Le Labo Perfume is a new niche perfume shop in NYC. Robin at NST posted about their opening a week or so ago. With the noses they have working for them, these had to be great things, so I ordered the small bottles of Ciste 18, Fleur D’Oranger 27, Vetiver 46, and they sent me a sample of the Rose 31.
Le Labo Fleur D’Oranger 27 — Orange blossom, musk, bergamot, petit grain and lemon are the notes. My nose has pronounced it absolutely gorgeous. A great orange blossom, as good as L’Artisan’s solifore, but with a little more depth and magic to it. This one is a true keeper, just heavenly. If you aren’t a fan of orange flower, this one probably won’t change your mind, but it is a nice earthy orange blossom, definitely not too sweet, so it might be one that works for you.
Le Labo Vetiver 46 — Notes of Haitian vetiver, pepper, gaiac, labdanum, cedar, and olibanum. This is for a man, but it sounded gorgeous from the notes. It may be my skin, but it just doesn’t work for me at all. Just tangy pungent medicinal smell, not me at all. If I don’t put my nose down too close to it, it’s not as horrible as I think it is, but put the nose close, and it’s just, well, not me. I’m sparing any unkind words only because I’m thinking at this point it’s just a reaction to my skin or my nose and this really isn’t this unlovely.
Le Labo Rose 31 – Grasse rose, cumin, olibanum, cedar, amber, gaiac wood, cistus and animalic notes. Sniffing this out of the
bottle, what a stunner it should be. Put it on, perfectly gorgeous. Then something bad happened after about 15 minutes. I was sent twirling back through the space/time continuum and landed in Dr. Heisterman’s office, looking at the cheap little rings and wailing inconsolably while he gave me a very hated shot. How in the heck did that happen? The rose wilted, and it was just Eau de Doctor’s Office.
Okay, this can’t be right at all. So we are trying it again, but this time we shook up the little tester to make sure it was all mixed up properly, and now we have a beautiful, cedary rose that would be great for a guy (this is intended for guys). It’s not sweet, but it is rosy in an elegant, understated way. I do think mixing is key, so turn the tube a few times before you apply on some of these, or you may wind up in the wrong spot in your life weeping copiously.
Le Labo Ciste 18 – oriental notes, with animal intonations of civet and castoreum. I have no idea why I ordered this one. I’m not a skank girl. I mean, I can be a skanky girl, but I generally like my skank cleaned up a little. This ain’t bad as your skank goes (sorry, in Nashville, they’re rubbing off on me. I’m afixin to get Southern by the end of today). For those of you that like your perfume to show up in peek-a-boo pnaties, you’ll like this one. I like it, even though it’s not my normal style. I agree with Marina that it has a very definite Musc Ravageur likeness. And it sticks like glue. I woke up this morning with just that one remaining all over everything.
So out of the four, the Ciste and the Fleur D’Oranger are definite winners. As long as the doctor’s office doesn’t show up in the Rose 31 one again, I could learn to really love that one too. The Vetiver just wasn’t me. I don’t know who it would be, and I don’t think I want to know who it would be or meet them ever in a dark alley or anywhere there isn’t a priest present, and I hope I just got a bad mix.
Now I very much want to try some others in the Le Labo perfumeline. They are planning on offering a sampler pack in the next month or so.
Katie, I think you will adore the Ciste. I wish that particular thing was something I liked better than at a distance, but it’s very well made and elegant, I think it will be a big seller for them.
I didn’t find the orange blossom that sweet overall, but I’m not sure that I trust me on this because I *adore* orange blossom, and nothing much can stand in my way of loving it in everything.:d
Oooh, cannot wait til their sample pack is available! Well, I mean, I WILL wait, but still… can’t wait to try these soon! You made that Ciste sound irresistable, and I say that after reading Marina’s unusual experience with it acting so shifty for her.
Is the petigrain note in the orange blossom scent very sweet in the balance of it? Or do you think it’d be okay for those of us who don’t like things too sweet usually?
March, I think you will love the Fleur D’Oranger and the Ciste.
Robin, I wonder if I got a bad batch of the Vetiver? I normally like vetiver, but this just smells so bad in the bottle and on me. I thought the Fleur D’Oranger was really lovely. Maybe you got a bad batch of that? It remindes me a lot of the L’Artisan, just not quite a soaring, but not in a bad way at all.
Marina, try and get a sample. I am almost convinced I have a bad Vetiver. Normally Robin and I like a lot of the same scents, so if she likes it, it can’t be as bad as I think it is.
I cannot wait to try more. I am really liking my Ciste 18. Do you think Vetiver 46 might be “me”? Or is so vile that even I won;t like it? 😕
I like the Vetiver more than you do, but so far my biggest loves are the Rose, Bergamote, & Patchouli. Still playing though. The Fleur d’Oranger was not love at first sight but haven’t given up yet. It doesn’t have the same sparkle as the L’Artisan, does it?
Patty — two of these sound absolutely wonderful! The Oranger is right up my alley; the Ciste also sounds really interesting. The vetiver/cedar thing sounds like it is the exact opposite of anything I’d ever like.
Sounds very interesting! I am especially curious about Fleur d’Oranger.
yeah, Ciste is actually good. It’s not really for me, but I admire it and I know others who would love it.
I am wanting the sampler pack to test the rest, but I won’t buy anything else until then, except the Fleur D’Oranger, which I really loved.
You sure the Ciste is a winner, because from what you wrote, P, it doesn’t sound like it is.
Now that a few of you have commented on the line, I don’t think I am that interested in testing it…at least for now. :”>
I may be able to read that Spanish. Send it over and I’ll try to tell you what it says.
Hugs!