Undeniably the Queen of Flowers and nature’s symbol of love and beauty, the Damask rose’s rich history dates back an astonishing 30 million years! Once famously used by Cleopatra for its unique aphrodisiac powers, today this stunner is cultivated only in a handful of locations that provide just the right growing conditions, including Bulgaria, Turkey, Morocco, and Egypt. Like with wine, the distinctly seductive fragrance varies significantly depending on the country of origin and the elements surrounding where it grows, known as the terroir.
In the “Valley of the Roses” in Bulgaria, where we source both our rose absolute and our rare Bulgarian rose essential oil, as well as our fresh-dried powdered rose, the famed flower’s aroma is exceptionally deep, spiced, and intoxicating, transporting your mind and soul into a different world. While I would love to bathe in a bath laden with roses like Cleopatra every night, extractions of rose are unfortunately one of the most expensive and labor-intensive oils in the world to produce. If you consider it takes over 10,000 roses to fill one thumbnail-sized 5ml bottle, one can understand its high price, superior status, and allure. Just imagine one drop of our Bulgarian rose essential oil on your skin is the equivalent of 60 roses!
With an extraordinary 300 active organic compounds, including skin-nourishing vitamins, minerals, and protective antioxidants, rose is unarguably one of the most powerful natural healers for the skin. Thanks to its countless beneficial properties as an antiseptic, antibacterial, astringent, and cicatrizant, it has an incredibly healing and calming effect on various skin concerns, such as acne, dermatitis, scars, wounds, and even stretch marks! A powerful anti-inflammatory, emollient, and natural moisturizer, rose not only restores and supports the skin’s texture but deeply nourishes and hydrates at the same time, making this one of the most effective and luxurious skin healing treatments nature has to offer.
Sourcing note:
Bulgaria was for many years the capital of rosa damascene oil production. Sadly, the historical ups and downs of the country over the last century caused production to decrease significantly, and by the 1980's it was virtually unheard of. It wasn’t until a decade later that a resurgence in the trend of natural perfumery restored Bulgarian rose's popularity. We’re proud to share that our family-run supplier was an integral part of this renewal from a very early stage, purchasing and planting 250 acres of roses and renovating an old factory at the foot of the Balkan mountain range. This area is rightly known as “the valley of roses.” From the end of May to mid-June, fifteen thousand pickers work the majestic rose fields at the break of dawn. Collection begins at sunrise when the oil yield is at its highest and is completed within hours, before the dew evaporates from the flowers.
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