Le Labo Santal 33 is my forever fave but these similarly warm and woody scents might just way me

While Santal 33 is regarded as one of the best perfumes on the market, alas it does not come cheap. Thankfully though, TikTok TikToked—supplying us with a number of Le Labo Santal 33 dupes to rival the iconic unisex skin scent.

As a wearer of Santal 33 myself—which also just so happens to be Niall Horan's cologne of choice—I can attest to the hype. The blend of cardamon, Australian sandalwood, cedarwood, iris and violet really does deserve its 'Quiet Luxury' perfume status. But for all its many positive attributes, it is definitely what you would call an investment buy.

Luckily though, there are a few affordable swaps to the famous fragrance out there that smell almost identical and are backed by TikTok...

Our top Le Labo Santal 33 dupes

• Cremo Palo Santo Cologne: TikTok's fave dupe for Santal 33
• ZARA Energetically New York: Shares all the base notes of Santal 33
• 7 Virtues Santal Vanille: TikTok recommended as a smokey but sweet option
• Clean Reserve Sel Santal: Features hints of violet, sandalwood and spices
• Dossier Woody Sandalwood: Literally inspired by Santal 33 but for just under $50
• Maison Margiela 'Replica' Autumn Vibes: Brings all those warm, cozy fall vibes
• Byredo De Los Santos: Shares the same chic musky and woody notes

How we chose our Le Labo Santal 33 dupes

When scouring the web to find scents worthy of being dubbed a 'dupe' or alternative of Le Labo's Santal 33, we had a list of criteria that needed to be met; similar notes, vibes and of course, having received the seal of approval from other Santal 33 stans.

In terms of perfume notes, the standouts for Le Labo are warm sandalwood, cedarwood and floral hints of violet and iris. So, a scent with a combination of these aromas—especially the key notes of sandalwood—is likely to have a similar dry down or overall vibe to Le Labo's hero perfume.

And speaking of vibe, the scent is also very warm and cozy, basically the epitome of fall vibes, meaning a swap needs to invoke similarly comforting and toasty feelings. So, we only gave the time of day to musky and spicy fragrances, with the above scents blends and spent a lot of time scrolling TikTok and product reviews for any dupe-related praise...

The 9 best Le Labo Santal 33 dupes

What TikTok says about Le Labo Santal 33 dupes

Le Labo 33 is a perfume like Glossier You, in the way that it perfectly melts into the skin, creating a musky aroma that is warm, complex and totally irresistible. Naturally, the hype around it has made a very coveted scent, but it will set you back $230 for 1.7 fluid ounces...

Fret not though, as perfume-lovers on TikTok have found a few close alternatives, for a fraction of the OG's price.

@kmanrara

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One of the most popular scents swaps for Santal on the app is Cremo Palo Santo, which is around the $20 mark and boasts notes of cardamom and dry papyrus. One Amazon shopper even said in their review: "Great inexpensive dupe if you love le labo santal 33. Smells almost identical just a tad bit sweeter/less smoky. But the main scent is spot on."

Cremo Palo Santo is also available in a body wash (available at Amazon) which is perfect for perfume layering and helping your perfume last longer!

User @anastasiasovah also dubbed The 7 Virtues Santal Vanille perfume a dupe, describing it as 'more creamy and wearable' than Santal 33—so, if you find Le Labo's offering a bit too musky, this sweeter option might be right up your alley! The scent itself features a similar spice blend of sandalwood, with myrrh and hints of coconut and vanilla.

@anastasiasovah

♬ original sound - Anastasia

TikToker @makeupsessions shared a video describing the Maison Louis Marie No.04 Bois de Balincourt Perfume Oil as another long-lasting and affordable dupe—with its dreamy mix of sandalwood, vetiver and amber wood.

@makeupsessions

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A N Other WD/2018 is also known to be a close contender to Santal 33, though it's not as easily accessible in the US as the other scent matches. For our UK readers though, M&S' 'Warmth' Apothecary scent was also amongst TikTok's dupe recommendations!

So, if you've always wanted to try Le Labo's scent but it's a little out of your price range—or you just want to build your collection of woody perfumes—why not add one of these TikTok-tried and tested smellies to your wishlist? And in case you're also a lover of Le Labo's Another 13, there are also a few tried and tested alternatives out there, for equally affordable prices!