Hello Redditors of r/fragrance! Allow me to share my review with regards to Le Labo Santal 33.
I have recently been buying a crap ton of decants of perfumes that I have wanted to buy for the longest time and I was able to secure a decant that was fairly priced. As we all know Santal 33 is Le Labo’s most famous fragrance and I just was so excited of finally getting a sniff of it lmao. Also I am in no ways an expert in identifying notes and all that as I am still on the process of learning how to do it.
At first spray (I sprayed at my cubital fossa [the opposite side of the elbow “knee”] before I went to sleep) I was blasted with a strong woody, medicinal smell. It smelt like crushed guava leaves and I was like WTFFFFF 😭 I was so shocked because it somehow brought me back to that time when I was still a kid, smelling freshly mushed guava leaves used for cooking as I sit in one corner of our dining table. I guess that was the smell of sandalwood? It was very earthy and somewhat calming. Like it was a scent that can make headaches go away, if that makes sense.
It was too earthy for me at that point and I really hoped that the dry down will surprise me. Lo and behold, after an hour or so, it started releasing this sweet, powdery floral scent? It was so nice for my untrained nose and I was shooked at how relaxing it smelt. Like flowers enveloping you in comfort lmao. It made me light-headed for real 😂 like my mind was difted into pure serenity.
I woke up like 9 AM and smelt this amazing unexplainable scent?? I checked the Fragrantica profile of the fragrance and it had amber as the sole base note. I dove my nose to the cubital fossa after smelling the aroma and it was just heaven 😭 it subsided into a delectable and extremely elegant aroma I have never smelt beforeeeeee. It was the type of smell that gives you a good and comfortable feeling and it was somewhat very sexy also? Istg if I smelt that on a man, I would be on my knees 😏.
Overall, I thought I would be disappointed because I saw a lot of comments from reviewers that it smelt like pickle juice and it was basic, linear scent. Maybe it’s my untrained nose but this fragrance is THE BOMB! It is a fragrance that commands attention and should be worn by a person who knows his or her worth. Kudos to those who rock this fragrance and use it as their signature scent. It is a lovely and powerful elixir! I can’t wait to try Le Labo’s other selections!
