Papyrus Moleculaire

This might be a little esoteric, but bear with me: Papyrus Moléculaire by Maison Crivelli reminds me of the midcentury furniture of Cuban-Mexican designer Clara Porset, specifically her butaque chairs. Porset’s designs embraced both industrial and handcrafted production and, like the Bauhaus teachers and peers she studied with, she aimed at elevating living standards and bringing modernist aesthetics to the masses—while also preserving Cuban and Mexican folk art traditions. Her celebrated butaque chairs were based on a colonial-era hybrid of Spanish X-frame seating and pre-Columbian ritual stools. Their ergonomic forms are crafted from polished wood and materials like wicker, leather, or woven agave reeds. When I read that this woody, tobacco-accented perfume was inspired by Thibaud Crivelli’s first encounter with papyrus root powder among a group of tattooed women smoking cigarillos, I immediately imagined Clara Porset’s wood-and-woven chairs being crafted by women smoking Cuban cigars. The fragrance is deep, warm, and smooth, but with bright and peppery vegetal and mineral top notes. I find that papyrus comes across a bit like vetiver: grassy, both green and dry, it feels grounded and a little serious, but the addition of coriander and elemi resin makes this fragrance zing with citric greenness. Like Porset’s designs, this scent is like modernist aesthetics encountering the rootedness of natural materials and craft traditions. I initially noticed this fragrance being touted as a more interesting alternative to Le Labo’s Santal 33, and I’ll say that they’re very similar, but Santal is heavier and more leather-ish, creamier and more enveloping, while this one is fresher and more lively. I tried them at the same time and Santal’s luxurious soft-focus felt almost flat, dull even, compared to the witty crackle of Papyrus Moléculaire, which rings out as bright and clear as a laugh. It’s an incredibly well-balanced fragrance, delicious and satisfying, totally unisex, that I think could be worn in any season for almost any occasion. I burned through my sample vial of this in record time and promptly bought a full bottle.

I want to start by appreciating Maison Crivelli design - the esthetical appearance is just so so so pleasant to the eye, the minimalistic design with a sort of metallic cap with a stamp on it creates a very luxurious minimalistic feeling with very thought-out details. Beautiful design indeed - that is pleasant also for a male and female! Papyrus Moléculaire is one of those scents that put me in this deep deep 'zen' zone, such a relaxing, calming and enveloping perfume. I love this slight greenish lactonic note that I get, the perfectly pronounced carrot seed note gives this perfume a light sweetness and gourmand feeling, maybe it's tonka also, but I don't get a lot of tonka notes personally. To me, it's not a powdery scent but a juicy one - that just proves how differently we found and smell the scents! To me, this is a warm hug of a loved one... Yes... I found those kinds of perfumes like an expression of love, they give me those warm feelings, very calming and soothing. I just relax in those scents, I let my mind flow and daydream. Every time I smell this I get this warm warm feeling when I just want to close my eyes and enjoy the smell. BEAUTIFUL! Such a great creation! I was very surprised to find out that there is no sandalwood in this perfume! I don't know how a single note of papyrus smells like so that would be very interesting, but to me, it does have this pickle-like sandalwood note that I adore. The scent is unisex 100%, I see this as a versatile perfume for all seasons! The projection is strong, definitely creates a huge aroma cloud around you, and the same with longevity I would even say enormous! I can smell this strongly on my clothing the second day and the sillage is still there - RADIATING! The perfume is worth your attention for sure!

I blind bought Santal 33 immediately when it first came out in 2011. I was excited about the notes but I could not stomach the scent back then. I found it too strong and too weird to wear and so found the people around me. I soon sold that bottle.. Years later I started noticing this fragrance again. People started wearing it. It became one of my best friends favorites and I thought it smelled great on him. I wondered if Le Labo changed the recipe a bit or did everybodies nose change? Today, I got a sample of Papyrus Moleculaire and I got immediate flashbacks to Santal 33. I find it less heavy though. It is more fresh and less sticky then Santal 33. I love it and I ordered a full bottle. Also for me this is finally a parfum with Elemi done right. I tried many parfums before with Elemi. I found Elemi always thick and nauseating. DIOR for example ruined in my opinion the amazing Eau Sauvage Parfum with Elemi. The original note in the composition was Myrrh but DIOR reformulated ESP with Elemi instead of Myrrh. The Myrrh in ESP made it one of the best fragrances I have owned. Anyway, my encounters with Elemi were never good until my review here. Going into the dry down of Papyrus Moleculaire I get more of the Papyrus. I have been to Cairo several times and it reminds me of visiting the Nile Delta. This scent is very nice and easy to wear. It has indeed similarities with Santal 33 but in the end it is a different experience.

I went hunting for a new fragrance with no criteria, if only to just trust my nose, as I took in the many options the Scent Bar in Los Angeles had to offer. Upon smelling this fragrance I immediately loved the powdery, fresh, woody, yet subtly sweet notes, and placed it on me to see how it would mature with a little time on the skin. As i shopped around some more, and made a few more sprays up and down the arms, i found myself continuously coming back to the spot I had placed on Papyrus mellowing out to a warm pleasing scent of wood and tobacco while keeping a little bite of some fresh spicy tang to it, it had what i would consider a modern-masculine appeal to it but certainly unisex enough to be categorized as such. I was finally able to dwindle my choices down to two, when the lady working the counter suggested for me to go outside of the shop, away from the taint of the other fragrances, and see how the sun would brighten the scents and Papyrus came off as the clear victor. After wearing this a few times, i can say it’s definitely a crowd pleaser and good for about any occasion, its inoffensive and versatile, good for daytime group settings, but also sexy enough for a date at night with someone you may wanna show off a little masculinity too while not coming off as a total machismo. This one will be in my rotation for a long time, and am very happy with this purchase.

I blind bought this based on the notes: papyrus, coriander and tobacco being the standouts. I already had tried Diptyque Papyrus and liked it very much but something about it felt flat not inspiring. I own DS& Durga Coriander and it's one of my all time favorites but more of a summer fragrance. And recently I bought Diptyque Volutes, a sweet tobacco fragrance, and I really like it. Maison Crivelli has impressed me first with their presentation. The bottle design and fonts are very appealing to me. I know that is superficial but I would never buy certain fragrances that come out gaudy bottles. Crivelli is modern and understated. So what does Papyrus Moleculaire smell like? When I spray it on, it immediately reminds me of a mash up of favorites: Le Labo Santal 33, Diptyque Volutes, and Diptyque Papyrus. There is a warm, sweet, tobacco, honeyed, papyrus group of notes that is expertly balanced by the subtle addition of pepper and coffee notes. Olibanum is also listed in the notes and whenever I smell that note I think of baby diaper creme, which is a strangely pleasant sensation to me. Nothing in Papyrus Moleculaire is overdone, it all works together like a well practiced orchestra. I like it so much I'm going to explore the other Maison Crivelli fragrances and see if there's anything else to buy.

A light green, powdery papyrus that seems effortlessly clean and fresh. There’s a really airy and well-blended accord of aromatic spices that lift everything up and keep things open, similar to good aromatic fougeres. Nothing is too overpowering and grasping its complexity is a little hard. Iris sits at the heart and contributes a lightly woody aroma rounded out by hay and tonka. I get more sandalwood towards the end. I forget what Santal 33 smells like exactly (I remember it being more sour) but papyrus seems like one of those notes you’ll either like or dislike. My first time smelling this I thought it was a little too simple because it was too easy to simply label it “papyrus fragrance”, but I’ve grown to appreciate it. There’s a subtle earthiness here that feels almost damp- not parched and sterile like paper, but dewy and alive and almost stony (I think someone below mentioned this). Sometimes I like it, but then randomly I’ll really dislike the peppery notes and question whether I like papyrus at all. Edit: bought it! Thoroughly enjoy the clean, papery texture and subtle tobacco notes.

I have both Santal 33, Maison Louis Marie n4 and Papyrus Moléculaire in my collection and I can give you are description of all of the scents. First of all, all 3 smells almost identical. Santal 33: more sandalwood heavy, pickle juice and lasts 7/8+ hours Maison Louis Marie n4: more powdery, fresh cucumber and smooth, lasts 4/5 hours Papyrus Moléculaire: more herbal, aromatic and deeper, lasts 6/7+ hours Now, there are very very similar to each other. A “normal” person who is not into perfumes will not pick the difference between the 3, unless they smell your skin directly. It all comes to your preference and budget. If you want the ultimate niche experience, go for Santal 33. If you are on a budget and don’t mind reapplying go for number 4. If you are looking for herbal spa and mix between Santal 33 and Maison Louis Marie n4, go for Papyrus Moléculaire. It’s like identical triplets. They are identical but have different personalities.

Papyrus Moléculaire gives the same genre as Le Labo Santal 33, but immediately feels smoother, creamier, and more grounded. It removes that sharp, metallic “sandalwood screech” that people often get from Santal 33 and replaces it with something more calm, elegant, and balanced. The result is this creamy, woody aura that smells therapeutic and quietly luxurious. The kind of scent that instantly makes you feel composed the moment you wear it. The blend is seamless and very refined, and the best part is how expensive it smells. I actually got complimented right away, my friend literally said, “oh my god, you smell so good,” just from the immediate aura it gives off. If you like creamy woods with a sophisticated, calm presence, this is a must-try. Go for Santal 33 if you want something sharper and more aggressively woody; choose Papyrus Moléculaire if you want refinement, silkiness, and a more serene aura.

If Santal 33 is a pop superstar (for its strength and loud projection), Papyrus Moleculaire is the back up singer - similar voice, similar vibes, but with quirks making it unique on its own. I find this to be a softer version, fresher and a little balsamic. Also a distinct absence of the leather note as in Santal 33. I detect a pine-like note but put it down to my confused (for lack of a better word) interpretation of the coriander seeds and pepper. Ultra modern and fancy hotel vibes. Although not a dupe in the slightest, I think this is an excellent and more wearable alternative to Santal 33 at a better price point. Downside is that it probably won’t last anywhere near as long as Santal 33, but for me the trade off is the beautiful fresh spicy aspect. I also see some resemblance to Van Cleef’s Santal Blanc but without the fig. Full bottle worthy.

This scent is so peaceful for me. It's clean and meditative. It reminds me a bit of the cold, clean interior of an art gallery. But man the performance is just not what I want. I actually smelled this before Santal 33, and I got a sample of the latter to see if I could get the same DNA that lasted longer. But to my nose, they are too different. S33 is dirty. It only lasts slightly longer anyway. From Papyrus, I get about 3 hours of being able to smell it. After that I have to stick my nose up to my skin to smell it. I also think it could be mistaken for ambient scents. Like how some places just smell a certain way. It's natural smelling, almost. Which I think is a pro and a con of the scent. As others have said, it smells like paper. But like, really good paper? It captures an ambient scent you wish you could bottle.

Longevity on this stuff is great. I sprayed it on at 1pm yesterday afternoon and it's almost 9am the following morning and I'm still catching wafts. I only sprayed on skin, too, not my clothes. Really impressive. I recently won a discovery set featuring 10 of their fragrances and I'm increasingly impressed with the house the more that I try. So far, the standouts for me are Papyrus Moleculaire, Bois Datchai and my favorite so far, Iris Malikhan. This Papyrus Moleculaire smells amazing. It seems as though a lot of people compare it to Santal 33 from Le Labo but I have never smelled the Le Labo, so I can't compare. I have heard that Santal 33 can give off a dill pickle type vibe which I did not detect in Papyrus Moleculaire at all, so that's good because I'm not sure I'd enjoy smelling like a dill pickle.

Not going to lie I've been looking for an alternative to Santal 33 (because I'm obsessed with the scent profile) and wasn't expecting to settle for anything else. But somehow, I think I like Papyrus equally! I don't think it's an outright clone whatsoever. Papyrus feels clean + dewy, whereas Santal feels dry + bitter, and both are really satisfying. I'm leaning toward Papyrus for myself, as my impression is that it's more likeable to others and I don't want to put people off with a polarising fragrance. We'll see! Strange that Fragrantica doesn't mention the sandalwood, tonka, leather, or iris that are present on the official Crivelli website. Also, the longevity is decent! I was still getting some projection even after 6-7 hours at work, catching it in the air at times. Very happy about that.

Only after I smelled this scent, I realized that what I picked up the most prominently in Santal 33 wasn't the sandalwood or leather, but the papyrus. I LOVE the papyrus in both this scent and Santal 33. Papyrus Moleculaire has even better longevity than Santal 33. To my nose, PM is a bit sweeter but a tiny bit thinner than S33. I don't think I can tell the difference between the two on a wearer. For that reason, I'd only own one of them, not both. Although I find both scents of excellent quality, I'd still pick S33 over PM, as I think the former has just a sliver of an edge over the latter in terms of complexity. Both are 100% unisex.

Normally, I prefer strong Arabic spicy oud scents. However, Papyrus Moléculaire is exceptionally good for a scent that caters more to a Western/East Asian palate. Such an enjoyable scent! It’s clean, smooth, soothing, and yet somehow luxurious. The top notes are grassy, sweet, yet gently woody, before drying down into a soft and gentle sandalwood note. The main downside is that the sillage and longevity aren’t something to write home about. It’s a bit overpriced for its performance. Yet, it’s too delicious not to wear. 8/10, would highly recommend.

I love this stuff. This is crisp, complex, and tight at the opening with some warm papery, woody, pepper and spice, incense maybe, and antique notes floating around. The core is very sandalwood for me, light and airy. Overall, I think it’s beautiful, but a touch serious. Not overtly masculine or feminine leaning for me, crisp, pleasant, agreeable but with plenty of character. Both projection, sillage, are modest which is fine for me. Wish it lasted a bit longer. I would gladly wear this on all but the hottest of days.

Really really really addicted to this scent. It’s very nice to just smell it off of yourself when spraying it, I don’t know what it is if it’s the papyrus or carrot seeds, but something is very attractive to me when I wore this and it’s definitely not the Tonka, can’t even smell the tonka personally. I bought this scent very recently, and I think it’s a very flexible scent. 8.7/10 for me at the moment. Stays on for up to 6-7 hrs.

It's a higher quality Santal 33. It makes Santal 33 smell like Elmer's glue or a little bit cardboard. I think they made it more impactful and stronger (god forbid) than Santal 33 by omitting the 50% Iso E Super found in Santal 33 and maybe some of the musks, letting some of the louder aroma chemicals truly scream.

Its a captivating fragrance that blends earthy papyrus with warm spices and resin. It evolves into a harmonious mix of woody and floral notes, anchored by a creamy amber base. With impressive longevity and versatility, its perfect signature scent that sparks compliments everywhere you go!

creamy & delicious, kinda sunscreeny or beachy to me, doesn’t smell like coconut but has a buttery texture that feels reminiscent of it somehow. this works really well on my skin in the summer but for some reason gets a bit headachy in colder weather.

I recently bought Maison Crivelli Papyrus Moléculaire, and it’s now one of my favorites. The scent is unique and works well for any occasion. I’m really happy with this purchase and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great perfume.