Eucalyptus 20

Opens with a taser of photo-realistic eucalyptus that feels like being enveloped in a “eucalyptean” crash helmet. Sharp, bright and concentrated; as though eucalyptus were a fruit and this were the rind. Which is great - if (like me), you like eucalyptus. The immediate aftermath of the opening is a swift (30 seconds?), evaporation of the excitory notes as the fragrance wanders through the open door of a pony club tack room. Well worn saddles and bridles; accords that add up to dark, dark leather. There’s a hint of chocolate too, although, I should add that absolutely none of these notes are present in the list of accords. This tweener phase lasted around five minutes but I still couldn’t stop sniffing the back of my hand. I mean, where’s the eucalyptus? But this is where the rabbit is pulled from the hat. Those chocolate and leather notes combine into a walk through the shade of a stand of eucalyptus in a park. The camphor, resin, the (now, hints of), green leaves, the scent of bark crunching under your boots and the soil it sits in. The last act (now, next morning), is an echo of the opening but calmed the hell down into a gentle eucalyptus incense; at the same time sweet and astringent. I would put this in the same experiential category as Patchouli 24 and Vetiver 46. You have to want to smell very specifically of this frangrance as there’ll be no mistaking it for anything else all day. Personally, I love it.

I first fell for Le Labo through their body care line Hinoki, was the scent that had me returning to their shops like a moth to smoke-scented flame. When Eucalyptus 20 launched, it was love at first sniff. It’s got the same soul as Hinoki Meditation by d’Annam: stepping into a centuries-old Japanese temple, its dark wood steeped in incense and silence, surrounded by an ancient forest humming with time. And somehow, weirdly, it also smells like the colonial churches in Antigua Guatemala, where the air is heavy with sacred smoke: corozo, copal blanco, myrrh, alejandrina. I’m not religious, but this scent feels ceremonial, almost reverent—deeply meditative, like a quiet moment stretched out in scent. Le Labo somehow manages to make all this weight feel fresh—like morning air through a half-open shōji screen. It’s totally genderless, not something I’d call mass-appeal, but it’s a visceral, transportive experience. The projection is bold, the longevity impressive, and the emotions? Unmistakably personal.

When I first discovered Le Labo Hinoki line I fell in love with the scent to much, I used to bathe in it from head to toes: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand cream. I even emailed Le Labo team in early 2023 and begged for a perfume with this scent and got a cold reply encouraging me to try Baie 19 and Tonka 26 (which smells nothing like it). I then tried Comme Des Garçons Hinoki and Aesop, which smell similar to each other (and are beautiful) but way more harsh and pungent than Le Labo Hinoki. When this fragrance was released this year, I rushed to try it in the store and was a little disappointed upon the first try, it seemed too medicinal, sour, crisp. But when it settled into the skin and a couple of hours passed by it started giving the EXACT smell of Hinoki body products. Very comforting, creamy, woody. It stays on my skin the whole day, has a nice projection, I love it. If you love Hinoki body line it's a no brainer!

I ordrered a bach of the latest Le Labo samples, and this was the one I did not expect anything from, but ended up loving. Perhaps I was discouraged by the name, although Le Labo rarely smells anything like their name. This gives me something very nostalgic, and I find it authentic and natural. Whatever the ingredients, to me ir reminds me of being a child, working in stables and riding in the mountains. I get leather, herbs and hay and it is much better on my skin than on paper. Very slightly smoky, a hint of tobacco, dry, clean and warm. It smells like a living thing, could be a cat or a person who has spend its whole day sleeping in the herbs under the sun. It leans slightly masculine, but not so much that I can not pull it of.. I think.. Smelled divine on my husband. To me this is a scent that should be paired with skin.

Le Labo Eucalyptus 20 feels less like a "fresh eucalyptus" fragrance and more like stepping into a quiet yoga or meditation class. Instead of a sharp, cooling blast, the eucalyptus is softened. It's blended with gentle herbs and wrapped in warm woods and incense. There’s a calm, slightly resinous haze that lingers, like essential oils diffusing in a sunlit studio after a slow yin session. The cedar and musk keep it grounded, while the olibanum and labdanum add that subtle, almost spiritual warmth. It’s not energizing in the typical green or minty way. It’s introspective, soothing, and a little cocooning. If you’re expecting a bright, in-our-face eucalyptus, this might surprise you. But if you want something that captures stillness, softness, and that meditative headspace to wind down, this one really delivers.