Rose

Rose is the queen of the perfumer's palette, the single most used natural ingredient in fragrance history. Rose absolute is prized above almost all other raw materials for its extraordinary complexity: it can smell simultaneously velvety, green, honeyed, fruity, powdery, and even slightly spicy.

In fragrance, rose appears in every possible register. Soliflore roses amplify the bloom to full cinematic effect. Rose as a supporting note adds classical elegance to woody, amber, and oriental bases. Dry rose accords (prominent in many Middle Eastern oud-rose pairings) lean dusty and spiced. Fruity rose compositions read bright and modern.

There is arguably no accord more romantic, more timeless, or more versatile than rose. If you love rose fragrances, you will find enormous overlap with floral, white-floral, oud, powdery, and violet accord families.