The best niche perfume stores in Hong Kong

Le Labo perfume is a cult favourite. Its woody aromatic fragrance, Santal 33 ($1590 for 50 ml; $2290 100ml), attracts both sexes, with celebrities like Ryan Reynolds, Alexa Chung, and Justin Bieber as its regular patrons. Born in Grasse and established in New York, Le Labo opened their first store in Hong Kong in 2014 and now has several branches in the city, including the recently opened Gough Street location. In 2019 they launched Hong Kong's very own city exclusive scent called Bigarade 18 ($2590 for 50ml; $3975 for 100ml) – inspired by the fragrant lily and citrus tree found in the hallways of Repulse Bay Hotel in the 80s, where the brand's founder, Eddie Roschi, lived as a child. Each bottle of perfume you buy from their store carries their signature minimal typewriter-font label, which you can personalise to add your name or any message if you are purchasing the perfume as a gift. Our personal favourite is the unisex scent, The Noir 29 ($1770/50ml ; $2550/100ml), it has top notes of fig and bay leaf that gradually turns into musk and earthy notes of tobacco and hay - it lasts all day and lingers even after you shower. 

Try to catch the Le Labo’s City Exclusive Collection, only available worldwide every September. This year, the collection introduced a new scent for Shanghai called Myrrhe 55 ($2800/50ml; $4200/100ml). Its dark and punchy essence is composed of alluring notes of incense, ambergris, and musk, with an added touch of jasmine and patchouli that will leave you spellbound.

The person behind the brand is Francis Nourhan Kurkdjian, a big deal in the perfume world and revered as one of the most prestigious perfume artists of our time. His brand, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, is all about celebrating the art of perfumery and their star fragrance, Baccarat Rouge 540 – a collaboration with the crystal maker Baccarat - is used by influencers and celebs, from Olivia Rodrigo to Rihanna. Dubbed as the 'rich girl's perfume', it's got that luxury price tag of $2,250 for a 70ml bottle. Those who find the 540 accords a bit strong can go for the A La Rose. It's a floral scent for women, with Bulgarian rose, violet, and magnolia notes with a touch of musk and cedar as base notes.   

Byredo (starts at $1,550 for 50ml) is a cult fragrance brand revered by those in the know. Founded in Stockholm in 2006 by Ben Gorham, the name "Byredo" combines the words 'By Redolence'. The brand offers a range of unisex scents that cater to daytime and nighttime wear, covering a spectrum from light to bold. Their iconic fragrances that have gained a loyal following include Gypsy Water, a woody and spicy scent, and Mojave Ghost, an amber floral fragrance. However, our favourite is Slow Dance, launched in 2019 and crafted by the renowned French perfumer Jérôme Epinette. This fragrance blends amber, woody, and spicy notes with an animal-like, root-like top note. It also features middle notes of labdanum, violet, and geranium, which gradually fade into a powdery aroma of vanilla and patchouli.

Parfumerie Trésor initially opened its shop in Sheung Wan on Upper Station Street before relocating to two branches in Elements in Tsim Sha Tsui and Landmark Atrium in Central. The shop brings together artisanal perfume brands from around the world, offering a wide selection for those with a generous budget. With exclusive brands like Xerjoff, Ormonde Jayne, Les Parfums de Rosine, and Laurent Mazzone Parfums, you won't find these fragrances anywhere else in the city. If you have a passion for fragrances, be sure to attend the shop's occasional perfume workshops, where they often invite the founders of these sought-after brands.

Stepping into Officine Universelle Buly's Wyndham Street store is like walking into 19th century Paris. The apothecary's vintage aesthetic features a high ceiling, tiled floors, and lines of cabinets displaying aromatic creams, clays, oils, combs, and perfumes. Here, you can choose from an array of beauty and body care products – created and bottled in France – and at the same time sniff the world's first water-based fragrance-Eau Triple, a style of perfume invented by the brand. The shop offers twelve intoxicating scents for you to collect (starts at $1,450 per 75ml bottle), including the newer addition Medina Oud, featuring notes of roses and oud, spiced with a hint of saffron and amber.  

Scented Niche is a boutique perfume shop established in Hong Kong in 2018. It showcases a great selection of niche perfume brands like The Different Company, Nicolaï: Parfumeur-Créateur, Carrière Frères, Neela Vermeire Creations, and Papillon Artisan Perfumes, among others. Founded by Patrick Hui, the shop focuses on bringing unique scents from independent houses that are unavailable through mass-produced channels like department stores. Try Papillon's Tobacco Rose for a contrasting masculine and feminine scent ($1600 for 50ml) with floral notes of Bulgarian rose, geranium, Rose de Mai, oakmoss, beeswax, hay, and ambergris.

Penhaligon's is a brand established in the UK in the 1800s and holds two long-standing Royal Warrants from The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh. Get a whiff of their perfumes in any of their stores in IFC Mall, Gateway Arcade, and its largest and latest branch at K11 Musea. The brand houses a wide variety of products and caters to both men and women, and each bottle of perfume comes with individual stories. Try The Favourite ($830 for 30ml; $1700 for 100ml), inspired by Sarah Churchill (Duchess of Marlborough), the 'favourite' confidante of Queen Anne, the last of the Stuart monarchs of Great Britain who ruled from 1702-14. The scent is evocative and carries an air of luxury; it is floral, powdery, and musky, with prominent notes of mimosa. If you're looking for gifts, check out Penhaligon’s Portraits Maison Discovery Collection which features eight ($1,790) of the Portraits’ most-loved scents. The collection comes in a beautiful box resembling the historic Penhaligon’s fragrance Maison.