Make your own perfume: Cultures of Trade (in person)

Saskia Wilson-Brown shares research for 'The Cultures of Perfume', with a focus on the trade chapter: Sandalwood, nutmeg and clove, saffron. About this class Saskia Wilson-Brown shares research for her recent book—The Cultures of Perfume: Scents That Shaped History—with an emphasis on materials historically used to express culture in discrete areas of activity. This two and a half hour session will focus on historic trade routes, exploring four materials that have been traded and valued across the ancient world. The class starts with a smelling session, focusing on sandalwood, nutmeg and clove, saffron and vetiver, with other aromatic notes included as appropriate. After smelling the materials and discussing their historic use, the class will engage in a blending exercise, making a perfume as a group while we explore how to formulate. Finally, each attendee will make their own composition using the materials from class, leaving with a 15ml spray vial. Two and half hours, in person. No previous experience blending needed. Take-aways - Information about the historical use of perfume materials in trade - Sensorial experience of topical materials, including sandalwood notes, nutmeg and clove notes, saffron notes, and vetiver notes, as well as appropriate other materials. - Learning how to formulate and compose an experimental perfume - A 15ml spray bottle of your custom perfume About the Instructor Saskia Wilson-Brown founded The Institute for Art and Olfaction (IAO) in 2012 as a nonprofit advancing access and experimentation in perfumery. Through the organization, she established many collaborative programs and initiatives, including the Art and Olfaction Awards, the Experimental Scent Summit, Open Sourcing Scent Culture, the biennial Scent Week LA, as well as the IAO’s educational, exhibition, and library initiatives. In addition to running the IAO, Saskia hosts the radio show and podcast Perfume on the Radio, and is completing her PhD research on scent in creative practice at SmartLab, University College Dublin. Her book The Cultures of Perfume: Scents That Shaped History will be published by Distributed Art Publishers | D.A.P. in November, 2026. Important Class Notes Materials: Materials are included in the sign-up cost, and provided by the IAO during class. On Safety: Some aromatic materials can have side-effects when applied to skin. The information and teaching materials presented in our classes are for educational purposes only. These are not intended for commercial use and do not necessarily reflect commercial best practices or industry safety standards. For more information about commercial best practices and safety, consult the relevant authorities in your country of residence. Registration Required: Please note that you must reserve your space in advance. If you just show up without reserving a spot, there is no guarantee we will be able to accommodate you. Space at this event is limited. All levels are welcome, but this session is 18 and up (or 14+, with adult supervision). Attendance and Refund Policy: This is an in person class that will take place at the Institute for Art and Olfaction. Cancellation with refund made 1 week or more (7 days) before the scheduled session will be honored unless materials or formulas have been shared in advance. Refunds requested 1 week or less before the class starts, on the day of the class or after the class has happened will not be granted. Please note our cancellation policy, listed here and on the registration/ticketing page: https://artandolfaction.com/educationatiao/cancellation-policy/ Location: We are located in Los Angeles’ historic Chinatown neighborhood, on a pedestrian street. Street Address: 932 Chung King Road Los Angeles CA. 90012. To find us: Chung King Road is a pedestrian-only road that runs parallel to Hill Street, between Hill St and Yale St. See more information here: http://artandolfaction.com/visit Image credits: Clove boat: The Trustees of the British Museum. Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence. / Photos of Saskia by Indah Datau