Labdanum 18 / Ciste 18 (2006)
by Le Labo

So where’s the labdanum? Oh, I’m sure there’s some in there, but anyone expecting a labdanum-centered fragrance will be sorely disappointed here. Labdanum 18 is actually nothing other than an attenuated Musc Ravageur: Musc Ravageur “Lite,” if you like, composed by the same Maurice Roucel who did the superb original for Frederic Malle. Labdanum 18 is thus not only unoriginal, but conceptually misguided as well. As I see it, the whole point of Musc Ravageur is its over-the-top extravagance, its unabashed sensuality, and yes, an certain perverse gaudiness. To defang it as Roucel has done here is to render it pointless. There are plenty of other great spicy-sweet oriental fragrances out there at less than half Le Labo’s price. Without thinking about it I can name at least a half a dozen: Eau Lente, Shalimar, Jaïpur Homme, Maharanih, Shaal Nur, L’Air du Desert Marocain, and let's not forget, Musc Ravageur!

Why bother?

Musky butter? Well, Le Labo is famous for producing perfumes that only slightly resemble the names they give them. It's a mix of powderiness, sweetness, pepper, musk... very strange and in the league of oriental perfumes suited for the ladies. Decent.

I'm a bit anosmic to musks, but from what I do smell, this perfume is softly sweet and sexy! Very pleasing, close wearing too. Probably my favorite of this house so far!

Oh I love this. It really reminds me of many of the characteristics I love in Musc Ravageur, but without some of the more pungent spices, less animal notes, and a softer amber. It's wonderful when you want a smoother vanilla amber with hints of incense. It's warm and comforting. I wore it once from a sample, and ordered a whole bottle.

Simply put, Le Labo's Labdanum 18 smells like an expensive sweet-ish amber baby powder from top note to base note. It is is similar smell-wise Houbigant's Quelques Fleurs and just as horribly cloying and awful. Le Labo makes so many wonderful, original perfumes and I am perplexed that Labdanum 18 is one of theirs.

From what I can find, here are the notes for Labdanum 18: "labdanum (cistus) with a slightly animalic notes".

Labdanum 18 is a pleasant amber-ish skin scent that is sweet but not overbearingly so. The first two times I skin tested it, I noted a similarity with another fragrance, but for the life of me couldn't place it... it was something about the heart of L-18, at the point where a sweet floral note emerges and melds with the labdanum to create a buttery effect. It struck me tonight... the heart of L18 is very reminiscent of Helmut Lang EdC/EdP, only with the volume turned way down. This buttery floral/woody accord is the thrust of Helmut Lang, front and center. In L18 it is balanced with musk and amber.

Although it stays close to the skin, only a couple sprays are needed for the fragrance to last forever. High quality, but worth purchasing only if money is not a limiting factor. Even discontinued, Helmut Lang can be found for far less money.