Perfume Factory in SKS City Mall, JB
A good scent is sometimes more important than your outfit. And if you’ve ever walked past a perfume counter, taken one sniff, but then put the bottle back because the price doesn’t agree with your bank balance, same. Nice as they are, not everyone wants to spend hundreds just to smell good.
That’s where Perfume Factory at the new SKS City Mall in JB comes in. We chanced upon the store while wandering around the mall, and it sells fragrances from around S$11, with scents inspired by popular brands like Maison Margiela and Gucci. So, if you’re heading across the Causeway and want to pick up an affordable scent without committing to atas-perfume prices, here’s what to know.
Located in the new SKS City Mall in JB
Perfume Factory is located on the 2nd floor of SKS City Mall, JB’s newest shopping haunt that’s just a 7-minute drive from the checkpoint. We all know how much Singaporeans love crossing the Causeway for a makan-and-shopping day. The next time you’re doing that, this is an easy add-on to the itinerary.
You can also walk there from the JB checkpoint if you’re trying to hit your step count, though it’ll take around 20 minutes. Consider it your pre-shopping cardio before you reward yourself with a new scent.
The mall itself has plenty of food options too, which is great because we all know window shopping in JB somehow always turns into a full-day activity. Besides SKS City Mall, Perfume Factory also has outlets at Central Market KL and Gurney Paragon Mall Penang.
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The JB store is open daily from 10am-10pm, so you can pop by before or after your JB makan plans.
Perfume bar with atas brand dupes
Image credit: Haniza Bakar via Google Maps
The interiors of Perfume Factory are super pared back but aesthetic, and a perfume bar right in the middle that’s giving Le Labo, without the premium prices. Here, you can browse the many available scents.
Image credit: Gold Gold via Google Maps
And if you’re not sure what kind of scent suits you, the staff can also recommend fragrances based on your preferences. There are over 100 options to sniff through, including scents inspired by popular luxury brands like Maison Margiela and Gucci.
Some of the scents include Oud Satin Mood, a warm blend with Bulgarian rose, violet, and strawberry notes; Eaudemoiselle, which leans fresher with Amalfi lemon, basil, and tangerine; and Lost Cherry, a richer scent with sour cherry, plum, and jasmine sambac. There’s also Velvet Rose & Oud, if you like your perfumes warm, floral, and a little more sultry.
Image credit: Low Hui En via Google Maps
One bottle we spotted even appears to be inspired by Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540 – the cult-favourite fragrance that retails for around S$500 in Singapore for a 70ml bottle. Meanwhile, prices for their ready-made perfumes here start from RM35 (~S$11) for a 15ml bottle, and goes up to RM165 (~S$53) for a 100ml bottle of parfum. Even the higher-priced bottles are a steal, if you ask us.
With the smaller bottles costing just S$11, it’s perfect to test out some of your fave scents before committing to a full bottle. It also makes for a good travel scent to pop into your handbag.
Customise your signature scent from S$27
Image credit: Najwa Hanafiah via Google Maps
If none of the ready-made scents is calling your name, you can also get your own custom fragrance made from RM85 (~S$27) if you mix 2 scents for a 50ml bottle. If you mix 3 scents, it’ll be RM135 (~S$43) for a 100ml bottle.
Image credit: Rainnye Mss via Google Maps
The process is pretty fuss-free: pick and mix from their line of fragrances, and the staff will bottle everything right in front of you. You’ll even get custom labels, so your perfume can look like you got it from a bespoke fragrance house in Paris.
Image credit: Francis Elliott via Google Maps
We also kaypoh-ed the Google Maps reviews, and some customers shared that they’ve brought in perfumes they already love for the staff to recreate.
Visit Perfume Factory at SKS City Mall in JB
If you want to smell like old money without spending all your paycheck, check out Perfume Factory at SKS City Mall the next time you’re in JB.
Between the brand-inspired scents, custom fragrances, and prices from around S$11, it’s a fun little stop for anyone who loves perfumes but not the atas price tag. Just don’t blame us if you walk in “just to smell” and leave with 3 bottles.
Find out more about Perfume Factory
Address: L2-03, Level 2, SKS CITY MALL JBCC, Jalan Storey, Bukit Senyum, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: 10am-10pm, Daily
Cover image adapted from: Haniza Bakar, Low Hui En & Najwa Hanafiah via Google Maps