The rose has held sway as the primary pillar of perfume
Rose, regarded as the queen of flowers is now being rediscovered as fragrance houses rewrite one of perfumery’s most enduring ingredients writes FUNKE OSAE-BROWN.
Sophia simply adores rose flowers hence she is easily enamoured by any fragrance that comes in that scent. Hence on her last trip to the UK she discovered new ways perfumers have reintroduced the Rose fragrance.
According to her, whenever she wants to purchase a bottle of perfume, she goes for one with rose base combined with woods because they are more faceted, mysterious, and challenging. She argues that Rose needs plenty of support, without which it lacks character. Her choice of perfume is usually the sublime Living Lalique created by perfumer Richard Ibanez who instead chose iris (another of adorable ingredient in the art of perfumery) to offset the creamy smoked woods.
For many years, the rose has held sway as the primary pillar of perfume. And it is one of perfumery’s most polarising ingredients. Little wonder why Christine Nagel, a perfumer for Hermès told FT’s ‘How To Spend It’ in an interview that the rose a generous gift to perfumers offering powdery, green or fruity facets. “It’s feminine but never cheap – like a tailored dress,” she said.
Toun Adeyemo, an entrepreneur says she once thought rose fragrances are old-fashioned, frowsy and coy until her friend told her about Une Rose, a perfume created by master perfumer, Edouard Fléchier, when she travelled foe holiday in Dubai last summer.
Une Rose she explains is a majestic Turkish bloom with a masterly touch of red wine and carnal truffle: a rose pulled from the earth by its roots to sit effortlessly on warm skin. “When it launched, I think in 2003, it was regarded as a benchmark of its type,” she says.
Tobi Animashaun, a perfume shop owner, says one of rose is an expensive ingredient in the art of perfumery that is why most perfumers are hesitant to use it. According to her, for many, rose was, almost in danger of pricing itself out of the game of perfumery. She explains that Grasse rose absolute, the finest and most costly is sold at an average price of N4, 776, 000.00 (24,000Euros) per kg, making many perfume houses to seek alternatives.
Rose de Grasse by Aerin Lauder pays homage to tradition
However, newly modified natural extractions are reigniting excitement. LMR Rose Essential, launched three years ago by scent lab International Flavors & Fragrances has been used by perfumer Anne Flipo in Lancôme’s Trésor de Nuit. LMR Rose Essential captures the waft of fresh roses in the field.
At popular London luxury shop, Harrod’s there is the Salon de Parfum from Rue Saint-Honoré is Ex Nihilo’s collection of eight scents, each designed to be boosted by an extra dose of an additional raw ingredient. Likewise Rose Hubris is a delicately spiced May rose brightened by lychee.
“Rose Hubris rose is vibrant and modern, says Sophia, “but iris settles it down.”
Some perfumes are made of a bunch of subversive roses determine to lead wearers into compelling, dark and thorny lands. For instance, Christine Nagel’s Tudor Rose & Amber from the Rock the Ages collection is inspired by the Wars of the Roses. An opulent old-rose absolute spiked with ginger and clove brings tapestries and polished oak to mind, before steeliness hints at blood on the blade.
Also, Rose de Grasse by Aerin Lauder pays homage to tradition, but there’s more to this than the name implies. After the first dewy rush of centifolia, the spicy resonance of Bulgarian and Turkish rose absolute (both damascena) comes through. A delicate musk and amber background mingles effortlessly with skin to leave an impression of lightly powdered warmth in this excellent rapprochement between an American clean-cut feel, French sophistication and eastern promise. Deftly contrived scents such as these will doubtless ensure a rosy outlook.
A report by ‘How To Spend It’, states that thorns to the fore in Laurent Mazzone’s Epine Mortelle are sharpened by a piquant trio of peppers alongside nutmeg, before the plush violet-rose accord powers through. Also, Electimuss Rhodanthe, named after the nymph Diana morphed into a rose to elude suitors, who then became her thorns. It’s dangerously teasing: the combination of Bulgarian rose, tuberose and juicy raspberry pulsate “come hither”, while lingering spiced woods say “stick around”.
Some perfumes are made of a bunch of subversive roses determine to lead wearers into compelling, dark and thorny lands
And so, the challenge now facing perfumers is to rewrite rose for a market ripe for rediscovering a classic such as this. In its favour, there are signs of a swing back to feminine florals, likely triggered by global unease, which invariably revives traditional values. “Rose is soothing and reassuring; we look for it when we’re uncertain,” says perfumer Roja Dove told ‘How To Spend It’ in an interview.
Animashaun says a combination of centifolia absolute and steam-distilled Bulgarian damascena oil in Francis Kurkdjian’s A la Rose perfume creates the wet, fruity, super fresh then spicy accord, like the beginning of love. Indeed, such combined sensuality is the theme of a growing number of scents that reconcile fresh, lemony Rosa centifolia with voluptuously fruity and spicy Rosa damascena so beloved throughout the Middle East. “Rose is a scent that works across all markets,” adds Animasahun. “But it must be known.”