray it you get an initial image of treats you use to give farm animals. Like those little pebbles. I don't know why they bothered putting that in there. Can I justify paying around $300 for a fragrance I cannot smell until I forget it's on? Maybe I should try using it as a fragrance enhancement project because I can see that working. I am such a big fan of Le Labo that I can figure out a way to make it work.

The thing I find super annoying with the Le Labo line is that I know I like a lot of them, but they are so forgettable and therefore I have a hard time pinpointing the bigger details of each including this one. I remember this one caught my attention more than the others I tried like the Santal 33, Tonka 25, Neroli 36 etc, so I guess that has to be worth something. I think this was a little sweeter and more feminine than the others or perhaps it was more approachable as it's musk forward with airy fruit? but in all honesty I couldn't say much else about it beyond that.

Do you remember a movie called Gone in 60 seconds? Well this is it's spiritual sequel - Gone in 30 seconds. I get some woodyness and maybe the slightest sliver of lemon in the beginning, it actually smells like the cardboard box that it came in. Just moments later, it is barely a skin scent at all. £125.00 for 50ml? No thanks, would not pay any sort of money for a practically non-existent scent. Le Labo, what are you doing?

Another extremely light scent, very close to skin fragrance. Yes it’s fragrant enough to be called perfume. Just that it needs getting used to to be appreciated. Nice light fruity musk came after the alcohol overdose of an opening. The woody slightly spicy musk that followed was good too. All in all if you appreciate light close to skin scent, don’t overlook this beauty, just overlook the price tag.

Smells like whiskey or brandy to me. Disappears after five seconds unfortunately, but leaves a nice, albeit nearly undetectable, smell behind. I'd probably like this a lot more if it was stronger, but it's hard to tell. For the price that Le Labo perfumes go for, I'm surprised they're selling something that is widely considered to be so weak. 4/5 for the smell and 0/5 for the longevity