Best Let Me Play the Lion by Les Nez Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Let Me Play the Lion by Les Nez is an oriental woody fragrance defined by rich sandalwood, warm incense, and a sharp touch of black pepper. This combination creates a smoky, spicy, and resinous scent with a dry, woody base that balances intensity and smoothness. Those drawn to this profile should focus on perfumes that blend incense and sandalwood with varying accents of spice or sweetness to capture its distinctive depth and heat.
Breathe Out 01.02 by Neydo £80.00
- Key notes:
- elemi
- frangipani
- incense
- sandalwood
- sea salt
- snow accord
- Aromagroups:
- marine
- woody
In your dream, you’re an alpine snowboarder. The fresh air gives you a headrush as you carve effortlessly through the pristine snow. A cave emerges, and you unclip your board to enter the darkened space, overwhelmed by the unexpected sensation of salty steam billowing out of the hidden hot spring. The air has a metallic quality. Breathe Out conjures a kaleidoscope of contradictory sensations—the chilly bite of mountain air, the mineral steam of geysers, and the heady tropical sunshine of frangipani, summoning the paradox of nature’s tranquility against its danger.
Perfumer: Soizic Beaucourt
Ember Shaan by Byermia £130.00
- Key notes:
- chocolate
- coffee
- gun powder
- incense
- oud
- rose
- sandalwood
- tobacco
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- spicy
“Shaan” is a Sanskrit name meaning greatness and majesty. The perfumer intertwines the name with the legend of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose, the conquering leader whose final battle was foretold by the oracles. Ember Shaan is a fragrance that shifts and evolves, reflecting the concept of victory intertwined with sorrow. With a variety of ouds and frankincenses, this extrait explores how a bright fire fades into a smouldering ember, while also deepening into something more profound. Coffee, rose and sandalwood combine their rich effects into an olfactory syrup that infuses the woods, while spicy opoponax and stony gunpowder add punctuation and surprise.
Feu Sacre by Reserve en Afrique 1934 £150.00
- Key notes:
- incense
- sandalwood
- smoke
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
From the profound darkness of the bush, a magnificent bonfire burns. Like a guardian the fire protects, holding back the wilderness beyond. The fragrance opens with clove (Madagascar) and pink pepper (South Africa), reminiscent of bright embers dancing on the fire. It heats into a heart of comforting vanilla (Madagascar) and resinous myrrh (Ethiopia), deepening into sensuous opoponax (Somalia) and sandalwood (Somalia).
Réserve en Afrique eaux de parfum feature responsibly sourced naturals, and are free from parabens, phthalates, UV filters and colorants. Their natural alcohol base is derived from beetroots, and they are a PETA-listed vegan & cruelty-free brand.
Gueule de Bois by Versatile £45.00
- Key notes:
- incense
- pepper
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- woody
Amélie BOURGEOIS - Co-Founder & Perfumer (FLAIR)
Mauna by Mendittorosa £225.00
- Key notes:
- ginger
- incense
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Perfumer: Cristiano Canali
In Sanskrit Mauna means Silence.
The Silence Mendittorosa refer to is not the absence of noises, but the Strength, free of time and space, uncontaminated and a sacred vibration, behind everything, before everything. After all.
The perfume is a beautiful honeyed sandalwood with tonka and an incense mix of precuous resins.
Naked Dance by Oddity £170.00
- Key notes:
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- green tea
- incense
- orris (iris root)
- rice
- sandalwood
- white musk
- Aromagroups:
- woody
Naked Dance is an olfactory impression of our lives at home, where we jazz through space filled with our attachments, memories and comforts in bliss of intimate liberty to be ourselves.
.Oddity bottles are an art object that combines traditional craftsmanship with modern design. Each piece is topped with handmade cap made to order individually from wood scraps and epoxy resin. The irregular shape is unique endoved with imperfect beauty of raw materials and the craftsmanship that folds them into an artful piece.
Master perfumer
Mark Buxton
Nebula Viridis by Aura Eximia £165.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- benzoin
- incense
- saffron
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Nebula Viridis is Latin for “fresh mist”, and this extrait billows with hazy radiance. A luminous opening of Sicilian lemon and Calabrian bergamot cuts through the air like sunlight, sharpened by saffron and the rich depth of labdanum. The effect is crisp, golden. Warm woods glow in the heart, including guaiacwood, patchouli and Caledonian sandalwood, before vanillic benzoin and amber assert their sensuality.
Nightfall in the City of Kings by Mystikum £190.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- carrot seeds
- cedarwood
- cinnamon
- incense
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- vintage/old school
- woody
Twilight to moonlight in an ancient city. Cumin, peach and cedarwood in an intimate embrace, summoning the smell of skin seasoned by passion.Turkish rose surrenders to a velvety bed of amber, patchouli and sandalwood. For lovers of Féminité du Bois, the groundbreaking niche perfume created by Christopher Sheldrake with Pierre Bourdon.
Perfumer: Mark Buxton
Osang by Mendittorosa £315.00
- Key notes:
- fenugreek
- frankincense
- heliotropine
- honey
- incense
- labdanum
- myrrh
- oud
- pepper
- peru balm
- sandalwood
- szechuan pepper
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- spicy
- unconventional
- woody
‘All the soarings of my mind begin in my blood’
Rainer Maria Rilke
***
A perfumed celebration of saints and superstitions, centred around a fierce fenugreek absolute note lavished with singed pyrazines, sacrificial myrrh and mournful molten honey poured over everything like amber rain. Meadow blooms, sticky dark resins, pungent balms and ashen clouds of iris swirl like dramatic weather.
Parfum 1 by Fugazzi £205.00
- Key notes:
- cedarwood
- davana
- frankincense
- incense
- mandarin
- pink pepper
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- spicy
- woody
Parfum 1 is where Fugazzi began, inspired by founder Bram Niessink’s trip to Egypt and the discovery of ancient perfume oils. Parfum 1 is a bold blend of bright and dark fruits, made mysterious by patchouli and cedarwood. The fresh top notes of citrus and blackcurrant are insinuating, gracefully riding a woody wave of sandalwood and musk. The effect is leathery, with a faint kiss of apple pie.
About Let Me Play the Lion by Les Nez
- What makes Let Me Play the Lion distinct within the oriental woody family?
- Let Me Play the Lion is characterised by a balanced trio of sandalwood, incense, and black pepper, creating a smoky, spicy, and resinous scent. Its use of black pepper adds a sharpness that differentiates it from many other oriental woody fragrances that may focus more on sweetness or resin.
- How do the perfumes listed differ from Let Me Play the Lion overall?
- While all listed fragrances share incense and sandalwood notes with Let Me Play the Lion, they vary in additional accords such as amber, spices, sweetness, or animalic qualities. These differences create a range of interpretations from powdery and fresh to smoky and animalic, offering alternatives to the original’s specific spicy and smoky profile.
- Are these fragrances suitable for both day and night wear?
- Most of these oriental woody fragrances with incense and sandalwood lean towards evening or cooler weather due to their warmth and depth. However, some, like Breathe Out 01.02 and Naked Dance, have fresher or cleaner aspects that can work well during the day.









