Right now everybody who is into perfumes is obsessed with Le Labo Santal 33.
Described, pretentiously, on their website as follows:
Do you remember the old Marlboro ads? A man and his horse in front of the fire on a great plain under tall, blue evening skies - A defining image of the spirit of the American West with all it implied about masculinity and personal freedom. This man, firelight in his face, leaning on the worn leather saddle, alone with the desert wind, an icon so powerful that every man wanted to be him and every woman wanted to have him... From this memory is born SANTAL 33: a perfume that introduces our use of cardamom, iris, violet, ambrox which crackle in the formula and bring to this smoking wood alloy (Australian sandalwood, cedarwood) some spicy, leathery, musky notes, and gives this perfume its unisex signature and addictive comfort.
It's not widely available so I had read so much about if before trying it. Everything about the description sounded completely up my alley and I love sandalwood notes in other perfumes, so I went in prepared to buy on my first scent. But when I tried it, it just smelled off to me.
Beyoncé wears Santal. Justin Bieber does. The New York Times ran a trend piece about how everyone in NYC was obsessed with this cult perfume. But I just didn't get it.
Santal candles featured in Lemonade
Recently on a work trip to LA (where I swear everyone I walked past was wearing Santal), the hotel I stayed at stocked Le Labo toiletries in all the rooms. I don't think I've ever tried harder to like a perfume. For almost a week, I wore Santal and tried again to learn to love it but I coundn't stop noticing a briny note like pickles. Something about the leather note they use just smells vinegary to me.
This perfume is the only thing Beyoncé has ever been wrong about.
But all those times I went to the Le Labo counter to try out Santal, I discovered some of their other perfumes and I think their most famous hit is the only one I don't like.
They're a small boutique perfume company that mixes high quality ingredients and their scents are all really unique and unlike anything else I've smelled in other brands. They mix them fresh in front of you, and even create a custom label.
After trying a few different scents, I settled on Lys 41 to take home (the # in the name indicates the number of oils blended in the scent). It's a big white floral scent, softened with cedar and subtle vanilla. It had that coconutty monoi scent that I've been so into this summer. It wears well without being too strong.
Previously, they've created a custom scent for every city they've opened a store in. I'm really excited about the upcoming release of the Toronto scent and fingers crossed that it doesn't smell like pickles.