Rackage: Inside Le Labo on West 3rd Street

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Rackage is a look inside recently-opened stores around town. Today, let's check out Le Labo on West 3rd Street, just east or Orlando Avenue.

The bi-coastals of LA, as well as those who make their way to NYC frequently, were atwitter with the news that NYC-based perfumery Le Labo was opening up on West 3rd Street. The shop is often incorrectly described as doing custom blending, but that's not the case—it's a fragrance lab, which offers ten different scents (or "creations"), which it makes fresh on the premises. It feels like a very chic laboratory in fact, with aluminum walls, distressed wood floor and tables from a century-old cast iron printing press (the lab coats help, too). They also create handmade lotions, oils and balms weekly, plus hand-poured soy candles and home scents. It already sounds very exclusive, but the prices start at $52 for a travel size, and go up to a gigantic 500ml size at $650. So far, LA favorites include Neroli, Iris and Rose. There's even an alcohol-free baby scent Ambrette (with notes of pear and apple), which sounds a bit scary, but if you're going to splash perfume on your tot, this one is no stronger smelling than baby powder. A signature LA scent is coming in September, which they hope to capture the essence of the city, described as "angel with a core of sin."