2026 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam niche perfume recommendations｜Maison de Nguyễn royal fragrances and Gia Perfumerie buying guide
9/22/2026
Maison de Nguyễn is a Vietnamese niche perfume brand founded in 2025, inspired by the Nguyễn dynasty history, the Huế Imperial City and traditional culture; you can sample and purchase it at Gia Perfumerie in Ho Chi Minh City.
A Vietnamese brand recently discussed in Taiwan’s perfume circles
Perfume enthusiasts in Taiwan and abroad have recently started noticing local Vietnamese niche perfumes, and Maison de Nguyễn has been much talked about. The brand was founded in 2025, drawing inspiration from the Nguyễn dynasty history, the Huế Imperial City and traditional culture, putting Vietnamese stories into its fragrances and packaging design.
“Nguyễn” evokes Vietnam’s last feudal dynasty; “Maison” suggests a house or residence. The brand aims to preserve cultural memory through scent, so each spray feels like opening a piece of Vietnamese history.
The packaging design alone is worth admiring
What makes the brand attractive is not only the scents. Some caps have the texture of Vietnamese red earth or brick—solid and weighty; the perfume names are stamped on the bottle labels like royal seals. The outer box design borrows visual elements from the historical record the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư and is printed on traditional đũa paper, giving the whole package the atmosphere of an ancient book, royal archives and museum artifacts.
Five perfumes: from the palace and banquets to the royal garden
Maison de Nguyễn’s first series has five pieces, each with its own historical theme:
Cố Cung (Old Royal Palace): evokes the ancient palace, bergamot, agarwood (oud), patchouli and floral notes; the scent has aged wood, resins and a slight smokiness, suitable for those who like calm, vintage aromas.
Dạ Yến (Royal Banquet): composed of ginseng, lychee, rice wine, cinnamon, glutinous rice desserts and sandalwood; overall it is warm, with food-like facets and a mildly sweet woody character.
Hoàng Trà (Royal Osmanthus Tea): centered on green tea, pomelo, osmanthus, Huế court tea and woody accords; fresh, clean with a touch of smoke, it’s the easiest of the five for everyday wear.
Ngự Uyển (Royal Garden): built from fig, lotus, peony, rose and aquatic notes; noticeably green without being overly sweet, suitable for those who like fresh floral scents.
Nhật Bình (Royal Attire): inspired by the ceremonial dress of Nguyễn dynasty women, featuring orange blossom, rice powder, iris, musk, sandalwood and incense; powdery and elegant, with a softer style.
Where in Ho Chi Minh City can you try them?
In Ho Chi Minh City you can sample Maison de Nguyễn at Gia Perfumerie Saigon. The store is located at 190 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, and its opening hours are about daily 09:00–21:00. Public Google Maps information shows the shop’s rating is about 5.0 and many travelers mention staff familiar with different perfume brands who can assist customers in trying scents one by one.
Gia Perfumerie not only sells Maison de Nguyễn but also carries d'Annam, Zoologist and other independent perfume brands. If you’re new to niche perfumes, try them first and then wait on skin to observe how the scent develops over time.
Currently the Maison de Nguyễn 50ml on Gia Perfumerie’s website is about 3,000,000 越南盾 (approx HK$910／NT$3,800／人民幣¥880), and the five-piece Discovery Set is about 650,000 越南盾 (approx HK$197／NT$820／人民幣¥190), suitable for sampling before deciding on a full bottle.
Which one is suitable to buy?
If you normally like tea, woody or not-too-sweet perfumes, try Hoàng Trà first; if you like powdery, soft and feminine scents, try Nhật Bình. For those who prefer agarwood, old wood and more characterful aromas, start with Cố Cung. If you’re looking for something unusual with food associations, Dạ Yến is more interesting; those who like a fresh garden feel can try Ngự Uyển.
Maison de Nguyễn’s distinctive feature is transforming Vietnamese culture into scents for everyday use, rather than just printing landmark names on packaging. For perfume lovers, this makes a story-rich Vietnamese souvenir and a more personal collectible than the common coffee and snacks.
After shopping for perfume in District 1, if you want to rest you can go to Win Royal Spa; the shop is at 48 Lê Thị Hồng Gấm, open daily 09:00–22:00, suitable for enjoying a Vietnamese-style shampoo and head massage before continuing your itinerary.
