A premium perfume workshop in Thao Dien awaits at NOTE – The Scent Lab’s most refined studio — air-conditioned, private, and housed above the R Parfums niche fragrance showroom at 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu. NOTE – The Scent Lab is a perfume workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, rated ★4.9 by 500+ travelers on TripAdvisor and Klook. The Thao Dien location is the best workshop space in NOTE’s system — designed for couples, small groups, and anyone who wants a quieter, more intimate creative experience in Saigon.
The air conditioning is the first thing you feel. Not cold — just different. After walking through Thao Dien’s humid green streets, past rain trees and jasmine hedges, you step into the studio at 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu and the temperature shifts. The space is clean, quiet, and smells of something you cannot quite name — cedarwood, maybe, or bergamot, or the memory of something someone blended here an hour ago. Scent strips are fanned out on the workbench. Thirty glass vials stand in a row, each one holding a different world. Your workshop instructor pulls up a chair and says: “Take your time. There is no wrong answer here.”
That is what makes this location different from NOTE’s other studios. The Thao Dien workshop is not just a class in a room. It is a space built for the kind of focus that fragrance demands — unhurried, sensory, personal. And it happens to sit directly above one of the few niche perfume showrooms in Saigon.
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Why the Thao Dien Studio Is NOTE’s Best Workshop Space
NOTE operates studios in multiple locations across Ho Chi Minh City, including the iconic Cafe Apartment at 42 Nguyen Hue in District 1. Each location has its own character. The Nguyen Hue studio is lively, central, and thrilling — open-air, with the buzz of the walking street drifting up through the windows. It is the Saigon experience distilled.
The Thao Dien studio is something else entirely. Here is what sets it apart:
Air-conditioned and enclosed. The Thao Dien workshop space is fully climate-controlled — a genuine advantage when blending perfume. Temperature affects how you perceive fragrance. In a cooled, stable environment, you smell more accurately. Top notes do not evaporate as fast. The nuances between two similar heart notes become clearer. This is not a marketing detail — it is a practical one. Professional perfumers work in controlled environments for exactly this reason.
Private and intimate. The studio accommodates smaller groups, which means more one-on-one time with your workshop instructor. There is no background crowd noise, no interruptions. The creative process unfolds at your rhythm. For couples, this translates to an experience that feels personal rather than shared with strangers. For solo visitors, it means deep, undistracted focus.
R Parfums showroom on the ground floor. Before or after your workshop, you walk through R Parfums — a curated niche fragrance showroom featuring artisan perfumes you will not find at department store counters. Exploring R Parfums is like a prelude to the workshop: it opens your nose, introduces you to what independent perfumery smells like, and gives you a frame of reference for the ingredients you are about to blend. Or, taken afterward, it is a way to deepen an experience you have just had — understanding the finished art after creating your own version of it.
“One of the most pleasant and calming workshops I’ve ever attended. Great variety of scents — you truly create your own fragrance and get to name it.”
What Happens During a Premium Perfume Workshop
The experience follows NOTE’s signature format — roughly 90 minutes, guided by a trained workshop instructor — but the Thao Dien setting elevates every step.
The Scent Education Phase
Your instructor introduces the fragrance pyramid: top notes (the first impression, bright and fleeting), heart notes (the character, the story), and base notes (the foundation, the thing that stays on your skin for hours). You smell examples from each family — citrus, floral, woody, oriental, fresh. In the Thao Dien studio, this phase is unhurried. You can revisit a scent strip three or four times. You can ask questions. You can say “this one reminds me of something but I cannot name it” and your instructor will help you find the word.
Vietnamese ingredients often surprise visitors. Lotus absolute smells nothing like a flower shop — it is green, aquatic, almost metallic before it softens into something impossibly delicate. Vietnamese cinnamon is sharper and warmer than what you find in Western baking. Agarwood (tram huong) is deep, smoky, contemplative — a scent that has been traded across Asia for centuries.
The Blending Phase
This is where you create. Guided by your instructor, you choose from 30+ professional-grade ingredients and blend them into a custom Eau de Parfum. There is no template, no pre-set recipe. You are building something that has never existed before — a scent that reflects your taste, your memories, your instincts.
The Thao Dien studio’s controlled environment matters most during this phase. In a cooler room, you can blend more precisely. You can test your composition on a strip, let it develop for a few minutes, then return to adjust the balance. The quiet helps too. Fragrance blending is concentration work — and the Thao Dien studio gives you the space to concentrate.
“Ember was a sweetheart at helping me find my own personal taste. Amazing learning experience.”
The Take-Home
You leave with a bottled custom perfume (10ml to 50ml, your choice) and a formula card. NOTE stores your formula, so you can reorder your signature scent from anywhere in the world. Many travelers describe their perfume as the most meaningful souvenir of their Vietnam trip — something they created themselves, carrying scents they discovered in Saigon.
Book the Thao Dien Workshop Experience →
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Thao Dien vs Nguyen Hue: Choosing Your Workshop Location
Both NOTE locations in Ho Chi Minh City offer the same quality of instruction, ingredients, and take-home product. The difference is atmosphere and setting — and your choice depends on what kind of experience you want.
Choose Thao Dien (34 Nguyen Duy Hieu) if you want:
- Air-conditioned, private studio space
- A quieter, more intimate creative experience
- The R Parfums showroom before or after your workshop
- To combine the workshop with exploring the Thao Dien neighborhood (cafes, restaurants, galleries)
- A date or couples experience with a calm, focused vibe
- Easy metro access from District 1 via HCMC Metro Line 1
Choose Nguyen Hue (42 Nguyen Hue, Cafe Apartment) if you want:
- The iconic Cafe Apartment setting in the heart of District 1
- An open-air atmosphere with the energy of Nguyen Hue Walking Street
- To combine the workshop with a District 1 walkabout
- A more spontaneous, drop-in-while-exploring experience
There is no wrong choice. The workshop instructor quality, ingredient selection, and creative process are identical across locations. Some travelers visit both — one for the experience, one for comparison. The scent they create is usually different each time, because the mood changes the choices.
Perfect for Couples and Small Groups
The Thao Dien studio is especially well-suited for couple workshops. The intimate space creates a shared experience that feels private, not public. Many couples create perfumes for each other — blending a scent based on what they think their partner would love. It is a creative exercise that requires listening, observing, and understanding someone in a way that dinner at a restaurant does not.
“This is a must do activity for couples on a SEA trip!”
Small groups — friends traveling together, birthday celebrations, bachelorette parties — also find the Thao Dien studio ideal. The contained space keeps the group focused while still allowing conversation and laughter. It is a bonding experience that produces a tangible, personal result: each person leaves with a different perfume, a different story.
“Really fun and interactive experience with creating unique scents. Both Stephanie and Lyn were really helpful and kindly walked our group through the entire activity.”
Pricing and Practical Details
Workshop duration: Approximately 90 minutes
Pricing (before 8% VAT):
- 10ml custom Eau de Parfum — 550,000 VND
- 20ml — 1,000,000 VND
- 30ml — 1,350,000 VND
- 50ml — 1,550,000 VND
What is included: All materials, 30+ professional-grade ingredients, guided instruction, take-home perfume bottle, and personal formula card (stored by NOTE for future reorders).
Who can join: No experience needed. Kids aged 8+ welcome (with parent for ages 8-10). The workshop is conducted in English and Vietnamese.
Address: 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu, Thao Dien, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City
Getting there: 10-minute walk from Thao Dien Metro Station (Line 1). Search “NOTE The Scent Lab Thao Dien” on Google Maps.
Booking: Walk-ins are welcome, but booking ahead during peak season is recommended — especially for couples and groups who want consecutive time slots.
Follow @note.workshop on Instagram for workshop highlights and customer creations from the Thao Dien studio.
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Reserve Your Thao Dien Workshop →
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the Thao Dien perfume workshop different from other locations?
The Thao Dien studio is NOTE’s most refined space — air-conditioned, private, and located above the R Parfums niche fragrance showroom. It is designed for a quieter, more focused creative experience compared to the open-air Nguyen Hue location.
Is the perfume workshop in Thao Dien good for couples?
Yes — the intimate, private setting makes it one of the most popular couple activities in Saigon. Many couples create perfumes for each other during the 90-minute session.
How much does the premium perfume workshop cost?
Prices start from 550,000 VND for a 10ml custom Eau de Parfum, up to 1,550,000 VND for 50ml (before 8% VAT). All materials, instruction, and a take-home bottle with formula card are included.
Do I need experience to join the perfume workshop?
No experience is needed. A trained workshop instructor guides you through every step, from scent education to blending your own custom fragrance. Most visitors are first-timers.
Can I visit the R Parfums showroom without doing the workshop?
Yes. The R Parfums showroom on the ground floor of 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu is open to all visitors. You can explore niche fragrances before or after the workshop, or independently.
How do I get to the Thao Dien workshop by metro?
Take HCMC Metro Line 1 from Ben Thanh Station to Thao Dien Station (about 12 minutes). From the station, it is a 10-minute walk to 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu through shaded residential streets.
Can I reorder my custom perfume after the workshop?
Yes. NOTE stores your personal formula card. You can reorder your signature scent from anywhere in the world through the NOTE website.
