Spring trend 2023: rose
A symbol of beauty since antiquity, the rose is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and iconic flowers: the Greeks and Romans considered it sacred and associated it with the goddess of love, the poetess Sappho gave it the epithet "queen of flowers," and Christianity dedicated it to the Virgin Mary, so much so that prayers such as the rosary took its name. Its scent and characteristics have always been a source of inspiration in every artistic field, from painting to literature, and have earned it a prominent role in the history of contemporary perfumery.
It all started in the Middle East: cultivated in Persia, where it was already largely distilled to produce rosewater for medicinal use, cosmetics and cooking, the rose later spread to the West during the Middle Ages, becoming renowned for its benefits in cosmetics. Rosewater began to be used in recipes for beauty products such as ointments and tonics, as well as in the practice of ablutions, but it was also widely used to perfume the air during certain religious festivals or to sanitize rooms.
In addition to rosewater, essential oil and absolute are also obtained from the process of extracting rose petals, both of which are valuable raw materials for perfumery. Suffice it to say that to obtain 1 kg of absolute you will need around 1 ton of flowers, and the yield of absolute is still about 6 times greater than that of essential oil, which is why the essential oil is rarer and more expensive. Moreover, although thousands of rose varieties exist to this day, perfumery has always used mainly only two: the damask and the centifolia rose, also known as the May rose.
Damask rose is native to Turkey and Bulgaria. Depending on its origin, the aroma takes on different nuances: the Bulgarian one is fresh and "watery," with citrus and green facets, while the Turkish rose is spicy, with animalic and sweet-gourmand facets. The Bulgarian rose is also renowned for its superior quality, as Bulgaria's soil and climatic conditions are believed to be particularly ideal for its cultivation. Harvesting takes place between May and June, strictly by 9 a.m. to ensure that the heat does not affect the rose's delicate notes; the harvested flowers are immediately steamed and then distilled for 3 hours.
Centifolia rose has been cultivated in the French city of Grasse since 1596, as well as in India, Egypt and Morocco, and was most likely born from crossing Damask rose and the Gallic one. A rare and delicate flower, characterized by a fresh yet honeyed profile, the centifolia is such a precious variety that it is treated only by extraction, and with a very limited yield of the absolute.
From the archetype of flowers to the archetype of perfumes, rose water: with Aq.Rosae we wanted to pay homage to the damask rose by making it the protagonist of a room fragrance inspired by the most classic of perfumery traditions. The result is a floral fragrance in which the damask rose dances in perfect union with the aromatic notes of mint. Chamomile, rosemary and bergamot complete a composition that gives the ambience a timeless aroma and a whiff of freshly picked roses.
We could not fail to make the queen of flowers also the protagonist of a fragrance for the person, complex yet simple just like its name: Rosae, a Latin term that evokes all the allure of the rose, the most coveted flower since antiquity. A bewitching fragrance whose infinite facets tell a story of love, passion and beauty. A warm, velvety, floral heart made unexpectedly fresh by vibrant notes of mint and spearmint. It is a handful of damask rose buds picked in the early morning hours, when dew gently brushes its petals.