Rose in perfume: timeless, elegant, romantic

The rose has a long and storied history in fragrance. Its oils were used as far back as ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt—not only for their scent but also for their symbolism. Cleopatra is said to have filled her rooms with rose petals to enchant Julius Caesar. In ancient Rome, roses featured prominently in rituals and celebrations, with petals scattered at feasts and garlands worn as crowns. Throughout history, the rose has stood for luxury, joy, and, above all, love.

By the Middle Ages and Renaissance, rose extracts had firmly established themselves in European perfumery. Two varieties in particular remain favourites: the Damask rose (Rosa damascena) and the rarer Centifolia rose (Rosa centifolia) from Grasse, the heart of French perfumery.

Although thousands of rose species exist, these two dominate the perfume world. The Damask rose is known for its deep, spicy, and fruity aroma. It’s widely grown in Bulgaria, Turkey, and Iran. The Centifolia rose, also called the Provence rose or “hundred-petaled rose,” has a softer, powdery, honeyed scent. Cultivated mainly in Grasse, it’s prized for its delicate and elegant profile.

Not every flower lends itself easily to fragrance extraction, but rose does—though the process is both complex and costly. There are several methods used to capture the rose’s scent:

• Steam Distillation: Fresh petals are gently steamed, releasing fragrant oils. The result is rose oil, also known as “rose otto.” This oil is highly concentrated and incredibly precious—thousands of petals are needed to produce just one kilo of oil.
  
• Solvent Extraction: This technique creates what’s known as an “absolute,” offering a fuller, more complex aroma than distillation. Rose absolute is deeper and richer, commonly used in luxury perfumes.
  
• CO₂ Extraction: A modern, clean method using pressurised carbon dioxide to extract scent compounds. This results in a fragrance that’s remarkably true to the natural smell of fresh roses.
  
• Synthetic Rose Molecules: Many perfumes also use lab-created rose molecules. These are often more sustainable and give perfumers greater creative flexibility—whether they want to highlight the rose’s powdery, fruity, or crisp facets.

Rose is anything but one-dimensional. Depending on the variety and the extraction method, rose can smell light and fresh, with citrusy top notes, or warm and sensual, with powdery, green, or spicy undertones. That versatility is what makes it so beloved among perfumers. Blended with ingredients like oud, incense, patchouli, saffron, or amber, rose can take on entirely new characters.