The Lab

The Lab, officially styled The LAB Fragrances, is an independent fragrance house based in Singapore. It makes fine perfume in small, hand-blended batches and sells it online and through a network of boutiques and department-store counters across Asia and the Middle East. The house works under the tagline "Fine Fragrance. And Nothing Else." [1] and positions itself as a reaction against mass-marketed, mass-produced perfumery.

The company remains active, with a live catalogue, active social accounts, and a boutique network that was still expanding as of its most recent recorded activity.

⚑ Thinner sourcing. The article relies largely on the brand's own statements (T2–T3). Glowpedia is seeking independent sources.

The Lab presents itself as a deliberate alternative to industrial perfumery. On its About page the house describes its aim as offering "unique scents freshly hand made in small batches with the wearer's name printed on the label" [2], a personalisation that distinguishes it from off-the-shelf fragrance. According to the company, one origin point was a specially blended agarwood scent made as wedding door gifts, which guests reportedly asked to buy — an anecdote recorded in third-party coverage rather than on the brand's own pages.

The house frames its work around four stated pillars: high quality, simple design, transparency and unique craftsmanship [1]. It says it strips away "unnecessary elements" to keep the focus on the scent itself, and cites Chopin's line "Simplicity is the Final Achievement" on its homepage. Its stated mission is to "open uncommon olfactive dimensions" and to foreground ingredient quality over mainstream appeal.

The Lab works exclusively in fragrance. Its range spans eau de parfum (15–18% concentration), extrait de parfum (up to 30%), an alcohol-free perfume oil, candles and samples. Named scents include Earl Grey, Ginger, Citrus & Lavender, Bergamot & Musk, Pepper & Tobacco, Agarwood, Rose Oud, Tuberose and Black Tea [1]. Earl Grey is described in editorial coverage as a bestseller, and Pepper & Tobacco as an award winner [6].

In its perfume oils the house uses natural vegetable oils of jojoba and safflower as carriers, combined with natural extracts, essential oils and laboratory-made aroma-chemicals [4]. The company says it discloses its full fragrance content, contrasting this with what it calls the industry's usual practice of bundling ingredients opaquely.

The Lab describes its fragrances as 100% vegan [2] and states that it does not test on animals, while acknowledging that ingredient safety data in the wider industry often derives from past animal testing by raw-material suppliers [4]. The company reports compliance with European Union, IFRA (International Fragrance Association) and ASEAN standards, and describes itself as "one of the rare houses" to meet both the EU and IFRA restrictions [4]. It also states that every ingredient and its source is disclosed in full transparency.

Pepper & Tobacco was named in the AugustMan Grooming Awards 2020, in the magazine's fragrance and body-products category for men [3]. The brand has also been featured in ELLE's 2020 round-up of local cult brands, in Harper's Bazaar Singapore's coverage of Singapore beauty and perfume labels, in The Business Times, and in the Singapore Tourism Board's Official City Guide (6th edition, 2021) [3]. It is showcased through Design Orchard, a curated retail initiative of the Singapore Tourism Board.

The house sells directly online and through physical points of sale in several markets. In Singapore these include the Design Orchard store on Orchard Road and boutiques in the Joo Chiat and New Bahru areas. Beyond its home market, its fragrances are carried at department stores in Taiwan, through the niche retailer Jovoy in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, at Perfumatory in Oman, and at several boutiques in Brunei, with a location in Hangzhou, China listed as forthcoming [5].

The Lab is an active, independently run niche house. Its e-commerce site carries a current catalogue, its Instagram and Facebook accounts remain live, and its boutique network was still growing at the time of its most recently recorded activity in 2021 [5]. Its parent company and ownership structure are not publicly disclosed.