No.04 Bois de Balincourt

I used up my 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 because its 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!

Imagine a walk through a sundappled forest, where the air is thick with the scent of aged wood and the whisper of distant memories. No.04 Bois de Balincourt by Maison Louis Marie is a fragrance that transports you to that sacred place an olfactory voyage that feels like slipping into a wellworn leather-bound journal of moments long past. It’s a scent that wraps itself around you like a favorite sweater, familiar and comforting, yet imbued with a quiet elegance that no dupe can ever hope to replicate. This is more than perfum it is a trip down memory lane, a reverie of sun-warmed cedar and earthy spice that stirs the soul and awakens the senses. Each note is a carefully guarded secret, a whisper of the past that lingers in the present, impossible to counterfeit or reproduce. Bois de Balincourt is a rare gem an authentic journey into nostalgia, forever etched in the heart, and forever beyond the reach of imitation. It seems other fragrance houses attempt to replicate for example sand and fog. Which smells cheap. No.4. Only please

I initially went into buying this as a Santal 33 "dupe" but I discovered its beauty on its own merit. As someone who has always wanted to get into Le Labo fragrances, I could never get into Santal 33 no matter how much I've tried. I have been cursed with the misfortune of smelling the notes of dill pickles which I hate as a food and smell. So after searching for similar woody-like fragrances, this one came up on my feed and I had to try it. After smelling it at Sephora and testing it on my skin, it gave me the memory of when I went hiking in Portland, Maine with the tall cedar trees by the lake. The wood notes in this scent are not over powering and give an almost airy quality to it unlike other wood centric fragrances. This fragrance just screams "chic" to me, even if the word may be played out when describing anything artful. No. 04 has the Le Labo design language while being more than just a simple dupe of Santal 33, but great on its own merit with fantastic woody accords.

This has been my favourite fragrance of the past few months. It’s fresh and warm simultaneously. On the colder days this fall I have been layering it with my Ganesha’s Garden sandalwood solid perfume to enhance the sandal and warmth. I have a preference for lighter fragrance, so I enjoy the mild sillage of this one. I spray heavier than I normally would—about 5 or 6 sprays. I always assume the longevity is not great as I cannot smell it by the end of the day. Yet, more often than not, I can smell it on my clothing the following day. If you prefer more natural smelling perfumes with spice/green/woods definitely give this one a try. I am very much looking forward to trying this in the spring. Unisex, and does not lean in either direction in my opinion. I have not tried Santal 33 so cannot say if it is similar. Work safe, but different than the sweet and aquatic options. Update: In spring this has a lovely cucumber-ish vibe. It is a love—signature worthy

This is a beautiful fragrance . It opens so heavily with the cedar and sandalwood that I couldn’t believe that it would transform into something so clean, soft, and elegant! As it dries down the cedar disappears but the creaminess of the sandalwood stays around and blends so well with the nutmeg, cinnamon and amberwood . It is slightly spicy and well refined . Eventually it becomes clean, powdery and slightly sweet . The opening is on the masculine side but this one is definitely a unisex fragrance . In my opinion this is better than santal 33 because it is softer and not as loud making it more wearable. I live in NY and so many people wear Santal 33 including my niece so it’s good to find a fragrance that is as good but different. I showed my niece this one and she loves it . Santal 33 does perform better and I like it but this is more for me .

This is the first perfume of this brand I have tried from a lovely sample kit I was given last year. I really like it. From the notes listed I was expecting something heavier and more woody but this is a very ethereal scent. It's very reminiscent of Le Labo's Santal 33 but I like this one better. Not sure why, but it feels lighter and more fun. I could see myself wearing this when I wanted to smell happy and vivacious. For some reason I get sunshine, space and light with this perfume. It is perfect for a sunny spring or summer's day when something floral or aquatic just doesn't seem right. Silage is great - you get very gorgeous whiffs of the perfume from time to time and it seems to last well. A fabulous intro to the company and I'm now very intrigued to try the rest of the perfumes.

I stumbled across this hidden gem at Sephora in Chicago over the weekend.. sprayed 1 spray on back of my hand to test longevity and went back a day later to buy. If this juice was in Le Labo Santal 33 bottle I wouldn’t know any difference if I hadn’t smelled them side by side, so it’s not unique. However, for the price I would rather have this. The main reason I bought this though is that one spray survived a night of dancing, multipl hand washings and I could still smell it on my hand after the shower the next day... beast mode ON ME. Honestly, I like this better than santal 33 because LLS33 makes me a little nauseous after awhile and this one doesn’t.. great fragrance and supreme quality niche

either my nose is lying to me or i don't know what sandalwood smells like. i reallyyy don't get the woody scent from bois de balincourt. i feel that its more green and a bit floral to me.. A round fruity scent, not citrusy. It smells like melons, thats what i was thinking abt. Reminds me of walking down a forest trail where lots of blackberry bushes and flowers are. Maybe my perception is off but i love it, other people can smell my sandalwood for all i care. update: my brother says its smells like wood damn... specifically chocolate, wood, and some herbs. i specifically asked if it smelled sweet and he said no T T

Such a compliment getting amazing fragrance of creamy sandalwood- so well composed and easy to wear - I’m wearing a full 4 spray down today - it’s a scent that just won’t disappear. Great projection but not intrusive , you will just get compliments as nobody really smells like this. I love niche perfumery : and I believe it’s better than santal 33 . Only $87 for 50ml. Yassss please . More masculine than femm, but that’s all personal, and I would rate it at 6 on that scale leaning masculine. Scent 9/10 Longevity 10/10 Projection 6 Quality 9/10 Suggested to sample / yes Smelled it before / yes

I recently bought the 10mL EDP of this fragrance and am expecting to repurchase in a larger size. In my humble opinion this is the most delicious scent I’ve ever encountered. Intoxicating wood w/ a powdery aura... If I went on a first date with someone who was wearing this, I would undoubtedly lick it off them. HOWEVER this one recieved mixed reviews from my friends. Some worship it while others say it smells of pure dill. My best friend’s only comment was that it reminded him of his father’s homemade pickles. Regardless I think it’s sex in a bottle, so I will continue to wear it!

As this has been divided from the oils, I'm copying and pasting my review from the other: Wonderful scent. I've never smelled Santal 33, so I can't compare. But this scent is phenomenal. Clean woody, and slightly spicy. I get no pickle vibe on me at all... Just a cedar sandalwood and nutmeg goodness. Close to Commodity Book...but it doesn't have the cucumber note that Book has, but has a bit more nutmeg and a "starchy" smell, a bit like someone mixed in oats. My local sephora had this... Definitely worth a try if you like woody scents. Unisex, leaning slightly masculine

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!! Giving me Santal 33 vibes but much more sweeter and punchier. This scent lasted on me all day. I purchased it for my trip to South Africa and Zambia in 2020 right before the pandemic and people did not know what was hitting their nose. It has a lot of projection so did not wear it on my safari drives as it would have most likely kept the wildlife away. But during my city / beach excursions it was delightful. I will purchase this again. If you are smelling pickles you are part of the wrong community....BYE GIRL! FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @MoctezumaC

My first fragrance obsession. A cedar forest, ground nutmeg, aromatic herbaceous vetiver, rich and sexy amberwood that lingers for a long while. This is one of my first real perfumes, it carries so many sweet memories and I still wear it to this day. I fell in love with the grounded earthy profile, it invokes a warm and comforting feeling. I wore this while running around Belgium and Amsterdam, I used it to hide the weed smell from my parents haha. I will love this fragrance forever and idk what anyone else says, I will go to bat for my girl No. 04

have a sample of the oil and liked it so much that i purchased a travel spray edp. layering the oil and edp in the afternoon, i was still able to catch whiffs the next morning. the edp alone lasts most of a work day. i do get a slightly sour sharpness in the opening (more noticeable when layering with the oil) but it quickly mellows into woody warm goodness, and stays there for the rest of its wear time! i plan on purchasing a full bottle at some point - this feels like a good cozy staple to have.

Lovely, fresh, and sparkling fragrance. Even though it’s listed as woody, it’s not as heavy, smelling as other woody fragrances that I’ve tried and smelled before. Usually those, on my skin, stay really close and don’t really project. This one projects quite nicely, and has a very sparkling and fresh quality to it. Aligned lover said that it’s supposed to smell like Santal by Tom Ford, but nice and sparkling. It certainly does do that. I was told by that I smell “fruity”.

I'm from Ontario Canada, and when I first sprayed this on a sample card I immediately yelped "This smells like a Beaver Lumber!" (A since closed hardware store from my childhood) Some time went by and I used it with CK2 to simulate rain in the forest and now I am seriously considering a full sized bottle because I have become very intrigued with anything woody or reminiscent of forests, especially anything that reminds me of cottage life and log cabins.

When I initially smelled this a few months ago I got a lot of herbal spiciness from the nutmeg and vetiver. It was pleasantly spicy, like a fancy cocktail, invigorating but also creamy. I got a bit of the pickle note mentioned in the comments and found the spiciness to be a little much to me. Now in cooler weather, I get a lot more soft sandalwood that warms and rounds out the spiciness. It's a perfect daytime cool weather scent, and I can't get enough!

My first love and what made me get into fragrance! Smells like crisp, fresh air in a forest. This is the definition of a unisex, wear-anytime scent. It's got a warmth that makes it perfect for winter & fall, and a sharpness that makes it just as suitable for spring & summer. If I don't want to think and I just want to smell amazing, I grab her. If I have one critique, it's that it's lacking in longevity. I'll have to try layering with the oil.

Luckily I don’t get the pickle note (I find some people pick up pickle with woods or coconut for some reason) This is a more delicate version of santal 33. The woodiness here isn’t harsh at all, it’s very cozy. The nutmeg and cinnamon are subtle and gives it a soft spiced sweetness (I wouldn’t consider this a sweet fragrance by any means though) It doesn’t smell synthetic at all and performs well (moderate fragrance not a beast)

Spicy sandalwood, the spice blend of the nutmeg and cinnamon makes it pleasant to smell, the cinnamon is not that prominent same about the amberwood, similar to Santal 33 by Le Labo but not a 100%. Santal 33 is more sweet and an aromatic blend, Bois de Balincourt is sweet, airy, the little smell you get from walking at the botanical garden during fall. Properly for colder months and even during the chill days of spring.

One of my favorites ever! I love the dill pickle note...I know I'm crazy. I just can't get enough. It smells like the outdoors in the best way possible. A very good dupe of Santal33. Also Salt and Stone Vetiver & Cedar is another good dupe of the S33, but the Salt & Stone version feels wet/humid, while Bois de Balincourt feels like walking through cedar woods on a dry summer day.

Love love love the smell of this. Had the oil and wanted the EDP too. Once I got it I was disappointed...I hardly smelled a thing? I did test out the EDP before ordering...so Im a bit bummed. Edit 07/27/21: I put on just the EDP without oil or anything else - still going 4 hrs later, and beautiful. I keep getting wonderful wafts of this beauty.

The sandalwood gives it a warm, creamy feel while the cedarwood adds a bit of spice and the vetiver gives it an earthy quality that makes it unique than any other fragrance that I have sniffed. This is not too overpowering. Performance is moderate and the longevity could have been better but I still enjoy this fragrance. 🤍

It's Santal 33 with a post-grad degree. Much more of an intimate, skin-centered scent with mild sillage and negligible longevity, but that doesn't really matter because the actual fragrance is simply so lovely. Mature, truly unisex, and (arguably) for all seasons. It's my most complimented scent.

i love this profile and frag so much, but it cannot perform for the life of it. it projects a good 2-3 hours, then falls off and becomes a skin scent. overall good intimate frag though!! the longevity is probably a skin chemistry issue tho, as many people say it lasts a good amount of time

I can see the Santal 33 comparisons but I much prefer this. I didn't enjoy the leather note in Santal 33, and this is basically a softer, less brine-y version of it. The dry down is creamy and buttery and lingers nicely on clothes. If Santal 33 is too much for you, try this...

Gorgeous perfect ten out of ten never been done Before! Just really works with my skin chemistry - lasts forever, transforms throughout the day and by the evening is the most beautiful smell. I know people say MLM scents don't last long, but this clings to me.

Lovely sandalwood: creamy, powdery, sweet. It has a beautiful soft spicy opening with some cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. I think it’s very well-balanced and can be a really nice alternative to some overpriced sandalwood scents. Follow me on IG: scent.guide

This sandalwood fragrance is simple yet very good and easy to wear. It’s quite similar to other sandal fragrances like Santal 33, but I believe this one has more depth and a weaker performance, also very versatile

Adding to this... I sprayed 5 times on my chest this morning, and after a day at work... 12 hours later I can still smell it. Great longevity. IMHO the best of the "santal 33" group of frags.

It is a raining summer day, and I feel so calm and peaceful in a sexy sort of manner wearing No.04 Bois de Balincourt EdP by Maison Louis Marie. Sandalwood, nutmeg, and cedar, no pickles.

I love this perfume. At first smell i was not a fan at all. Then I tried it on my skin and fell in love. It's a nice foresty perfume. I think its perfectly unisex and sexy on everybody

My new favorite. I just discovered it. It is soft and warm on me. I feel like I could still wear it during summer time. So I cannot wait to try it during the warm season.

creamy, woody, soft, warm, and delicious. i still remember the first time i smelled the oil roll on and how i immediately loved it. i look for it in everything i smell.

I've had SO many compliments on this smell, I love how low-key the brand is where I can gatekeep. I just wish it lasted longer...

Sweet not overpowering expensive scented Fragrance, good for every season.

Oil Rollerball Version: Lovely woody scent. Smells beautiful from the roller. Up close on my skin it is aromatic but starts to smell slightly like play-doh. I smell the oil first and it takes a minute to bring out the notes (my fault!). I get something a little spicy with the vetiver and read nutmeg! It's all very smooth. I don't smell much cinnamon but it must be softening the vetiver. Really beautiful! Warm and a little powdery. Not heavy on the spices, all about woods. I get cedar and sandalwood perfectly blended. Spray Version: Totally different experience! Sandalwood comes first and is airy but not as smooth as in the oil. The composition sits on my skin a little juicy and a little bitter--like a freshly cut watermelon rind is the best way to describe it. Still very much sandalwood and cedar, but the airiness here reads more dewy on my skin. The play doh appears (it must be the amber mixing here), and it's still not heavy, but a little gummy/not quite a hardened resin. It's nice but the oil wins of the two because it's smoother. They both have the same notes but perform differently in scent, but last equally long on my skin (which is all day!). I do think the perfume is a little stronger because of the ability to apply on clothing. When both forms officially dry down, I like the spray more--it holds the notes with a little more clarity. My skin softens the oil and it smells sweeter than the spray version. Both are beautiful and cheery to me. It makes a nice enveloping scent that wafts with your movements. It isn't nuclear, just very present. Excellent! Use the oil more because the spray version I have is just a small sample.

I blind bought this perfume without ever smelling it or smelling Santal 33 because of all the hype it got. I wouldn't say it was a mistake necessarily, but I think if I did smell it, I probably would not have bought it. I like this scent because of the dry down. The initial spritz is overwhelmingly dill pickle on me. But when I spray it in my hair and let it linger all day and night, and I take my hair out of my pony tail the next morning, it's the most amazing earthy, woody, natural smell. It smells like I've been frolicking in a forest in Provence all night. All this talk about spiciness and nutmeg and cinnamon, I smell none of it. It smells like moss, forest floor and trees. I just wish I didn't have to suffer through a few hours of pickles to get here. Nothing against pickles, I absolutely love dill as an herb and vinegar on chips, but I would prefer not to smell like that. I've been relegating this to a summer scent, but perhaps I will give it a whirl in the winter to see if that sour smell goes away.

I get dry, soft, greenish woodiness from top to bottom; like fresh sawdust, warm paper, and the half-sweet mustiness of slightly green hay. It's warm and comfortingly muted, with a subtle tangy-crisp edge underneath. The vibe is pleasant and calming; rustic and natural. Like fresh hay in a warm, dry loft, and freshly cut lumber in a warm, dry workshop. Plus just a hint of the green, watery freshness of cucumber. And yes, it is also somewhat reminiscent of dill. It's woodier, drier, and much less greenly-zesty than real fresh dill, but there is definitely a certain herbal, green tanginess that is reminiscent of dill. When I compare Bois De Balincourt 's EDP and perfume oil side by side, I find the EDP just slightly more fresh and woodsy, while the perfume oil is slightly more powdery, with a drop of honey-like sweetness that I don't get from the EDP. I think I prefer the EDP, but I'm not at all certain I could tell them apart in a blind smell test; they're very similar.

Bois de Balincourt, in my opinion, is a dupe for Le Labo's Santal 33. When I first smelled Santal 33, I got the notorious dill pickle note and wasn't really a fan. But after smelling it more and more, it grew on me. Still not a love, but I can say I like it. Bois de Balincourt is very similar and I think unless you're comparing it and Santal 33 side by side, you won't really be able to tell the difference unless you're like some nasal sommelier. It's a very unisex, modern scent. There's a fresh woodiness to it (it still reminds me a bit of dill...) perfect for fall and spring. I kind of see it perfect for a model off-duty look: clean, androgynous, put-together, elevated but still wearable everyday. Fresh woods. A cheaper alternative to the Le Labo scent if you don't want to shell out the money. If you like Santal 33 and have it, you definitely do not need this in your collection as it's redundant.

First blast of milky tangy cedar, fresh and yet warm somehow. This is an invigorating walk through an evergreen forest in spring and autumn at the same time, shafts of warm sunlight breaking through the branches. Sandalwood brings a sweet punch to the scent and I'm really hoping it doesn't become the dominant note in this one.. the freshly cut warm cedar is a much more interesting place. Stays pretty close to the skin which is alright I suppose. I wouldn't want to be slammed in the face with this one when I walk into a room. Masculine and best for all weather except hot summer. 6+ hours later: The scent settled on a fairly one-note sweet sandalwood through the drydown, but it's just faintly there.

Very light, ethereal, soft smelling. Like the towels of a high end hotel. The sandalwood doesn't pickle on me which is nice. Overall very fresh smelling, a very green and clean wood smell. The scent imagery for me is really only springtime - I don't pick up any of the spices and I actually get quite a lot of aldehydes which is strange to me since I don't see that in the notes or any other comments. I'm almost questioning if my sample was labeled wrong! I have a sample, I won't be upgrading at this time. Very pleasant, but not something that gives me any kind of lasting impression. It becomes a background scent quite quickly for me - might be a selling point for you though.

This smells a lot less creamy and lactonic like than Santal 33. It also smells slightly more powdery. Additionally, upon the initial spray, it smells more masculine than Santal 33 and less sweet. For those who have no idea what Santal 33 smells like, this smells like a slightly creamy cucumber/dill drink you’d maybe get at a spa, additionally it’s not too sweet but not bitter either. It’s nice. Edit: It been a couple days since I’ve gotten it and it’s not as bitter/sour as when I first got it. It’s also creamer now. I like it.

Pleasantly creamy, woody, light & airy with a hint of a sweet fruit (think sweet apples or cantaloupe). I get the feeling of being immersed in a dense orchard with cool, humid air in the morning. Taking a deep breath in that scene would smell like this fragrance. Unfortunately it lasts a very short while on my skin (30 - 60 mins). I like spraying this after waking up for a very pleasant, calm start to the day. I'll then layer with something more assertive and bold for the work day like Cremo's Palo Santo.

Hahahahaha “Perfumatrix” review made me laugh... I never ever once thought of dill pickles when smelling this scent or really any of the other ones that are all similar... I think this is a classy beautiful sexy scent for a women and a nice change in my collection from more sweeter scents, yes it’s very similar to Santal 33 but in my opinion this is a bit more creamy and enjoyable (although I love Santal 33) I prefer this. the price is better and the option to layer with the oil is divine

Yup, like many other reviewers observed, I also smell the similarity of this to Santal 33. But this is more toned down and approachable, I think. Where Santal 33 has a stronger, peppery leather opening that transforms into sandalwood, I feel that Bois de Balincourt is a more prominent but gentle sandalwood. All the warm woody spicy facets of Bois de Balincourt appear right away and stays that way and it’s rather light so I think this would be appropriate for everyday and all seasons.

Beautiful, clean, and refreshing woods that have a light spice which I find to be revitalizing when I get a whiff. I prefer it most out of the shower/part of an at home evening routine rather than something I’d go out in, although I’ve worn it to work as well. I had to take a break from it for a while after over wearing it, leading me to be too sensitive to it. Be careful not to overspray. Now that my nose has “reset,” I’ll be enjoying this much more often after an evening shower.

I wasn't sure about this scent at first, but after 5 minutes it mellowed out from pencil shavings to cinnamon and wood. I think it's actually rather lovely and I would really enjoy it if my boyfriend smelled like this! I would wear it myself as well, but I don't think it's a priority on my wish list. I do have Replica By The Fireplace, Tom Ford Ombre Leather, JHAG Not a Perfume, and a few samples of Commodity Book to last me awhile if I want a scent profile similar to this one.

This is a lovely, clean (but not too clean) and creamy sandalwood. Lightly spiced. I feel like the spices are pretty well blended because I really don't like a nutmeg note and it doesn't stand out to me as super nutmeg per se. Very wearable with moderate longevity on my skin/clothes. Very unisex, right down the middle. Good for all seasons. If it was a color, it would be a light yellowish spring green. 7/10. Won't repurchase but I will enjoy the 10 ml spray that I have.

Santal and cedar are the dominants here with a vibe of fresh spiciness created by nutmeg and vetiver. It is a clean and fresh woody scent that does not offend anyone. It is rather a skin scent to me. A bit similar to Le Labo santal 33, Bois de Balingcourt is not that strong and woody, which irritates me. There is something in the Le Labo fragrances that makes me dislike most of them. Definitely prefer this one to santal 33.