Perfume Making Masterclass

Ladies Love Fragrance are running a perfume making masterclass at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood on Saturday 24 October, from 11am to 1pm. It's a two-hour session led by Alison MacColl and her team, and it's set up as an aromatic journey rather than a quick demo. You start by sampling 24 perfume notes, each composed by teams of master perfumers, and from there you blend your own unisex eau de parfum. The organisers describe the process as one involving a great deal of time, art and science, and they make a point of saying that each blend stands as a perfume in its own right.

There's a bit of background to the people running it: the team behind Ladies Love Fragrance bring almost half a century of experience with bespoke aromatics, working with natural botanicals and fine French perfumery. They've been partnering with Craft Courses since 2020, and the masterclass runs in Glasgow as well as Edinburgh, so it's not a one-off. The format also works for private bookings — birthdays, weddings, or corporate team building — if you'd rather gather a group and do it your own way.

On the day, you'll leave with a 5ml bottle of the perfume you've made, and refills are available then and orderable later. There's a welcome glass of bubbly and fresh orange juice or bucks fizz to start you off. The session runs from 11am to 1pm at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood, 81 Holyrood Road, EH8 8AU, and tickets are £49.