Labradorite No. 13
Designed for collectors who reject mass-market trends, Olivier Durbano Labradorite No. 13 offers an intense olfactory experience centered around sacred woods and raw animalics. The composition centers on a dark structure of civet, castoreum, and oud, spiced by top notes of cardamom and marjoram. The addition of ambergris and waxy tuberose adds a complex mineral depth that shifts on warm skin. This unisex fragrance excels in cold weather, making it an excellent choice for winter nights or formal events. Given its polarizing animalic leather profile, we suggest ordering a sample to test its evolution on your skin before investing in a full bottle.
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Performance Metrics
141 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
Expect seven to nine hours of wear on the skin, with strong projection for the first two hours before settling into a warm, leathery personal scent bubble that excels in cold, dry weather.
Notes Pyramid
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A dry, resinous, and animalic blend that opens with herbal marjoram and cardamom, transitions into waxy tuberose and salty ambergris, and finishes with a heavy base of civet, castoreum, and smoky agarwood.
Main Accords
10 MAPPEDThe incense and animalic accords dominate the skin, creating a contrast between dry, camphorous palo santo smoke, cold salty ambergris, and a warm, musky base of castoreum and civet.
Community Data
282 TOTAL VOTESCOMMUNITY SENTIMENT
OWNERSHIP STATS
GENDER APPEAL
REVIEW SENTIMENT
When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in fall and winter. The vote picture leans most toward daytime.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Features a highly unique blend of clean palo santo and warm civet
Long-lasting formula that survives over eight hours on the skin
Perfect for cold autumn and winter evening wear
Distinctive sillage that stands out in a crowd
Waxy tuberose adds an unexpected floral depth
High-quality resins that develop beautifully over time
Incorporates a deep base of agarwood, sandalwood, and musk for maximum depth
Brings a spiritual, sacred quality through olibanum, opoponax, and Palo Santo
Cardamom provides a bright, invigorating contrast to the heavy animalic notes
Features high-quality castoreum that delivers a rich, dark leather accord
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Highly polarizing animalic notes may offend sensitive noses
Metallic ambergris accord can smell harsh on certain skin types
Not suitable for hot, humid summer weather
Too heavy and dirty for casual office wear
Polarizing transition from clean wood to animalic base
Requires sampling first due to the challenging profile
High concentration of musk and civet can smell overly dirty or urinal
Strong resinous notes of opoponax may feel overly dense or sticky
The herbal marjoram note can read as overly medicinal to unprepared noses
Lack of bright citrus or fresh top notes makes the development feel dark
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“Olivier Durbano Labradorite No. 13: A Polarizing Primal Incense”
Olivier Durbano is known for his gemstone-inspired creations, and Labradorite No. 13 is easily one of the most polarizing in the lineup. The fragrance opens with a sharp, medicinal burst of green marjoram and aromatic cardamom. This herbal introduction is quickly wrapped in the dry, woody, and slightly sweet smoke of palo santo, creating a sacred, clean atmosphere that feels bright and airy. It is a unique opening, but it does not prepare you for what follows as the scent begins to warm on the skin.
Within twenty minutes, the initial clean woodiness shifts. A waxy, slightly buttery tuberose emerges in the heart, paired with a salty, mineral ambergris that introduces a cool, metallic texture. The contrast between the warm incense smoke and the cold, salty sea-air accord is striking. It is this specific stage that divides wearers, as the composition balances on the edge of clean floral beauty and raw, salty skin.
As the hours pass, the fragrance settles into its true character. The dry-down is dominated by heavy animalic notes, where civet and castoreum create a warm, leathery undertone that hugs the skin. A dark, woody structure of agarwood and sandalwood keeps the blend grounded, while sweet, resinous opopanax adds a hint of balsam warmth. This base is dense, earthy, and distinctly feral.
In terms of performance, the fragrance behaves like a classic cold-weather performer. It projects strongly during the initial herbal and incense-heavy phase, then transitions to a persistent, dense skin scent. You will easily get eight hours of wear on skin, and it will linger on wool coats and scarves for days. This performance makes it an ideal companion for crisp autumn afternoons and freezing winter nights.
Labradorite No. 13 is not a crowd-pleaser, nor is it meant to be. It is a demanding, artistic creation that requires a wearer who is comfortable with challenging, animalic leather accords. If you are looking for a simple, clean, or sweet gourmand, you should look elsewhere. However, if you appreciate bold, narrative-driven perfumery that moves from sacred woods to raw, warm skin, this bottle deserves your attention.
FAQs
What does Labradorite No. 13 smell like?+
This fragrance opens with a savory herbal punch of marjoram and aromatic cardamom, backed by camphorous palo santo. The heart exposes a salty ambergris and thick tuberose. A dense, dirty base of civet, castoreum, and dark agarwood forms a smoky, animalic finish.
How long does Labradorite No. 13 last on the skin?+
You can expect between seven and nine hours of wear from this scent. The heavy base notes of castoreum, musk, and agarwood cling to the skin and fabrics, surviving long into the night during cold autumn weather.
How strong is the sillage and projection?+
The projection is strong for the first two hours, filling your immediate personal space. It settles down to an arm-length scent cloud afterwards. The combination of musk and ambergris ensures a persistent, noticeable scent trail.
When is the best season and weather to wear this?+
This scent belongs in the fall and winter. The warm resins, animalic accords, and smoky olibanum perform beautifully in freezing temperatures. The cold air cuts through the heavy composition, keeping the dense profile clear.
What occasion is this perfume best suited for?+
This is a statement scent for formal art gallery openings, late-night concerts, or intimate evening dinners in winter. It is far too animalic and smoky for a corporate office environment or casual daytime running.
Is Labradorite No. 13 masculine, feminine, or unisex?+
While the brand lists it as unisex, the heavy civet and castoreum leather lean slightly masculine to traditional noses. However, the waxy tuberose heart adds a floral counterweight that makes it suitable for any daring fragrance enthusiast.
Who is the ideal audience for this Olivier Durbano creation?+
This is designed for experienced collectors who appreciate avant-garde perfumery. If you enjoy challenging, indie houses like Zoologist or Nishane, this blend of sacred woods and feral animalics will fit right into your collection.
Can I layer Labradorite No. 13 with other perfumes?+
It is best to wear this complex fragrance alone. The civet, castoreum, and opoponax base is highly dominant and will easily crush lighter citrus or clean floral scents, resulting in an unwearable olfactory clash.
Are there any good dupes or similar alternatives?+
No direct dupes exist, but it shares a wild, primal energy with Zoologist Hyrax and Nishane Afrika Oliphant. These alternatives also emphasize heavy, raw animalic notes combined with dry resins and woody undertones.
Is this a safe blind buy or should I sample it?+
You must sample this fragrance first. The intense combination of green marjoram, metallic ambergris, and prominent civet can be polarizing, so testing it on your skin over a full day is highly recommended.
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Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCORENo dupes submitted yet. The first useful DupeScore can come from your community.
While unique, it appeals to fans of Zoologist Hyrax, Nishane Afrika Oliphant, or the salty-metallic elements found in Mugler Womanity.
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