Karen Gilbert

Karen Gilbert's draw is her CV. She holds a Diploma in Cosmetic Science, worked as a fragrance evaluator at IFF in the mid-1990s (assessing fragrances for Marks & Spencer, Boots, Sainsbury's, Unilever and P&G), and spent 1999-2004 in product development at Neal's Yard Remedies, creating fragrances for its first organic skincare range before becoming its retail trainer. That industry grounding shows in the teaching: her classes are dense with insider technique and 'this is how it actually works' detail that beginner gift-experiences skip.

In-person classes run several times a year at her perfumery studio in the New Forest, about seven miles south of Salisbury (roughly a 20-minute taxi from Salisbury station). There are three tiers: a one-day Natural Perfumery Masterclass where you create a signature scent from high-quality naturals and take it home (popular as a gift alternative to a bottle of perfume); a three-day Artisan Perfumery Immersion that takes you from idea to finished fragrance; and a five-day Perfumery Week for the most committed. Group sizes are deliberately small so there is real one-to-one help on your own projects, and classes use naturals only or both naturals and synthetics depending on the day.

The other half of her business is online. The Artisan Perfumery Mastermind is a 12-month programme - course modules released fortnightly over the first three months, then ongoing monthly live Q&As - aimed squarely at people who want to launch their own perfumes, with a private community, alongside shorter self-study masterclasses. That makes Karen Gilbert a strong pick whether you are nowhere near Hampshire or want structured progression beyond a single day.

Who it does not suit: anyone after a quick, glossy, prosecco-and-photos afternoon. This is teaching-led, the live dates are limited, and the studio is genuinely rural - a destination trip rather than a city pop-in.