Santal 33

Santal 33 by Le Labo I hate that everyone found out about this scent. Some things are not meant for the streets. This used to feel like a signature you had to earn. This is a true daily wear. Any season, any environment, any occasion. I wore it every day for three to four months straight and never questioned it. It just works. The opening comes in dry and slightly spicy with cardamom, backed by a soft leather edge. There is a crispness that keeps it from getting heavy. As it develops, the sandalwood and cedar take over, smooth, structured, and a little rugged. The violet adds a clean, almost papery lift that keeps everything balanced. The drydown is where it settles into its identity. Warm woods, soft musk, and a faint smoky sweetness that stays close but never disappears. Notes include sandalwood, cedarwood, cardamom, violet, iris, leather, and musk. It leans unisex, which ended up being its only downside for me. When my fiancée started staying over, she found my bottle and made it her routine to spray it every time she left. At first it was cool, then it wasn’t. Eventually I lost the desire to wear it. There is something off about smelling like your girl. That’s how one of my favorites got retired. While I’m throwing shade, she did the same thing to Bond Greenwich and Maison Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood. Hide your unisex scents. This is still a compliment magnet. It pulls reactions without trying. People notice it in passing and turn back, whether they mean to or not. Performance is strong. It projects early, then settles into a steady presence that lasts all day on skin and even longer on clothes. Grade: A+ Projection: A+ Longevity: A+ Compliments: A+ $: ~$300

Story time: Got a sample more or less a year ago, tried it on myself and on my wife. I liked it but she said it smells like potatoes and dill. Decided not to buy in the end as it's quite expensive and she wouldn't use it. Fast forward until 2 weeks ago. I'm getting off the train on my way to work and suddenly I smell something really nice. It's some random dude walking in front of me. Smells familiar but not sure what that is so I decide to follow him for a few minutes just to smell the air behind him instead of just asking what he's wearing. (Because that's what normal people do, right?). Finally, it comes back to me - it's santal 33. I switch off the stalker mode, head to the office, find an online 20% off deal in my local department store and order 100ml. It arrives 2 days later, I show it to my wife but I don't remind her about her opinion from a year ago. She uses it for work the next day, comes back excited, says she got complimented on it and it's her favorite fragrance now. Two of my work colleagues also tell me it's my best fragrance so far, even better than the crowd pleasing PDM Layton. But I did ask them to sniff my neck and tell me what they think 🙃 Funny thing is that wearing this fragrance puts me in a calm, nostalgic mood. Reminds me of having a Sunday dinner in the summer with my family when I was a kid...maybe there is something about that potato and dill note in the end... What's the moral of the story? Ignore the hype and ignore the haters, I guess. Trust your nose and just buy what you like :)

Okay I can see why Santal 33 is such a polarizing perfume. To be completely honest, this fragrance was so hyped that I felt like I needed to order a sample to see how it went, and I did. It was an instant scrubber for me. The dill + scrap metal combo from the start was so repulsive and revolting that I didn't give it enough time to shine.. The second use however, was heaven on earth! The opening was still harsh indeed, but somehow more bearable, no more scrap metal, just dill and something very dry and green...(papyrus I think ?) Santal 33 then developed into this slightly green floral-woody combo on my skin although the woodiness was amplified on clothes which got creamier and creamier throughout the day but still managed to retain the dryness and airiness from the beginning and that's when I knew I had to order a FB. Absolutely stunning! P/s: To all the ones who show prejudice towards Santal 33, if you hate this because of the smell then I totally get it, but if you do so due to the fact that it's so popular and a little hyped up then you're pathetic. I do agree that their offerings are a bit too pricey but the juice quality DOES justify the price tag, so far I've tried this one, Rose 31, Iris 39, The Noir 29 and they're all unique in their own terms ( although the performance on Rose 31 is a bit of a joke ). Also, don't judge people for their choices of scents, let's not make this community toxic folks! :-)

I am so sorry to see that so many of you pick up a smell like dill pickles! I can understand why that turns you off to the fragrance, and perhaps in some situations, if you are able to sit through it, you may discover how wonderful this fragrance is!! It could also be impacted by the weather, and skin chemistry, of course, but fortunately for me, I get nothing like what you've described. What I get is a gorgeous sandalwood that captures the creaminess of fine Mysore sandalwood. There is an element that smells somewhat fresh and minty underneath the dominate sandalwood, which takes this from strictly male territory into completely unisex. I think the combo of cardamom and perhaps papyrus gives off that accord. I do not get anything leather or animalic from this creation. The violet soon makes an appearance, obvious if you sniff closely, but adding a touch of floral sweetness from afar. I have trouble sussing out the other notes, which is fine with me, as it just makes this juice more cohesive. I just love it, though as far as trends go, I am very late to the party. To some influencers, it may be passed, but I am too old to care. I have a small, trial sized bottle Like everything else, the price of perfume has skyrocketed, and LeLabo is no exception. I would like to own a full bottle some day, but in the meantime, I think I am going to purchase a 9ml decant. Obviously, this isn't a safe blind buy!

One of the best niche fragrances ever. An absolute masterpiece from Frank Voelkl! Anyone who says Santal 33 smells like “Dill pickle” has snorted too much substance in their smeller. (haha kidding but not really) I get a fresh Cucumber smell within this fragrance but that is nowhere even close to the smell of a vinegary dill pickle. People are crazy. My breakdown Fresh cucumber with cardamom and a little hint of mint in the opening. Then the fragrance changes towards a strong cedar note with the mint lingering and the fresh cucumber dying down. Then the magic happens at about the 2-3 hour mark of wearing this perfume it turns into the most beautiful Cedar, iris, musk, and vanilla dry down. The vanilla just keeps the fragrance from being to sharp and it never really “shows itself” but my oh my the dry down is just to die for. A true masterpiece and it’s far more unheard of than the niche community would like you to believe. In my experience nobody who has asked me about my fragrance, has even heard of Santal 33 or Le Labo and I wore it everyday for nearly a year and received many, many compliments. I will never not love this fragrance I own so many fragrances now that it gets less wear time these days, but I’ll never forget the fragrance that started my niche journey and I very well could have ended with and that is Santal 33

I started with a sample maybe 6 months ago and something about this frag was really really really familiar but I could not for the life of me figure out what it was, so I huffed the pissant 1.5ml I'd ordered like glue. Then to my dismay, because it was an absolute necessity that my brain know what this smell is, decided to buy more. I ended up finding a decent deal on halfa 50ml, picked it up, got home, and chucked it in my wardrobe with the rest of my collection. Upon doing the latter something caught my eye, A pair of R.Ms (Chelsea boots) and in them sat cedar shoe trees... I Figured surely not, took a fat whiff of the bastards and yep... pretty much the same smell, leather, cedar and a hint of foot. Santal 33 has now firmly cemented itself into my rotation and quite frankly I just love sniffin it, foot and all. Also this shit is fucking nuclear, accidentally sprayed it on a jacket and I can honestly smell it on said jacket from ~30cm away 2 weeks later. That being said please don't buy this, I sure won't be buying more. I'm yet to look but I guarantee there is a plethora of fantastic dupes for a fraction of the price and if fragrantica review(er)s are to be trusted it sounds like Le Lamo have really strengthened my favourite note, foot.

Iconic, Unique and should I say...controversial? I ordered a decant of Santal 33 and Another 13 as I was eager to indulge into Le Labo fragrances. I immediately took to Another 13 as a strong favorite over S33, and for awhile thought S33 was indeed overrated. I decided to wear S33 more frequently around the holidays and received feedback every time I wore it. I decided to reevaluate what S33 is and what purpose it serves. I found that I had this idea that it would be a daily driver for me and it simply is not, and for that I take blame. This is a dressed up streetwear or my best pair of Tecova's and Flannel fragrance for me. I could also see myself wearing a suit and wear this, that is if I wore a suit often. Three to Five sprays and this will easily radiate 3 to 5 feet for about four hours. I've never gotten the dill vibe but I promise when you wear this, people will notice you, people will enjoy this and I can guarantee the 15-20% of men who wear fragrances, less than 1% have this. Sharp Sandalwood, Smooth Leather! It's popular for a reason, buy a decant and see if it's for you, I am extremely glad I did. Cheers!

Definitely planning on purchasing a full bottle somewhere in the future.... Thought you could only buy the expensive 3x10mL samples from Le Labo, but apparently, last time I found out it's around $10 AUD for 1.5mL. A beautiful woody and light fragrance, with a very smooth leather that isn't too animalic or intoxicating, I get a bit of an apple kind of note from 33. I don't understand people who say it's better for winter, I would think this is a more summery/spring fragrance, nonetheless, an incredible scent. On my skin, it lasted super long, sprayed around midday and lasted till midnight when I went to sleep. Didn't project very far (for me at least) and stayed very close to the skin for me where people could only smell if they came close, though it is a sample bottle, so obviously not as much juice is coming out of the atomiser. I understand all the "cucumber" comments but to me it smells more of like, thinly sliced cucumbers prepared to put over your eyes during a spa day. (not a nautica voyage kind of cucumber) What I'd imagine a performative man with a totebag and matcha latte would smell like hahaha

Santal 33 may be one of the most discussed perfumes of the modern niche era, but after finally spending real time wearing it, I understand exactly why it became iconic. It’s a little weird for sure, but I like it. What strikes me most is the dryness. Some woody fragrances lean creamy, sweet, or overtly “luxurious,” but Santal 33 feels beautifully restrained. Dry woods, worn leather, papyrus, violet, and soft sandalwood create something atmospheric. It smells like sun-warmed wood, old books, clean skin, and a perfectly broken-in leather jacket all at once. I wore it recently to a local coffee shop and overheard a couple asking my husband and our male friend who was wearing “such a lovely scent.” They assumed it belonged to one of them, which I think speaks to how effortlessly Santal 33 transcends gender. While it may lean slightly masculine to some noses, I find it completely balanced and easily wearable as a woman. To me, it’s as comforting as it is artistic. While it doesn’t scream for attention, it does still leave a distinct trail. Over-talked about? Perhaps. Brilliant? Absolutely.

The anti-hype fragrance. And by that I mean, the trend for Santal is to express how basic and ubiquitous it is, how your own delicate sensibilities are so refined that you wouldn't be caught DEAD *gasp* in a major city wearing the dreaded Santal 33! Well, I've got news for you, folks. We don't all live in New York or LA, and some of us have never smelled this magic anywhere before. And for those of us like myself, who ordered the $6 sample from Le Labo to see what all of the love and hate were about, this mesmerizing, sharp, and polarizing blend of (mostly) papyrus, violet leaf, cardamom, and cedar smells intoxicating. If you are looking for a sandalwood fragrance, this is not the one for you. But if you are looking for something loud, exotic, and piercing, and you DON'T live in New York or LA, get a sample and give it a shot. I can't promise you that you won't get hit with a huge animalic waft of deer piss or "dill" on the opening, but I also can't promise you that you won't love it for that very reason and end up buying a full bottle like I did.

Driving down Highway 1 near the Pacific Ocean, through redwood and eucalyptus trees, a dense fog carrying a woody, salty, electric sea air - a very distinct smell that anyone who has driven in northern California would know. That is all I can think of when wearing this perfume, and so for me it's a winner. Everyone's chemistry is different, so not everyone will like it. And who cares if it's trendy, or hated, or polarizing. It's sad to see people talking ignorantly and judging those who enjoy this perfume. I am anything but vapid or a follower of trends, I recently came across this brand by walking through a department store and nobody told me to try it, I just sampled all the Le Labo on my skin and kept coming back to this one. Not everyone will like this perfume, not everyone will smell the redwood trees and fog like I do, but for some of us I think Santal 33 is comforting and memory-inducing in a fantastic way.

This smelled really dilly at first but the drydown doesn't have any dill at all (to my nose). The dill smell wasn't totally unpleasant -- it mostly just had the effect of adding some freshness and greenness to the opening-- but I just can't ignore the association with pickles. After the dill goes away, this has a really lovely dry wood smell, which reminds me of the desert where I grew up. It smells totally different from other sandalwood fragrances I've smelled, kind of arid and fresh in an unexpected way. I'm not exaggerating when I say this smells like dry wood -- I have a decorative centerpiece that is made of a dry pine branch from the Sierras, and this smells EXACTLY like that branch with a bit of added sandalwood. There's a hint of wildfire smokiness and creaminess as well. It's really lovely, nostalgic, and unique, and I don't find it suitable for everyday wear but I do love to smell it when I'm at home.

For some reason I absolutely love this and it's kind of what got me into scents. I can kiiiiind of see where people are coming from when they say pickle, but I don't really get that. S33 has the most delicious dry down of anything I've ever smelt. Maybe it's just meant for the skin chemistry of a slightly overweight, mediterranean man, lol, I don't know. With that being said I have to disagree with a lot of the reports here that this is unisex, really cannot imagine a woman or more femme person pulling this one off. Super masc to me. The one thing I'll say is that on some days I get a really strong insecticide "walking through the garden section of Home Depot" type of note, and it's completely random and not there on some days - I cannot track it down whatsoever but for that reason I wouldn't say its a safe buy. That said I want a second bottle for the days where that doesn't happen.

I’m so glad I gave santal 33 another try. When I first tried it, I got that infamous dill pickle smell upon dry down. I couldn’t stand it and scrubbed my wrist in the nearest bathroom to get rid of it. Months later I received a sample of it in a package and gave it a second chance and wow, it’s so beautiful, creamy, and warm this time around. It pairs exceptionally well with the salt and stone santal and vetiver body wash and lotion and the santal edition of the neutrogena rain bath wash. I wonder if it was a body chemistry thing a few months back when I smelled pickles. I was on hormonal birth control at the time and recently came off it, trying this scent again while not on hormones and I wonder if that is the difference. It may be good to try it at different parts of your cycle as well.

This was definitely my gateway niche sniff! I was at a work event and had never cared what I smelled like and never noticed anyone else's fragrance. But a customer walked past me and I couldn't believe how good she smelled. It grabbed my nose and drug me to her to ask what it was. She told me and we stood there talking about it for an hour. Where to find it, and how they make it in front of you. I was amazed! I went the next day to the store and got a travel size because I couldn't believe the price. It started my niche journey and I now own over 100 fragrances, mostly niche and expensive. This is an intoxicating and addictive Sandalwood beast. It is not soft or elegant. It's sharp and stands out. It makes a statement and says "Im a confident woman who appreciates nature"!

Went with very low expectations because of the overly stupid hate and love at the same. Use it first to sleep, and for my suprise, i kinda like it. Use it the next day to work, and it impresses me even more. It is a very unique and different scent, not a wow factor for me, again, maybe because of the love and hate hype. But i have to admit that is really good. Creamy and spicy sandalwood. I dont get the dill pickle scent as some reviews said, and also It has very good longevity on me with easy 8 hours, despite the hate. I dont think i will get a full bottle, but may a bigger decant or a good dupe or inspiration. But just to be part of the conversation. I recommend sampling it first. Try it on a 3 ml decant.

I don't think this smells like pickles, but I think a lot of Amouage sandalwood scents do. Doesn't smell much of iris either. I just got through sampling la bunch of scents with iris, which is like that old lady pocketbook purse lipstick type smell. This is nothing like that at all. This is smooth palo santo woodsy sandalwood. I had Cremo Palo Santo for a few years before realizing it was a dupe of this. Got so many crazy compliments I never expected, people making their way through a crowd just to tell me I smell good. Dry down smells very similar but this definitely is of higher quality overall, as it should be for the price lol Can wear this year round any occasion def signature scent type

Santal 33 is THE fragrance. Overpriced yet layered and nuanced. I find Le Labo's collection outside of Santal 33 to be a ripoff and somewhat boring but can you really put a price on smelling amazing? I recall sitting in a dining hall at my university and someone literally yelling "Who smells so fucking good? Can I please have the name of what you're wearing". I came home after a few months away from home and my father smelled this on me and immediately purchased it. Santal 33 smells clean, sexy, professional, yet somehow still has an esoteric edge. Find a bottle of this, find it cheap, see if you can find one someone opened that they are selling on eBay for cheap, just find it.

I think we can all agree that this is a fragrance you either love.... or hate. At first wiff I wasn't sure of it. But upon wearing it regularly I feel it's become part of my DNA. I don't get dill pickle, but can appreciate that we all smell things differently. I can honestly say one of the most complimented perfumes I own is Santal 33. The imagery I get from this fragrance is old money. A dark and moody aesthetic, dusty home library, exotic taxidermy animals, large open crackling fire place, lingering tobacco smoke, whiskey dregs. Maybe slightly more subtle than all the above but still along those lines 😅 I'd rate 9.0/10

I love this juicy santal—although it does kind of leave me wanting more...sometimes I feel it’s too dry. But honestly I love this fragrance and maybe that tension is part of the allure. It is sophisticated and makes me feel clean and elevated (also because of the price and store experience!) I love Le Labo fragrances and want more. This scent has become a staple of mine and lingers nicely, I always feel like I smell good and have been told very “woodsy/sweet.” Reminds me of basil or dill too, so I understand the “pickle” smell but I think those people need to grow up lol and appreciate the beauty

clean, creamy woods. totally not what i expected lol. much more people pleasing than i thought but not in a bad way. i was expecting it to lean a bit more green, woody and masculine but honestly i really like how it smells. very clean and soft but not in a soapy way. i don’t get any leather? but i find it quite musky. i hate how popular this is because i actually quite like it lol. definitely somewhat overpriced but personally i think it’s really beautiful. also very unisex!! if i noticed this on anyone i would adore it. also i don’t get any dill or pickles wtf??

Smell - Parma Violets Candy Le Labo Santal 33? Darling, it’s not a fragrance — it’s an entrance. Everyone drones on about “leather” and “wood,” but what I smell is the powdered sophistication of Parma violets swept through an impossibly chic atelier. Violet candy for adults with severe bone structure. It’s cool, composed, and just eccentric enough to make people lean in and ask questions they can’t quite articulate. Like all great design, it refuses to pander. Santal 33 doesn’t scream for attention — it edits the room. Absolutely fabulous.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm still loving Santal 33, and get complimented on it regularly. It's woody, soft, and clean, with just the smallest touch of leather on me. It's definitely not a blind buy though, as it smells differently on each of my friends. I will always have a bottle of it in my collection. It layers beautifully by spraying the Santal 33 first, letting it sit 30 seconds, then adding a few sprays of Tom Ford's Taormina Orange over it. It gives the Santal a fresher, more summery and citrus note. Definitely give it a try!

A cult classic for a reason. I wasn’t sure about this the first few times I wore it but now my nose has come to really appreciate it. Smells like a dry wood sauna. I wear this when I’m in the mood to feel zen. It is kind of therapeutic. I actually prefer this over similar fragrances like LV lovers as that one is a bit watery smelling and lighter. Addicted to keep spraying this one multiple time a day. I have made it my go to scent the past few weeks I enjoy it so much. This is currently in my top 5 fragrances of all time. 9.5/10

Upon the initial spray, the first note that hits me is a unique pickly aroma, which is quite common in sandalwood fragrances. Alongside this, I can detect a subtle hint of spices, although the spices plays a minor role compared to the dominant sandalwood note. This sandalwood presence stays consistent throughout the wear. In terms of performance, I found that Santal 33 projected well from my skin during the first hour. After that, it transformed into a more personal scent, staying closer to my body until around the sixth hour.

Santal 33 has an almost peppery smell when it’s first applied. The scent is a bit more masculine while wet, but as it dries down it has a powdery, smooth, creamy smell that is truly unisex. This scent is like a walk in the city in the evening. It has warm tones that could be appreciated best during colder months, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for wearing it year round. The scent lasts a long time and by the end of the day, I can still faintly smell it. I find it intoxicating in the best way.

It’s a beautiful balanced woodsy perfume, it’s not resinous but can pull very sour at times. I really enjoy it and it’s a great morning fragrance. It has an elevated feeling to it, but I don’t get any iris or violet and personally that’s fine. It’s extortionately overpriced that said I don’t know of any direct dupe, closest for me is Santal vanilla by 7 virtues Longevity- 7/8 hours Projections- arms length Scent profile 8.5/10 Purchase- Yes but only a travel size

Ahh the infamous 33! This is the first fragrance I ever really fell in love with, despite being so controversial with just about everyone. Objectively, it’s a fresh, green sandalwood dancing around a sharp, leathery, paper note. Weirdly, I can sometimes get whiffs of freshly cut grass or even gasoline when I wear it.. (love a pickle but I don’t get that) Ultimately, it’s just a very expensive bit of comfort for me.

certified classic. i studied film in college but i refused to watch fight club because i don't like being told what to do. i refused to give santal33 a chance when it was first getting popular because i am ungovernable. i sprayed it on myself once and was immediately a changed woman. I wear this almost every day and it is my most complimented fragrance. It really just is that good. I also loved fight club.

My favorite of all of the times! even though I think it's too overpriced.. each year the price is less affordable... I love the longetivity of it, especially the light spicy scent left on the next day. I adore how fresh and captivating it feels in the spring and autumn days, when it's still fresh outside. When it get's warmer, I feel more the leather note than the sandalwood.

Opening smells like a grandma or some shit you smell in a church who uses incense way too much. However, if you wait an hour the violet smell is getting more addicting. Don't worry about the opening, you'll get used to it lol. I don't know what Dill Pickles smells like but I would say it's fucking weird at the start but I'm weird, that's why it's my signature perfume.

Very light, natural and inoffensive smelling. I don’t know where anyone is getting a pickle note at all, to me this smells like wood. A nice good piece of wood. You can tell some skilled craftsmanship went into it. It’s nothing like a generic designer fragrance, it’s pretty unique. I personally think this is an excellent fragrance and fits a specific image of wearer

Got a sample of this with another frag order. Figured I'd layer it with "Vanilla Skin"... WIFE WENT BONKERS FOR IT!!!! This is the best mixture of Leather, Sandalwood, and just a light touch of powdery florals that I've ever come across. This is my new "Professional" scent for when I have in-person meetings!! It's so strong...but so smooth and laid back.

I love this scent. I understand it’s not for everyone. To me, this smells like the woods. It reminds me of dew on the grass in the morning and the scent of aerating woods and plants. It’s a really earthy smell. It makes me think of when I used to wake up in the morning after camping and you smell all the trees.

Absolutely love this scent. It doesn't smell like pickles on my skin (which is where it should be sprayed anyway). It smells like a creamy wood and I absolutely love it. The sillage is strong but not overly strong, and it lasts for several hours. Absolutely a banger for me personally.

I still adore this scent, despite the overwhelming negativity it receives. The two main notes I detect are herbal wood and leather, and I absolutely love it. This fragrance introduced me to the niche fragrance world, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

The first scent that made my nose gain consciousness. Reminds me of a very specific summer vacation in Mexico that I hadn’t thought of in a long time. I think a truly beautiful perfume can tell a story and take you places and santal 33 does exactly that.

This is really nice, and gets better as it dries down. I don't get the pickle thing. It's creamy, woody, chic. Certain whiffs remind me of Glossier You Doux (the ivory bottle), which is the only thing keeping me from paying the high price point.

Love this. It’s a classic at this point, but for very good reason. Finally gave in and picked up a bottle after they had soap and lotions of it in a hotel I was staying in recently. It’s strong stuff, just three sprays lasts me all day.

Quite a "cold" and raw wood fragrance which I would attribute to the cedar. My old sample from 2017 always gave off pickle juice but after buying a new batch that smell is gone. Dries down creamy and warm, very classic and timeless.

Contrary to others opinions, this is very masculine, imo. It reminds me of the desert, the wild west. It's like a fragrance a cowboy would wear. It's dry, leathery and woody. There's no sweetness whatsoever. I love it.

Old faithful. Its popular because it's good. This is something I will have in my collection for the rest of my life. I wear this one the most I will post a more in depth review in the future

idc that its overdone , “overhyped”,overpriced it is GENUINELY one of the most perfect fragrances i have ever smelled , it smells very leathery ,smooth and creamy .

basit ama güzel bir parfüm. kadınlar üzerine beyaz çiçek parfümüyle katmanlayarak enfes bir kokuya da dönüştürebilir. sade koku geçişini seviyorum. tavsiye ederim.

Bought this cause of the hype, blindly. At first I was, meh...ok...now the more I wear it the more I need it. It's beautiful, its weird and thats so unique

What else can I say that hasn’t already been said? Easy 12 hour performance, smells great and projects like a mf. Proper workhorse fragrance End of

السلام عليكم عطر سانتال 33 عطر لا يحبه ويعشقه إلا فئة من البشر اعتادت على التحليق في سماء وروح الخلود الأبدية

might be bc i don't eat that many pickles so they're not really that "familiar" but i love this one so much

it does smell like dill and not sandalwood but that is why i love it. so fresh and bright yum

Beautiful wood and leather with some light florals. Smells like a Balinese temple.