Artiom Galinskii

Artiom Galinskii

Feb. 16, 2026

3/5

3

Honestly, I only just got to the Le Labo website, and I was curious how the manufacturer explains its fragrances. But, alas, I found nothing interesting. It turns out that the creative directors know: their fragrances don't match their names. And they mention this in almost every description. The texts accompanying the fragrances seem strange, but at the same time, they quite frankly tell you what's inside the bottle. Gaiac 10, for example, smells of white musk and birch tar, as well as woody smoke and light rose notes that hint at guaiac wood. But mostly it's still musk and birch tar. You can't call this fragrance clean. As for Tokyo, for me, someone who has never been to Japan, a rather clear image emerges: freshly washed linen drying over bonfire smoke. Or it's a snow-white bed with down pillows in a burned-down house. Interesting? Not to me, but perhaps someone might like such a contrast. Here, the contrasts are clearly separated, and it creates a feeling that the fragrance is unbalanced and nervous, although the composition itself is well-balanced, and guaiac holds a central place in this balance. It's just a shame it doesn't smell distinctly of guaiac - in my opinion, it's the most beautiful woody scent, and there simply aren't any worthy perfumes with it in the starring role, or I just don't know about them 🤔