Le Labo Perfume Guide
Santal 33, Bergamote 22 & the cult of hand-blended niche fragrance
What Is Le Labo?
Le Labo is a New York-born niche perfume house founded in 2006 by Fabrice Penot and Eddie Roschi, famous for hand-blending every bottle at the point of sale and naming each fragrance after its dominant note and the number of ingredients used. The name means “the lab” in French, a nod to the brand’s apothecary-style, slow-perfumery philosophy. Le Labo’s signature scent Santal 33 became one of the most recognisable fragrances of the 2010s, and discontinued or hard-to-find Le Labo bottles — especially the city exclusives — are now sought after by vintage and niche collectors worldwide.
Top 5 Le Labo Fragrances Every Collector Should Know
- Santal 33 (2011) — The cultural phenomenon: creamy Australian sandalwood, cardamom, iris, violet and a smoky leather accord. Worn by everyone from celebrities to designers, it defined the modern “woody” era and remains the house’s most requested scent.
- Bergamote 22 (2006) — A sparkling, freshly-squeezed bergamot over grapefruit, petitgrain, amber and vetiver. The cleanest and most wearable Le Labo, ideal for summer and office wear.
- Noir 29 (2015) — A dry, sophisticated blend of black tea, fig, tobacco leaf, cedarwood and vetiver. Darker and more complex than the house’s citruses, with real longevity.
- Vanille 44 (Paris city exclusive) — A smoky, incense-laced vanilla with guaiac wood, tonka and benzoin. One of the most famous city exclusives, and one of the rarest to find outside Paris.
- Gaiac 10 (Tokyo city exclusive) — A meditative, minimalist blend of gaiac wood, cedar, musk and ambrette. Subtle, creamy and deeply comforting — the collector’s favourite among the city series.
City Exclusives: The Collector’s Holy Grail
Every year Le Labo releases city-exclusive fragrances available only in a single city — Gaiac 10 (Tokyo), Vanille 44 (Paris), Citron 28 (Seoul), Tabac 28 (Miami), Mousse de Chene 30 (Amsterdam), Poivre 23 (London) and others. These bottles are produced in tiny quantities and can only be ordered from that city for a few weeks each September. Because they are so limited, discontinued and pre-owned city exclusives frequently appear on the secondary market at premium prices — and they are exactly the kind of rare finds that niche perfume collectors hunt for.
How to Authenticate Le Labo Perfume
- Label & typography: Authentic Le Labo labels use the house’s distinctive lowercase, spaced-out typeface with the fragrance name, concentration and a batch number printed clearly. Poor kerning or wrong font is a red flag.
- Bottle & cap: Genuine bottles are heavy, industrial-style glass with a simple metal cap. Le Labo’s minimalist apothecary look is hard to fake convincingly.
- The recipe number: Each scent’s number (22, 33, 44...) should match the official Le Labo line. A “Santal 40” or “Bergamote 11” does not exist in the official catalogue.
- Juice & performance: Real Le Labo has a distinctive, complex smell — Santal 33’s leathery-sandalwood drydown is instantly recognisable. Fakes smell flat and thin.
- Price: Genuine Le Labo is never cheap. If a “new” 100ml bottle is priced far below retail, treat it as suspicious.
Frequently Asked Questions About Le Labo
Is Le Labo a niche perfume brand?
Yes. Le Labo is one of the defining niche perfume houses of the 21st century. It was founded independently in New York in 2006, hand-blends each bottle at the counter, and has never followed the mass-market retail model — which is why its fragrances are so widely collected.
What is Le Labo’s most famous fragrance?
Santal 33 is by far Le Labo’s most famous fragrance. Launched in 2011, its creamy sandalwood and leather accord became one of the most-worn and most-referenced scents of the decade, frequently appearing in film, fashion and social media.
Are Le Labo perfumes discontinued?
Le Labo’s permanent line is still in production, but several fragrances are discontinued or extremely limited: the city exclusives (Gaiac 10, Vanille 44, Citron 28, Tabac 28 and others) are only sold in their home city for a few weeks a year, and older formulations — especially pre-2015 bottles of Santal 33 — are now collectible on the secondary market.
Where can I buy Le Labo perfume online?
Authentic Le Labo bottles, including hard-to-find city exclusives and pre-owned vintage formulations, are available at TrendyGround, a trusted vintage and discontinued perfume store based in Hong Kong with more than 15 years of experience in the fragrance market.
Explore our curated collection of authentic Le Labo fragrances, including rare city exclusives.
Shop Le Labo Collection →Le Labo — In Stock Now
Authenticated and date-checked by hand. Discontinued bottles sell out — each one is a single piece.
