What Does Le Labo – Another 13 Smell Like? Notes & Other One Comparison
Most people spray and go. But understanding what's actually in Le Labo – Another 13 — and how Other One captures it — changes how you experience the scent.
Another 13 is one of those fragrances that defies easy categorization. Created by perfumer Frank Voelkl for Le Labo, it was originally a limited exclusive for AnOther Magazine — and when it was made universally available, it quickly became one of the brand's most obsessed-over scents. It sits somewhere between skin and skin care, between something synthetic and something deeply natural. It is intimate without being obvious. To truly understand why it works — and why finding a quality Le Labo – Another 13 dupe is worth the effort — you need to understand the architecture of its notes.
The DNA of Le Labo – Another 13: Breaking Down Every Note
Top Notes (First 15-30 Minutes)
The opening of Another 13 is deceptively simple and almost clinical in its restraint. The primary top note is ambroxan — a synthetic molecule derived from ambergris — and it dominates the first impression entirely. Ambroxan smells like clean skin warmed slightly by body heat. It has a faint mineral edge, almost like driftwood that has been polished smooth by saltwater. There is nothing loud or attention-grabbing about it. Instead, it wraps around the nose gently and pulls you closer rather than announcing itself across the room.
Alongside ambroxan, there are supporting accords of iso e super, another synthetic woody-cedar molecule that is almost odorless to some people and intensely sensual to others. This molecule is the reason Another 13 smells different on different skin chemistries — it interacts with your individual warmth and pheromones in a way that very few ingredients do. The top notes were chosen specifically because they ask the wearer to do the heavy lifting. You are not wearing Another 13 so much as it is wearing you.
Heart Notes (30 Minutes to 3 Hours)
As the fragrance moves into its heart, the character deepens without dramatically shifting direction. This is a linear fragrance in the best possible sense — it does not jolt you with a surprise floral or citrus reveal. Instead, ambrette seed begins to emerge. Ambrette seed is extracted from the seeds of the hibiscus plant and carries a musky, slightly nutty quality that is often described as the closest natural ingredient to human skin. It is intimate, soft, and almost edible without being sweet.
The heart is also where hedione — a synthetic jasmine-adjacent molecule — becomes perceptible. Hedione does not smell like jasmine in any recognizable way. It functions more as a diffuser, lifting the surrounding ingredients and giving the composition a luminous, almost airy quality that prevents the musk from becoming heavy or suffocating. This is what allows Another 13 to feel effortless at its core. The emotion this heart evokes is unmistakably intimate — it is the scent of clean skin after a shower, of closeness without pretension, of warmth without drama.
There is also a trace of cashmeran in the mid-layer, a synthetic ingredient with a soft, powdery-woody character that fills in any gaps between the louder molecules and gives the fragrance its seamless, skin-like quality.
Base Notes (3+ Hours)
The drydown of Another 13 is where its genius fully reveals itself. The base is anchored by white musk in several forms — clean, transparent musks that do not tip into laundry-detergent territory but instead register as an extension of your own natural scent. These musks cling to skin and fabric with remarkable tenacity, making Another 13 one of the more long-lasting compositions in the Le Labo lineup despite its apparent lightness.
Ambroxan continues as a backbone through the base, becoming warmer and slightly more resinous as body heat activates it over time. Cetalox, a close structural cousin of ambroxan, adds depth and an almost aquatic-amber quality that prevents the base from reading as flat or one-dimensional. Together, these ingredients create a drydown that is quiet but unmissable — the kind of scent trail that makes people lean in and ask what you are wearing hours after application.
How Other One Captures the Le Labo – Another 13 Formula
Other One was developed as a faithful Le Labo – Another 13 dupe, and the approach taken in its formulation focuses on the molecular architecture rather than surface-level impression. The ambroxan-forward opening is replicated with precision — that first spray delivers the same warm, mineral skin-musk that makes Another 13 so identifiable. The iso e super accord is present at a similarly understated concentration, meaning Other One also performs that same skin-chemistry interaction that makes the original so personal and adaptable.
The ambrette seed character in the heart is captured through a combination of natural ambrette and synthetic musk blends that hit the same nutty, intimate register. If there is any variation, it is minor — the hedione concentration may read slightly softer in Other One, which some wearers actually prefer as it keeps the composition even more skin-close rather than diffusive. As a Le Labo – Another 13 dupe, Other One succeeds where many alternatives fail: it does not exaggerate any single note or reach for an easier, cheaper substitution. The overall accord sits in the same fragrance space and projects with comparable softness and longevity.
The Scent Family: Where Le Labo – Another 13 Fits
Another 13 belongs to the musk-woody fragrance family, with a heavy lean toward skin scents and what perfumers sometimes call "transparent" or "intimate" compositions. It is not a traditional floral, not an oriental in the spiced-resinous sense, and not a fresh citrus fragrance. It occupies a relatively modern category sometimes labeled as "skin musks" or "second-skin" fragrances — compositions designed to amplify rather than replace the wearer's natural scent signature.
Other fragrances in the same family for reference include Maison Margiela Replica — Flower Market, Narciso Rodriguez For Her, and Byredo Blanche — all of which share that clean, intimate musk-white quality. However, Another 13 is unique in how synthetic and intentionally abstract it feels. It does not attempt to smell like a flower or a place. It smells like a person — a specific, idealized version of skin.
This scent family typically appeals to people who find traditional fragrances too loud or performative. Wearers who gravitate toward Another 13 tend to value subtlety, quality over statement, and scent as something personal rather than presentational. It is a fragrance for those who want to be remembered for how they smelled up close, not across the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Le Labo – Another 13 smell like in simple terms?
In simple terms, Another 13 smells like idealized, clean skin. It has a warm, slightly mineral quality from ambroxan and iso e super, a soft musky heart from ambrette seed, and a lingering white musk drydown that feels like an extension of your own body rather than something applied from a bottle. It is intimate, understated, and deeply personal.
Is Other One in the same scent family as Le Labo – Another 13?
Yes. Other One sits firmly in the same musk-woody, skin-scent family as the original. As a Le Labo – Another 13 dupe, it replicates the ambroxan and musk-forward character that defines the original's DNA. Anyone who loves Another 13 for its intimate, second-skin quality will find Other One operating in exactly the same olfactive space.
What are the strongest notes in Other One?
The most prominent notes in Other One are ambroxan, white musk, and ambrette seed — mirroring what makes Another 13 so distinctive. The ambroxan is especially pervasive and is the note most likely to register on first spray and throughout the drydown. For anyone searching for a quality Le Labo – Another 13 dupe that genuinely honors the molecule-driven construction of the original, Other One delivers on those key ingredients most faithfully.
