Le Labo was founded in 2006 in New York City, though it now ships and creates fragrances internationally.
Some of its scents (City Exclusives) are unique to store locations, making them rare fragrances that are sure to appeal to travelers and discerning buyers.
However, their definitive collection of tried-and-true scents (Classic Collection) is just as varied, and they're a fantastic starting place for those hoping to try Le Labo perfume. So without further ado, let's explore our top Le Labo scent picks!
Our Top Picks For Best Le Labo Scent
Because there are dozens of Le Labo scents, choosing the best one to suit your needs can be challenging.
Fortunately, we've chosen some of the most diverse and exceptional options, making it easier for you to select one that could become your next signature scent!
Of course, if you'd like to try multiple Le Labo scents without overspending, you can also order the Le Labo Discovery Set, a collection of diverse fragrances that can help you select one that's well suited to your specific tastes.
Best Year-Round Scent
If you're looking for a refined scent that's sure to impress, you cannot go wrong with SANTAL 33.
This Le Labo fragrance SANTAL 33 blends traditionally masculine scents (like cedarwood) with traditional feminine ones (like jasmine flowers) to produce a distinct and lasting aroma that's well-suited to year-round wear to the office or elegant soirées.
It's sensual, musky, and slightly floral, lending it a unique profile that's enchantingly natural and appropriate for all sexes.
PROS: Combines masculine and feminine scents into a unique unisex fragrance
CONS: Not ideal for daytime use during the spring and summer
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Great
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Medium / The office
- Price: $$$
Best for Daytime (Year-Round)
It's only too easy to make your fragrance an overpowering concoction. After all, many oils used to create perfumes and colognes are chosen due to their strength and durability.
But Le Labo is experienced with producing balanced unisex scents that unite these powerful aromas in unique ways. LABDANUM 18 is a fine example.
Though it has a musky, masculine scent that can last for hours, it's also slightly understated, ensuring that it's never overpowering or obnoxious.
It has a slight talc scent reminiscent of baby powder, but the added citrus and cinnamon notes also impart rich, spice-like scents that are ideal for autumn.
PROS: Produces a clean, subtly complex fragrance
CONS: The similarity to baby powder can be off-putting for some
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Mild / All settings
- Price: $$$
Best for Nighttime (Year-Round)
Though THÉ NOIR 29 might not be a jet-black concoction, it is one of the most alluring nighttime Le Labo scents, with a musky cedarwood base complemented by bergamot and bay leaves.
This leaves the wearer with an enigmatic-yet-familiar scent, rich in herbal spices and oil-rich hardwoods. So whether you'd like to smell your best for a date or a fun night out, you can't go wrong with THÉ NOIR 29.
PROS: Complexity results in a fragrance that subtly changes over time
CONS: Tobacco notes might not suit your tastes
- Sillage: Great
- Longevity: Great
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Moderate / Nightime use
- Price: $$$
Best for Spring Mornings
When clarity is the order of the day, try a spritz of BAIE 19. This fragrance is crystal-clear in appearance and exudes a refreshing aroma of freshly fallen rain.
This clean scent also has juniper berry and patchouli notes, but both are smartly understated, making the BAIE 19 a gentle, subtle fragrance ideal for the office, home, and late-night outings. In many ways, this is the more subtle cousin to the long-popular Versace Dreamer Cologne.
PROS: Reminiscent of a warm spring morning, making it ideal for springtime use
CONS: Scent can diminish significantly throughout the day
- Sillage: Moderate
- Longevity: Mild
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Mild / All settings
- Price: $$$
Best for Spring Evenings
Vetiver is one of the most common perfume ingredients and for a good reason! This grassy plant produces an equally earthy, grass-like scent, with hints of rich, fertile soil.
No Le Labo showcases this scent profile better than VETIVER 46.
This green-gold unisex fragrance contains more than 40 notes, many of which lean into vetiver's natural, springtime loveliness. For example, when whiffing this scent, you can discern black pepper, incense, and cedarwood!
PROS: Natural earthiness is complex and intriguing
CONS: Incense notes can be overpowering
- Sillage: Great
- Longevity: Excellent
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Strong / Nighttime use
- Price: $$$
Best for Summer Days
As the name of this Le Labo fragrance suggests, NEROLI 36 has a citrus-fuelled brightness that makes it ideal for spring and summer. However, this citrus foundation is accentuated by floral notes derived from fresh rose petals.
This addition ensures that NEROLI 36 is pungent but refined. It could be the perfect date night fragrance, and because it's unisex, it's appropriate for all.
Overall, NEROLI 36 could be the best Le Labo scent for summer, and it's undoubtedly one of the best citrus scents available from the brand.
PROS: Combines summer citrus and a delicate, suntan-lotion-like scent for an ideal summertime fragrance
CONS: Could be too feminine for some wearers
- Sillage: Good
- Longevity: Good
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Moderate / Daytime wear, outdoors
- Price: $$$
Best for Summer Nights
The golden green coloration of LYS 41 is a visual indicator of its floral and woody notes.
But unlike similar Le Labo scents like VETIVER 46, LYS 41 also features a strong vanilla aroma. It's flora and sweet, with musky undertones that make it a satisfying choice for every wearer.
That said, the bright nature of this fragrance lends it well to morning and daytime use, and it could quickly become a springtime go-to. LYS 41 is one of the best Le Labo scents a woman or man can enjoy.
PROS: Reminiscent of summer gardens and sandy beaches, but not overpowering
CONS: Feminine notes could be unappealing to those searching for a masculine fragrance
- Sillage: Great
- Longevity: Great
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Moderate / Nighttime use, all settings
- Price: $$$
Best for Men
BERGAMOTE 22 is spicy and strong but never overpowering. It's comprised of grassy vetiver, sharp grapefruit, and sensual bergamot.
Though these notes combine to form a traditionally masculine scent, this scent does have gentle floral flourishes. Still, the cologne-like nature of BERGAMOTE 22 might appeal to men, making it one of the best Le Labo choices for those with more masculine styles.
PROS: Though unisex, it has a cologne-like muskiness that pairs perfectly with the citrus notes
CONS: Not the best option for the autumn and winter seasons
- Sillage: Subtle
- Longevity: Good
- Scent potency / Appropriate for: Mild / All settings
- Price: $$$
Best for Women
If you enjoy the smell of sundried cotton sheets and sweet pear, you'll likely appreciate the gentle fragrance of AMBRETTE 9.
This Le Labo unisex scent contains one of the rarest perfume ingredients in the world, ambrette seed, but it's also rich in oils distilled from citrus and fresh springtime fruits. This combination makes AMBRETTE 9 musky but sweet, resulting in an unforgettable scent that lingers and entices.
PROS: Fantastically subtle; ideal for general use and close-proximity settings
CONS: Not as strong or long-lasting as other Le Labo fragrances
- Sillage: Subtle
- Longevity: Moderate
- Scent potency/ Appropriate for: Mild / The office, everyday use
- Price: $$$
Best Le Labo Oud Scent
Like other oud fragrances, the main note of OUD 27 is agarwood. But unlike other high-quality oud scents, this Le Labo unisex fragrance also features patchouli, lignum vitae, and saffron notes, giving it an earthy-yet-elegant bouquet.
All told OUD 27 consists of 27 distinct elements, making it almost impossible to replicate or compare to other scents. But after taking a whiff of this fragrance, the first thing you'll likely notice is a powerful, animal-like musk.
For this reason, OUD 27 is best suited for men and nighttime wear.
PROS: An earth take on oud scents that introduce a distinct level of complexity
CONS: The animalistic musk can be overpowering
- Sillage: Very good
- Longevity: Great
- Scent potency/ Appropriate for: Intense / Nighttime use
- Price: $$$
Final Thoughts
Pleasant-smelling fragrances date back to ancient times, potentially starting with the ancient Mesopotamians!
Naturally, the science of scent has come a long way since then, and Le Labo's diverse selection of lab-tested, lab-created scents is daringly cutting-edge.
Though these fragrances are pricier than your average drug store bottle of perfume or cologne, they're also made from natural ingredients and honed to absolute perfection. So if you've ever wanted to embrace a more elegant and refined signature scent, Le Labo could be the ideal choice.
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.