Le Labo Santal 33 costs £238 for 100ml at John Lewis. Even the tiny 15ml is £75. Our version, Santal Thirty Three, is £40 for 50ml. Same creamy sandalwood, leather and spice DNA. It is a 35% Extrait, disclosed in writing, with a 7+ hour wear guarantee. If you can tell the difference, send it back within 60 days for your money back.
Quick verdict: buy the original if you want the cult New York label and money is no object. Buy ours if you want the smoke, the sandalwood and the skin-like warmth without the £238 receipt. The £6.99 5ml sample settles it for less than a coffee and a bus fare.
Aromara vs Santal 33: side by side
| Le Labo Santal 33 | Aromara Santal Thirty Three | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £238 for 100ml, £75 for 15ml (John Lewis) | £40 for 50ml, £6.99 for 5ml |
| Strength | Eau de Parfum, percentage not disclosed | 35% Extrait, disclosed in writing |
| Longevity | Described as long-lasting, no hours promised | 7+ hours, guaranteed in writing |
| Guarantee | Standard retail returns, unopened only at John Lewis | 60-day money-back, even after wearing it |
| Made in | United States | UK, small batch |
| Cheapest way to try | £75 (15ml) | £6.99 (5ml) |
Where Santal 33 is strong
Credit where it is due. Santal 33 built the modern sandalwood trend. The blend of cardamom, iris, violet and ambrox over Australian sandalwood, papyrus and cedar is a genuine modern classic, and it holds a 4.5 star rating at John Lewis. The bottle, the label, the whole Le Labo ritual carries real cachet. If you want the name on your shelf, only the original gives you that.
Where Aromara wins
- Price. £40 for 50ml against £238 for 100ml. Per ml, the original costs over 3x more.
- Strength you can check. Le Labo does not publish a concentration. We put our 35% Extrait in writing. More perfume oil means the scent survives your commute, not just the spray.
- A promise with teeth. 7+ hours of wear, guaranteed. Customers regularly tell us they get 8 to 12.
- Risk on us, not you. Wear it for weeks. If you are not convinced, the 60-day money-back guarantee still stands. John Lewis only takes the original back unopened.
- Made in the UK in small batches, shipped from the UK.
So which should you buy?
If the Le Labo label matters to you, buy the original and enjoy it. If what you actually want is the smell, the projection and the long dry-down, try ours first. The maths is simple: the £6.99 sample is 2% of the price of the John Lewis bottle. Can you tell the difference? That is the whole dare.
Frequently asked questions
Is Aromara Santal Thirty Three the same as Santal 33?
It sits in the same scent family and follows the same sandalwood, leather and spice profile. It is not the original and we never claim it is. We publish our strength (35% Extrait) so you can judge it on facts.
How long does it last on skin?
We guarantee 7+ hours in writing. Many customers report 8 to 12 hours. If yours does not last, use the 60-day guarantee.
Are perfume dupes legal in the UK?
Yes. Inspired-by fragrances are legal here. We do not copy names, bottles or packaging. More detail in our guide: are perfume dupes legal in the UK?
What if I buy it and disagree?
You get 60 days and a full refund, even after wearing it. That is the point of the guarantee.
Keep digging: see our full Le Labo dupes UK guide, the Bergamote 22 dupe, the story behind Santal 33, our strongest perfume dupes UK roundup and The Designer Dupe Index 2026. Or browse every Aromara scent.
