What is the Best Le Labo Perfume? Cosmo Editors Sniffed, Ranked, and Reviewed the Top Scents

If you love scents like Glossier You, Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume, or Phlur Missing Person, you'll love this aldehydic fragrance from Le Labo. It's the newest scent from the brand and quickly made its way in the ranks as one of my favorites upon first sniff. It's clean and paper-like, but with a powdery lipstick-esque top from the violet and rose notes. Plus, there's a little bit of spicy cumin that alerts your nose upon a sniff. The dry-down, though, is leather-y and warm, with palo santo and cedar turning this fragrance away from being a true floral. It's like if Le Labo made a totally unisex, expensive, extremely chic laundry detergent.

You can't roundup the best perfumes without a mention of Le Labo's most famous fragrance, Santal 33. At this point, it's the quintessential woodsy scent that's been duped time and time again, but the original will forever one of my favorites. Yes, it's chock-full of sandalwood and cedar for that fresh chopped wood scent (some even say it smells like a just-sharpened pencil), but it's also blended with warm amber and spicy cardamom that help it smell a bit more perfume-y than legit wood to me.

Some might find Santal 33 "basic" or overworn. And yes, sure, I probably smell at least one person wearing this every single day in NYC. But (!) there's a reason people are obsessed with the scent: Because it smells damn good. (FYI tho: If you want a similar scent for a lil cheaper that isn't as well-known, try Maison Louis Marie Bois de Balincourt—it's one of my go-tos and people constantly say I smell like Santal 33, but a lil sweeter).

I'm all about a full-on aromatherapy moment with my perfume. Like, lemme spritz on some zen, okay?! Lavande 31 is a scent I'll definitely be keeping by my bedside to wear to sleep because it just smells like a chic, expensive spa. The lavender note is totally front and center, but it's balanced by bright citrus and warm and rich amber and tonka. It's super smooth and blended to perfection, which is exactly what makes it perfect for bedtime. I won't lie awake picking apart the fragrance; it simply smells fresh and light.

Everyone loved the fig/tea vibes of Thé Noir so much that Le Labo developed Thé Matcha, a fig/matcha fragrance. But to me, it's kind of like if every single Le Labo perfume got together and had a baby. It's earthy and woody, yet green and citrus, but also warm and cozy. It's a gourmand, but not in a sickly sweet way. Instead, it veers more toasted and creamy.

To me, it's a skin scent, meaning it sits really close to your skin and just mimics your body's natural chemistry. So if you want something with major sillage, this prob won't be your favorite. But I love catching little whiffs of myself throughout the day when I'm wearing this.

Listen, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not super into rose perfumes. They tend to smell powdery and mature IMO. That said, I'll always make an exception for Rose 31 because it's so light and not at all cloying or heavy. It's so traditionally feminine and elegant, to the point that I could see myself wearing it on my wedding day (a decision more daunting than the person I'm marrying, tbh). Legit the only downside to the airy, lightweight quality of Rose 31 is that it only lasts a few hours on me—womp—so I always carry a lil travel size to reapply throughout the day.

If you like a strong, heavy floral that smells like it's practically blooming as you wear it, sniff Lys 41. It's filled with classic floral notes (jasmine, tuberose, and lily), but is grounded by musk and vanilla so it has a very mature, elegant vibe. It's a bit too heady for my tastes when worn on its own, so I prefer punching up the sweet notes by pairing it with a strong vanilla perfume like Kayali Vanilla 28 (this is actually a v common layering perfume with Lys 41, FYI!) to make it a bit more grounded and smooth. But I won't deny, she's a beast—of all the Le Labo perfumes I've tried, this is definitely the most long lasting.

Bergamote 22 smells like if you mixed a designer perfume with one of those all-natural cleaning sprays... but like, in the best way? It smells like my most productive Sunday: Clean kitchen, fresh sheets, podcast going in the background. The citrus notes are a bit more medicinal and sharp than a usual bright, bursting fruity note, which gives it that cleaning-supplies vibe that some might find a bit strong (meaning you might wanna grab a sample of this before buying it blind if you're unsure). But I actually love it—the vetiver addition makes it a bit spicier and smoother.