Santal 33 Dupes 2026: 7 Clones vs the Original
Seven Santal 33 dupes compared on notes, character and price, with where each one drifts from the original, or wear Le Labo's own as a 3ml decant.
In this guide
Quick answer
The best Santal 33 dupe overall is Woody Sandalwood by Dossier, which lists the cardamom, violet, cedar and sandalwood of the original. Palo Santo by Cremo is closest on the dry-down, and Sandal Abiyad by Afnan has the lowest price. Want the real thing? Santal 33 is €47.61 for a 10ml decant at 10ML.
7 alternatives compared below · prices checked 27 September 2026
The ranking
- Woody Sandalwood€39.00 50ml
- Palo Santo€39.95 100ml
- Sandal Abiyad€20.00 100ml
- Energetically New YorkNo EU price
- Simply SantalNo EU price
- TivedenNo EU price
- Bois de Balincourt€115.00 50ml
Prefer the original?
Santal 33
Le LaboDecanted from the original bottle
The alternatives: €0.20–€2.30/ml in other shops, checked 27 September 2026
What does Santal 33 smell like?
Santal 33 is a Le Labo scent from 2011, worn by men and women alike. It opens on a dry spark of cardamom lifted by violet, a powdery, slightly green flower that keeps the start from feeling heavy. The heart is where its character sits: Virginia cedar and papyrus, a pairing that smells like pencil shavings and warm paper. Underneath, sandalwood gives the creamy body, leather adds a worn, soft-hide edge and amber rounds the finish.
A recurring minority of Fragrantica members describe a sour, pickle-like facet on their own skin; nobody can predict whether you are one of them, which is the best argument for trying it before buying anything. Le Labo sells only one concentration of it, so there is no stronger or lighter version to compare the clones against.
Santal 33 alternatives compared
Bottle prices in other shops, as checked 27 September 2026
Bottle photos: fragrantica.com, uk.cremocompany.com, saudi.afnan.com, fragrancereview.com, altfragrances.com, fragrantica.com, fragrantica.com
Compare two side by side
Pick any two perfumes from this guide. It opens on the original against the #1 pick.
- Its Fragrantica pyramid lists violet leaves, cardamom, cedar, ambroxan, orris, sandalwood and amber, and Santal 33 is the first perfume in its 'People who like this also like' list. Woody Sandalwood by Dossier (Fragrantica)
- A Parfumo member write-up describes cardamom, violet leaf and cedarwood drying down to iris, musk and amber. Woody Sandalwood, member write-up (Parfumo)
- Santal 33 costs less up front: €17.01 against €39.00.
- Woody Sandalwood gives you more perfume: 50ml against 3ml.
- 10ML has not worn these two side by side; each claim above names its source.
How much do I need?
Enter how often you plan to wear Santal 33 and how many sprays you use.
You need about 6ml (120 sprays).
For this much wear, decants of Santal 33 cost less than Woody Sandalwood: €34.02 against €39.00.
An estimate: 10ML sizes hold about 60 sprays (3ml), 200 (10ml) and 600 (30ml), about 20 a ml. Atomisers vary, so treat the figures as a guide. Prices exclude delivery.
Two worked examples
A month of weekends
8 wears at 3 sprays each. You need about 1.2ml (24 sprays). Lowest cost at 10ML: 1 × 3ml for €17.01, with about 1.8ml left over. For this much wear, decants of Santal 33 cost less than Woody Sandalwood: €17.01 against €39.00.
Every day for a year
365 wears at 4 sprays each. You need about 73ml (1,460 sprays). Lowest cost at 10ML: 2 × 30ml + 1 × 10ml + 1 × 3ml for €311.50, with about 0ml left over. For this much wear, Woody Sandalwood costs less than decants of Santal 33: €78.00 against €311.50. It is a different perfume, not the original.
Open the full-size image in a new tabBest overall: Woody Sandalwood
Woody Sandalwood by Dossier reads the brief most completely. Its published pyramid has violet leaves and cardamom at the top, cedar in the heart and sandalwood with amber in the base, so the dry spice, the pencil-shaving wood and the creamy finish of the original are all on paper. It also lists orris and ambroxan, two notes Le Labo named in its own launch text for Santal 33.
The main difference is the finish. Its list has no leather: the base closes on musk and amber instead, and a Parfumo member describes it drying down to iris, musk and amber. So the base reads cleaner and smoother, with less of the hide. If the leather is what you love, you will miss it.
It suits someone who wants the Santal 33 mood for the office and weekends without thinking about it. The basis is a named source: on Fragrantica, Santal 33 is the first perfume in its list of scents liked by the same people, and a Parfumo member's write-up traces the same cardamom, violet leaf and cedar opening.
Why this pick?Sources: 2
Basis: Named source
- Its Fragrantica pyramid lists violet leaves, cardamom, cedar, ambroxan, orris, sandalwood and amber, and Santal 33 is the first perfume in its 'People who like this also like' list. Woody Sandalwood by Dossier (Fragrantica)
- A Parfumo member write-up describes cardamom, violet leaf and cedarwood drying down to iris, musk and amber. Woody Sandalwood, member write-up (Parfumo)
Closest on the dry-down: Palo Santo
Palo Santo by Cremo is a much simpler composition on paper: palo santo, papyrus and cardamom. Two of those three, papyrus and cardamom, are shared with Santal 33, and the papyrus is the reason it lands where it does. The warm-paper dryness of the original's heart is what most clones leave out, and Cremo keeps it.
The main difference is the opening and the depth. Violet and sandalwood are not on its list, and the composition as listed is far simpler. The comparison with the original is strongest once it has settled on skin.
It suits a daily, no-fuss wearer who mostly smells their perfume in the afternoon rather than at the first spray. The basis is a named source: a member writing on the Santal 33 page on Fragrantica says they wore Cremo for years before learning of the link and finds the dry-down very similar, while calling the original the better-made of the two. A Fragrantica forum thread goes further and says even the pickle facet comes through, which is worth knowing if that facet is the part you dislike.
Why this pick?Sources: 3
Basis: Named source
- A member on the Santal 33 page says they wore Cremo Palo Santo for years before learning it was modelled on Santal 33, and finds the dry-down very similar, with the original the higher-quality of the two. Santal 33 by Le Labo (Fragrantica)
- A Fragrantica forum thread calls the similarity to Santal 33 very apparent, including the polarising pickle facet. Cremo Palo Santo cologne, worthy Santal 33 dupe (Fragrantica forum)
- Its listing gives palo santo, papyrus and cardamom. Palo Santo by Cremo (Fragrantica)
Lowest price: Sandal Abiyad
Sandal Abiyad by Afnan is the least expensive bottle in the table by some distance, and it is here as a sandalwood-and-amber option rather than a close stand-in. The shared ground is exactly those two notes: a dry, pale sandalwood that warms into a resinous amber.
The main difference is everything else. There is no cardamom, no violet, no papyrus and no leather in what wearers describe, so the spicy lift and the leathery edge of Santal 33 are both missing. It is linear: what you smell after a few minutes is broadly what you smell hours later.
It suits someone who likes the creamy wood at the bottom of Santal 33 and wants a relaxed everyday sandalwood without the controversy of the original's sour facet. The basis is inferred from notes, not from a named comparison: a Parfumo member's write-up describes the sandalwood and amber, and does not mention Santal 33 at all. Treat it as the value pick for the wood, not for the whole perfume.
Why this pick?Sources: 1
Basis: Inferred from published notes
- A Parfumo member write-up describes a linear, dry sandalwood that turns spicy with amber-resinous nuances; it shares sandalwood and amber with Santal 33 and does not name the original. Sandal Abiyad, member write-up (Parfumo)
Fresher take: Energetically New York
Energetically New York by Zara keeps the cardamom-to-sandalwood arc of the original and slips jasmine into the middle. That floral heart replaces the cedar and papyrus, and it changes the temperature of the whole scent.
The main difference is brightness. Where Santal 33 is dry and a little dusty, this one reads clean and fresh rather than creamy, and a member on Parfumo notes that the pickle facet is absent. It loses the leather and the woody weight in the process.
It suits warmer weather, when the original can feel heavy, and anyone who wants a light sandalwood for the day. The basis is a named source: on its Parfumo page, the community's list of similar scents puts Santal 33 first, and a Parfumo member's write-up calls it a fresh rather than creamy sandalwood. Zara's shop pages could not be read on the check date, so the table has no price for it.
Why this pick?Sources: 3
Basis: Named source
- Parfumo's community 'Smells similar' list puts Santal 33 first; a member finds it clearly similar but without the pickle facet. N°01 Energetically New York by Zara (Parfumo)
- A Parfumo member write-up calls it a clean, fresh rather than creamy sandalwood. Energetically New York, member write-up (Parfumo)
- Fragrantica lists cardamom, jasmine and sandalwood. Energetically New York by Zara (Fragrantica)
Softer take: Simply Santal
Simply Santal by ALT. Fragrances is aimed squarely at the Santal 33 accord, and Fragrantica members say it gets very close in character. The shared ground is the sandalwood core and the overall dry, woody silhouette.
The main difference is volume. It is a quieter, lighter take, and wearers on Fragrantica mention it fading sooner than they would like, which is the complaint that comes up most. Some of them use it alongside the original rather than instead of it.
It suits someone who finds Santal 33 too loud in a small office or a shared space and wants the same outline at a lower volume. The basis is a named source: member comments on its Fragrantica page describe it as very close to Santal 33 and say it layers well with it. ALT. publishes its prices in US dollars only, so the table shows no EU list price.
Why this pick?Sources: 1
Basis: Named source
- Fragrantica member write-ups say it smells very close to Santal 33 and layers well with it, with staying power the main complaint. Simply Santal by ALT. Fragrances (Fragrantica)
Darker take: Tiveden
Tiveden by Zara has a short pyramid: cardamom at the top, sandalwood in the heart, then leather and musk. Cardamom, sandalwood and leather are three of the original's notes, and the leather is the one most clones drop.
The main difference is the missing violet. Without that powdery lift at the top, the scent goes straight from spice to wood and hide, so it reads drier and darker than Santal 33, with the leathery edge moved closer to the front. There is no papyrus either, so the paper note of the original's heart is not there.
It suits evenings and cold weather, and anyone who loves the leather in Santal 33 more than its flowers. The basis is a named source: in a Fragrantica forum thread, a member calls Tiveden very close to Santal 33 and one other member agrees; its Fragrantica pyramid shows the shared notes. As with the other Zara pick, there is no EU list price in the table.
Why this pick?Sources: 2
Basis: Named source
- In a Fragrantica forum thread asking for a Santal 33 dupe, a member calls Tiveden very close to Santal 33 and one other member agrees. Le Labo Santal 33 dupe? (Fragrantica forum)
- Its Fragrantica pyramid lists cardamom, sandalwood, leather and musk, with no violet or iris. Tiveden by Zara (Fragrantica)
Premium alternative: Bois de Balincourt
Bois de Balincourt by Maison Louis Marie is not built as a Santal 33 alternative; it is an independent niche perfume that people keep comparing to it. The shared notes are sandalwood, cedar and amber, the wood-and-warmth frame of the original.
The main difference is the spice. Nutmeg, cinnamon and vetiver sit where Santal 33 has violet, papyrus and leather, so it smells warmer and sweeter-spiced, with none of the floral powder and none of the sour edge. A Parfumo member finds it less dense and more subtle than Santal 33.
It suits someone who wants a sandalwood with its own name on it rather than a stand-in, and who is happy to pay closer to niche money for that. The basis is a named source: on its Parfumo page the community's list of similar scents puts Santal 33 first, and its Fragrantica pyramid lists the shared woods.
Why this pick?Sources: 2
Basis: Named source
- Parfumo's community 'Smells similar' list puts Santal 33 first; a member finds it less dense and more subtle than Santal 33. No.04 Bois de Balincourt by Maison Louis Marie (Parfumo)
- Its Fragrantica pyramid lists sandalwood and cedar, nutmeg, vetiver and cinnamon, then amberwood. No.04 Bois de Balincourt (Fragrantica)
Authentic alternatives we stock
Original perfumes that share part of Santal 33's woods, each as a 3ml, 10ml or 30ml decant.
Diptyque
Tam Dao
Sandalwood and cedar over musk, vanilla and amber, with a lime and ginger start; creamier and more polished.
3ml · 10ml · 30ml
Atelier des Ors
Iris Fauve
Iris and violet sliding into leather, musk, amber and sandalwood, brightened by grapefruit.
3ml · 10ml · 30ml
Prada
Prada L'Homme
Cardamom, iris and violet over cedar, sandalwood and amber; cleaner and soapier.
3ml · 10ml · 30ml
What every clone gets wrong
Each pick keeps one or two parts of Santal 33 and lets the others go. The combination is the hard bit: cardamom and violet at the top, cedar and papyrus in the middle, and leather under the sandalwood at the end. No clone here lists all of them.
| Clone | Keeps | Leaves out |
|---|---|---|
| Woody Sandalwood | Cardamom, violet, cedar, sandalwood, amber | Papyrus, leather |
| Palo Santo | Papyrus, cardamom | Violet, sandalwood, leather |
| Sandal Abiyad | Sandalwood, amber | Cardamom, violet, papyrus, leather |
| Energetically New York | Cardamom, sandalwood | Violet, cedar, papyrus, leather |
| Simply Santal | Sandalwood | The detail of the pyramid |
| Tiveden | Cardamom, sandalwood, leather | Violet, cedar, papyrus |
| Bois de Balincourt | Sandalwood, cedar, amber | Cardamom, violet, papyrus, leather |
The part most of them miss is the leather. It is what makes Santal 33 smell lived-in rather than simply woody, and only Tiveden keeps it. The second thing that goes is the papyrus, the dry-paper note that Palo Santo alone holds on to. What the lists offer instead, in most cases, is a cleaner sandalwood. That can be a good thing; it is simply a different perfume.
Is a 10ml decant of Santal 33 worth it over a clone?
A 10ml decant of Santal 33 is €47.61, around 200 sprays, filled from Le Labo's own bottle. A 3ml at €17.01 gives you around 60 sprays, enough for a week or two of real wear, and a 30ml at €123.44 works out at €4.11/ml, around 600 sprays. The table above lets you set those figures against a full clone bottle. If you wear a sandalwood every day, a clone bottle goes further for the money; if you want the original's leather and papyrus, only the original has them.
Our guides to what a perfume decant is and decants versus a full bottle cover the sizes in more detail.
Authentic alternatives with the same woods
If the clones feel too far from Santal 33, three perfumes we stock share a real part of its structure. Tam Dao by Diptyque, composed by Daniel Moliere, puts sandalwood and cedar at its heart over musk, vanilla and amber, with lime, coriander and ginger at the start: creamier and more polished, with no leather. Iris Fauve by Atelier des Ors, by Marie Salamagne, runs iris and violet into leather, musk, amber and sandalwood, the floral-to-leather axis of Santal 33 in a brighter form topped with grapefruit. Prada L'Homme by Prada shares cardamom, violet, cedar, sandalwood and amber with it, in a cleaner, soapier style led by iris and neroli.
Our guide to what sandalwood smells like explains the wood behind all of them, and unisex perfumes worth sharing has more woods in the same easy register.
How to test a dupe
Test on skin, not on paper. A blotter shows you the opening; it tells you almost nothing about the dry-down, which is where Santal 33 and its clones differ most. Spray once on the inside of the wrist and leave it alone.
Give it time. Smell it again after lunch and once more in the evening. The leather, the papyrus and the sour facet some people notice all come through well after the first spray, and a clone that impresses at minute one can flatten by the afternoon.
Wear the original and the clone on different days rather than one on each wrist. Two sandalwoods on one body blur into each other, and you end up judging the combination. A 3ml of Santal 33 is enough for several full days, which gives you a fair reference for whichever clone you are considering. Weather matters too: a fresher clone may win on a hot day simply because of the heat.
Clone or original? What to know first
- Can I try Santal 33 in 3ml before choosing?
- 10ML fills Santal 33 from the original bottle in 3ml, 10ml and 30ml sizes; the 3ml costs €17.01 and gives around 60 sprays.
- Which Santal 33 dupe leads this guide?
- Woody Sandalwood by Dossier is the best overall pick in this guide: its published notes share cardamom, violet, cedar, sandalwood and amber with Santal 33, though its base is cleaner and has no leather.
- Is a Santal 33 dupe worth it, or can you tell the difference?
- Most clones keep the sandalwood and some of the spice but drop the leather or the papyrus, so the dry-down is usually where you notice the difference. Wearing a 3ml of the original first gives you a fair reference.
- Is Zara Energetically New York a close Santal 33 alternative?
- It is a fresher take rather than a close stand-in: it keeps the cardamom and sandalwood but swaps the cedar, papyrus and leather for jasmine, so it reads clean and bright where Santal 33 is dry and dusty.
- Why does Santal 33 smell like pickle on some people?
- A recurring minority of wearers on Fragrantica describe a sour, pickle-like facet on their own skin. It is not a listed note, and nobody can predict whether you will notice it, which is a good reason to try the original on skin before buying a bottle.
- Which picks here stay closest to Santal 33?
- Woody Sandalwood by Dossier, Palo Santo by Cremo and Tiveden by Zara are the closest picks in this guide. Among perfumes 10ML stocks, Tam Dao, Iris Fauve and Prada L'Homme share part of its sandalwood, cedar, violet or leather.
- Do Santal 33 clones cost less than a bottle of the original?
- Clone bottles cost less than a bottle of the original; the dated table in this guide lists their prices. You can also wear the original first: a 10ml decant of Santal 33 is €47.61 at 10ML.
- How long does Santal 33 last on skin?
- Parfumo's community scores its longevity and sillage above the middle of the site's scale, but skin, weather and how much you spray all change it, so it is worth wearing a small size for a few days first.
Sources
- Santal 33 by Le Labo (Fragrantica)
- Santal 33 by Le Labo (Parfumo)
- Woody Sandalwood by Dossier (Fragrantica)
- Palo Santo by Cremo (Fragrantica)
- N°01 Energetically New York by Zara (Parfumo)
- Simply Santal by ALT. Fragrances (Fragrantica)
- Tiveden by Zara (Fragrantica)
- No.04 Bois de Balincourt by Maison Louis Marie (Parfumo)
How we compared
Each alternative is ranked by how closely it follows the notes and dry-down of Santal 33, on the basis shown for it in the table. Prices in other shops are as checked on 27 September 2026 and change often; the 10ML prices on this page are live.
10ML is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Le Labo or by the houses of the alternatives named here. Their names are used only to identify the perfumes compared.
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