Santal 33 vs Another 13: How They Differ

Santal 33 vs Another 13 comes down to smoke against skin. Santal 33 sets cardamom, iris and violet against a smoky accord of Australian sandalwood and cedarwood, and we tag it strong, for evening, autumn and winter.

Another 13 is the quieter of the two. It rests on ambroxyde, which the house calls a synthetic animal musk, with jasmine and moss for spike and shine, and we tag it moderate, for daily wear, work, spring and autumn. Both are Eau de Parfum fragrances in 50 ml, and we list both as unisex. The rest of this article puts them side by side and ends with who might start with which.

Santal 33 vs Another 13: the house's idea for each

Santal 33 is told as a scene. The house pictures a person alone on the wide plains of the American West at night, with firelight on the face and a soft desert wind around. Another 13 is told as a commission. It began in 2010 for AnOther Magazine, set in motion through the Colette boutique and through the magazine's editor-in-chief, Jefferson Hack. When Colette closed in December 2017, the perfume moved into the Classic Collection. The full story is in our article on the Another 13 notes.

The two names follow different logic. Le Labo's names often combine the principal raw material with the number of ingredients in the formula, and that is the pattern behind Santal 33. Another 13 starts from a magazine's commission and not from a raw material. As for who composed them, Le Labo credits no perfumer on its product pages and has no single house perfumer, so we name none.

Le Labo Santal 33 vs Another 13: the notes side by side

• Santal 33: cardamom, iris, violet, Australian sandalwood, cedarwood. The house adds spicy, leathery and musky nuances in its wording.
• Another 13: ambroxyde, jasmine, moss. The house calls ambroxyde a synthetic animal musk.

Both lists are flat, with no top, heart or base, so we compare the contents and not the phases. Santal 33 has five materials and Another 13 has three. They share no material. Santal 33 lists two woods and no musk, while Another 13 lists a musk and no wood. The only point of contact is wording: the house mentions musky nuances for Santal 33 and builds Another 13 on a musk.

In practice that means two kinds of scent. The first pairs spice and soft, powdery florals with dry wood and smoke. The second is a musky floral with a green edge, which is how moss is usually described. Woody and floral are two of the eight styles explained in our guide to fragrance families.

Concentration, size, intensity and season

• Santal 33: Eau de Parfum, 50 ml, tagged strong; evening and special occasions; autumn and winter; woody, spicy and leather.
• Another 13: Eau de Parfum, 50 ml, tagged moderate; daily wear and work; spring and autumn; musky and floral.

Concentration and size are identical, so the difference in intensity comes from the materials and not from the concentration. The seasons overlap in autumn, the one time of year when either would fit. Neither perfume has another concentration or size in our catalogue.

Intensity tags change how a perfume is worn more than the concentration does. A strong perfume such as Santal 33 asks for a light hand, and two sprays on warm skin, at the neck and the wrists, are a sensible amount. Another 13, tagged moderate, is meant to stay near the wearer, so one or two sprays on clean skin are enough. Both bottles follow the house's usual format: a label with a place, a date of preparation and a name, and a refill programme for the 50 ml and 100 ml sizes.

Santal 33 or Another 13: who might start with which

This is a matter of taste and setting, not of ranking. If you like dry, smoky woods with a touch of spice, and you wear perfume mostly in the evening or in cool weather, Santal 33 is the natural place to begin. If you want a musk perfume that stays calm in the office, in mild weather and on ordinary days, Another 13 matches that description more closely. Both carry our unisex label, so neither is tied to one audience.

Someone who finds sweet or heavy perfumes tiring may like either, for different reasons: Santal 33 is dry rather than sweet, and Another 13 is quiet rather than heavy. If the description does not settle it, the question of how close you want the scent to stay is a useful guide.

If you like these, try the rest of the house

Two other Le Labo perfumes sit close to one or the other. Rose 31 lists musk alongside Centifolia rose, cumin, olibanum, cedar, amber, gaïac wood and cistus, and it shares Santal 33's strong intensity and its tags for autumn and winter.

Thé Noir 29 lists cedarwood and musk with bergamot, fig, bay leaves, vetiver and black tea leaves. Its moderate intensity and its tags for daily wear, work, spring and autumn match those of Another 13, and it lists a cedar note, as Santal 33 does.

To keep looking, explore the range by scent, or browse the woody perfumes, the musky perfumes and the whole Le Labo collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Santal 33 and Another 13?

Santal 33 lists cardamom, iris, violet, Australian sandalwood and cedarwood, and we tag it strong. Another 13 lists ambroxyde, jasmine and moss, and we tag it moderate. One is smoky wood, the other a quiet musk.

Santal 33 or Another 13: which suits which season?

By our tags, Santal 33 suits autumn and winter, evenings and special occasions. Another 13 suits spring and autumn, daily wear and work. Autumn is the season the two share.

Do Santal 33 and Another 13 share any notes?

Their lists share no material: Santal 33 has cardamom, iris, violet, sandalwood and cedarwood, Another 13 has ambroxyde, jasmine and moss. The only contact is wording: the house mentions musky nuances for Santal 33.