Le Labo Launches New Incense Collection — And It’s Made in Kyoto
Le Labo have just added a new product category to their lineup and it’s one that feels entirely on brand for a house built on the idea that fragrance should be a ritual rather than a routine.
The new Le Labo Incense Collection debuts in three fragrances — Santal 26, Encens 9, and Ambroxyde 17 — and marks a genuine expansion into a new product category for the brand. For a house that has spent two decades making some of the most talked-about personal fragrances in the world, the move into incense feels less like a pivot and more like a natural progression.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
The detail that makes this collection worth paying attention to is the provenance. Each incense stick has been handcrafted in Kyoto, Japan, by twelfth-generation artisans using time-honoured Japanese techniques. That’s not marketing language dressed up as heritage — that’s a genuine craft lineage that spans centuries, applied to a product designed for a modern audience.
The collection is inspired by Kōdō — the ancient Japanese art of appreciating incense — and is designed to nourish the senses and the spirit. Kōdō is one of the three classical Japanese arts of refinement alongside ikebana and chado, the tea ceremony. It’s a fitting reference point for a brand that has always positioned itself around the idea of slowing down and paying attention.
WHAT YOU GET
Each set contains 35 incense sticks, with every stick offering approximately 25 minutes of burn time — designed as the ideal length for a moment of reflection. The three scents cover Le Labo’s core DNA well — Santal 26 brings the warm sandalwood character the house built its reputation on, Encens 9 adds frankincense and resin, and Ambroxyde 17 takes things in a cleaner, more modern direction.
The collection also includes a Concrete Holder — a considered piece of design that fits the Le Labo aesthetic without trying too hard.
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
Alongside the incense, Le Labo has expanded its body offering with the Santal 33 Perfuming Hand Soap and Hand Lotion — featuring the signature blend of cardamom, iris, violet, and smoky woods including Australian sandalwood and cedarwood. The lotion is enriched with shea butter and jojoba oil. Practical, well-formulated, and carrying one of the most recognisable scent profiles in modern perfumery.
WORTH KNOWING
This release arrives shortly after Le Labo’s annual City Exclusive Event, which this year centred on Kyoto with the global release of Osmanthus 19. The Kyoto connection running through both releases feels intentional — a house deepening its relationship with Japanese craft culture at a moment when that feels culturally relevant rather than just aesthetically convenient.
The new Incense Collection, Concrete Holder, and Santal 33 hand care products are available now. If you’re already a Le Labo household — and the chances are you own at least one candle — the incense collection is a logical next step. If you’ve never explored the home side of the brand, this is as considered an entry point as they’ve offered.
Available now at Le Labo.
Ross | Scents & Fragrances
