No.04 Bois de Balincourt

I got a sample of the oil version, and this was the first perfume in my life when i knew i was going to buy the full size only within 3 hours. I love-hate this perfume ... I love it, because it was an unconditional love at first sniff and at the same time hate it, because its soo ODD (and yes, it does smell like dill pickles , the yellow, sweet kind that is usually served with hotdogs .. or relish too). This definitely isn't for everyone, in fact I'm sure that most people will hate it... I like my perfumes to get complimented, you aren't going to get any compliments with this one. Also, it smells like a good, expensive candle ... I don't want to go around smelling like a house candle to people lol. I know that there is a defuser of this scent, but I wouldn't want my house to smell like this. That's why I hate it... YET, I fkn LOVE it so much !!! Smelling it on my skin, agh!!!!!! But, this is definitely something I would wear on my own, just for myself, because I wouldn't want people to think I smell weird 😅. As I tried talking myself out of this perfume, I noticed that it has a sour scent to it... like sweat ....but a very sexy type of sweat (if that could exist) 🙈. It's very green and earthy, I don't get wood very much... mostly herbs, like sage, rosemary, Definitely vetiver!!! and mugwort, with cucumbers, or as mentioned before, dill pickles/relish... + sweat.... very odd scent. I tried paring it with vanilla and lavender based scents and it makes it creamier and more wearable out in public (tones down the sourness of it). I never tried the EDP, only the oil and its VERY long lasting on the skin!!! It's like falling in love with someone that you know is NOT going to be good for you at all, it's that kind of love ... 💔

I have never really been into woody scents. I’ve usually opted for more light and citrusy scents, but when I first smelled Le Labo Santal 33 and Aesop Eidisis, I was mesmerized by this alluring and sexy scent. I immediately recognize these two perfumes whenever someone are wearing them, but I can’t for the life of me justify buying either of them with that absurd price tag, so I took to the internet to find the perfect dupe and after reading many reviews on this particular perfume, I took my chances and blind bought this. It smells rich, sexy and woody. The woody notes are very creamy and fills up the room with this lovely warmth. It’s like wearing a hug. But a sexy hug. I wore it on a night out and I swear wherever I went, people would look in my direction to identify the smell. It’s by no means an “in your face” smell, but it’s definitely noticeable and will leave a subtle trail wherever you go. The projection is quite good and you don’t need to apply much. A little goes a long way! It can become quite nauseating if you overdo it with application, so be careful! That being said, the longevity of this oil is insane. I could smell it the whole night. It felt like I was constantly surrounded by this perfume, and even the day after I still caught whiffs of it every once in a while, so it’s definitely long lasting! I feel like this can be worn all year around but I think it would be the perfect winter or fall scent. So to summarize, if you appreciate warm and woody scents and don’t want to spend a fortune on Le Labo or Aesop, this perfume oil is definitely a great alternative. Albeit the tiny bottle you really don’t need to use that much so it will probably last you quite a long time!

god i love how this stuff smells..... cant complain about the longevity either it lasts about ehhhh i wanna say ballpark 6 hrs or if i put it on in the evening i def smell it the next day. i get the cedarwood initially which makes it very fresh upon opening but as the scent hits the skin and starts to develop it gets warmer and more ambery on me. I feel like i smell cinnamon the least but it does lend a certain numbing effect on the nose which i attribute to the cinnamon. I love sandalwood vetiver and amber and lucky for me those all blend together beautifully on me. On me the smell reminds me of dew in a lush mossy forest.... it can read a bit metallic on some tho, and if thats the case i highly recommend layering this scent with something sweeter/muskier to neutralize. not gonna lie it kinda reminds me of a high quality peppery olive oil as well. oddly this smells more like juliette has a gun over santal 33 in that it feels close to the skin bc of the amber whereas santal 33 feels vinegary and astringent and smells very obviously pickly and metallic. Anyway the warmth this scent lends is so sexy and so universally pleasing, ive had such a broad range of people compliment me for this scent. and while the sillage isnt loud af its a range where if ur in close quarters with someone they will most definitely smell you and say something. its definitely a my musk but better type fragrance for me. also get the oil over the eau de parfum and try the deodorant the projection on it is surprisingly good and it works as a deodorant

Attention * This is a cross comparison review * After falling for Le Labo’s Santal 33 just like the rest of the millennial “scene kids” out there; I set out in search of a substitution in the hopes that I might find something that would play nicer with my skin’s chemistry. Enter Bois de Balincourt by MLM ..... Et voila! What a fabulous find! This, S33 “sister” scent is just lovely and a touch more feminine feeling. That being said, due to the somewhat cleaner and softer notes compared with it’s opponent, Bois de Balincourt’s performance, not surprisingly, falls a bit short. In fact, it does an odd little disappearing act on me after the first 30 seconds of application right up until the 20 min mark. And then, all of a sudden, as if to say, “Gotcha, bitch!”, it’s back and wafting lovelier than ever before, with an impressive performance to boot. Clever girl. Anyways, my last comment is that S33 is heavier in the fresh cut wood department, leaving that slight “gasoline sting”, that I personally adore. But, if you’re like me and your chemistry doesn’t play nicely with those particularly potent elements, Bois de Balincourt’s more aromatic approach is another viable option. Symbiosis achieved!

I used up my perfume spray bottle + fragrance oil version of this six months ago. Love to layer them together for an extra boost of longevity. This will be a repurchase for me this week with Sephora VIB sale. This smells almost identical to Santal 33, minus the heavy leather note. The leathery aspect of 33 is what deterred me from purchasing, its just too masculine on my skin. However, Bois de Balicourt blends sandalwood + cedar so naturally with the beautiful, creamy nutmeg/cinnamon/amber dry down. It's absolutely beautiful in fall and winter, which are the only seasons I wear this. I actually prefer the scent of the perfume oil of No 4 vs perfume spray because it's more creamy in the drydown. The perfume spray is a little more sharp, but paired/ layered together is a great composition + gives extra projection and longer wear time. I highly recommend purchasing both (spray and oil versions of this scent) and layering. If you're a male, I'd recommend Santal 33 over this, because the leather in S33 comes through masculine and very sexy . I don't get the pickle smell or pencil shavings everyone keeps mentioning. If they do, then I'm a sexy pickle come this fall and winter!