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The fragrant elegance of the Damask rose

One can only imagine, inhaling the beautiful scent of roses diffused by Lush's unique perfumes, what rose fields look and smell like. What it would be to wander around an essential oil distillery between fragrant vessels and mountains of delicate pink petals. Follow us on this scented journey and discover an ancient species of rose, perfumers’ favourite, the Damask rose.

Written in November 2024, 6 min read.

Love at first rose

To say that much has been written about roses is an understatement. The beauty of these flowers has captured human imagination for more than 30 million years. They are mentioned in the oldest texts known, from Asia to Europe and Africa, and always carry a great deal of symbolism. Everywhere, roses inspire beauty and love, whether pure, platonic, passionate, tortured, or forbidden.

In Europe alone, literature and myths abound. The ancient Greek poet Sappho crowned the rose ‘queen of flowers’ in her famous lyric poem ‘Song of the Rose’. Roman emperors like Nero sometimes showered their guests with rose petals. One emperor named Elagabalus is even said to have taken the extravagance too far, dropping so many petals on their guests from a fake ceiling that they nearly suffocated. Death by roses, imagine! It was also around this time that attempts to encapsulate the scent of roses began, such as macerating the petals in oils or infusing them in water.

And this passion has never wavered! From medieval gardens to cities and nobility emblems, Renaissance perfumes, paintings by old Dutch masters, Napoleonic interior decoration and today's Valentine's Day celebrations, roses never cease to catch attention and arouse passion. Today, they are cultivated in many countries around the world: France, Turkey, Bulgaria, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kenya and many others.

Scented splendour from Syria

A visit to the famous Meise Botanical Garden in Belgium gives you a better understanding of the history of rose cultivation. The rose garden is designed in a spiral, with over a hundred species distributed according to their DNA tests, proof of their origins. At the centre of the spiral are the very first wild roses from Central Asia. Then, as the spiral progresses, you can admire more and more species born from cross-pollination and selection, sometimes manmade, sometimes natural. It is estimated that the Chinese were the first to cultivate roses deliberately, around 3000 BCE, and were also the first to cross them to create new species. Today, patient and passionate gardeners worldwide create new varieties every year in the hope of finding the brightest colour, the finest fragrance or the most resistant flower.

The Damask rose, or Rosa x damascena, is one of these hybrids, although no one knows exactly who’s responsible. It is said to be native to Syria and was named after its capital, Damascus. Recent DNA tests showed its genealogy: a cross between R. gallica (Europe), R. moschata (Himalayas) and R. fedtschenkoana (Central Asia).

Stories differ as to how the Damask rose came to Europe. Some credit a French crusader who fought in Damascus in 1148. One thing is sure: it was introduced to the Ottoman Empire somehow in the 15th century, where its seductive scent and abundance of petals made a big impression. Bulgaria was part of this empire then and began a long history of Damask rose production in its famous ‘Valley of Roses’, with the city of Kazanlak (‘where the kettles are’ in Turkish) at its heart. Although some say that Damask roses were grown in Turkey long before, the city of Isparta, now called the ‘City of Roses’, started intense cultivation in the late 19th century using Bulgaria’s experience. Today, about ten thousand families are involved in the rose industry in Isparta. Both countries celebrate their rich tradition with annual rose festivals, usually held during the peak blooming season in May and June.

If the Damask rose became so popular, it’s because of its unique scent that can be extracted. Only one other species is used in perfumery: Rosa × centifolia, the cabbage rose or rose de mai. While part of their aromatic profile will be similar, each has its own unique compounds that set them apart from the others. At Lush, we love the honeyed scent of the Damask rose. The essential oil and absolute are found in our perfumes and rose water is often used in our skincare and bodycare ranges.

In the rose fields

Growing roses is a very demanding job that requires great effort and patience. They can suffer from the weather and be aesthetically damaged by insects. Luckily, unlike in the flower industry, roses don’t need to look perfect to create a good extract.

Sunrise is the best time of the day for picking Rosa damascena flowers - before the sun cooks away the oil in the rose petals, meaning the yield will be higher. Even in the early morning, fields are abuzz with nature. Bees and butterflies pollinate, while ladybirds act as natural pest control. Even in the high Turkish altitudes, where water is limited and fruit and vegetables don’t grow, the Damask rose thrives with only a little. In the fields, experienced pickers could pick up to 100kg of roses daily. As the rose petals sit in their collection bags before being delivered to the distillery, they start to ferment, giving them a unique, spicy fragrance.

Rose oil prices, like so many other materials, are constantly fluctuating. A frost a year can terribly damage the fields, sending the prices soaring. A good year can encourage more people to plant their own flowers, creating an abundance that makes roses' value drop. If the prices continue to go down, inexperienced farmers will likely give up on roses, so the cycle continues.

Capturing Damask roses’ essence

I've been to almost everywhere roses are grown,’ once said Simon Constantine, a talented perfumer who created many of Lush’s iconic fragrances. ‘I've always been disappointed with rose perfumes. They're either too granny-ish or seem so synthetic that I'm sure a rose has never been anywhere near them.’ Speaking about a perfume he created to celebrate the birth of his first daughter, he continues, ‘so I used a lot of rose oil and rose absolute [...] I hope that the fragrance seems both fresh and floral - a true representation of the Damask rose.’

The essential oil and the absolute smell quite distinct from one another. Agnes Gendry is a member of the Lush buying team and is responsible for the Med/MENA/Asia/Uganda Hub. She observes, ‘Damask rose oil is very sweet with a honey tinge to it, whereas the absolute is more like the roses in the field… It has a green note to it and retains the fullness of the character of the rose.’ These differences are due to the processes used. Essential oil is obtained by steam distillation, a natural method whose high heat can evaporate some of the weaker aromatic compounds, slightly altering the plant's original scent. Absolutes’ process is solvent extraction, which is actually gentler than heat and captures most of the rose essence.

Where does Lush source Damask rose oil and extracts?

Lush has been purchasing rose oil and absolute from a Turkish supplier since 2004. Their entire distillery smells of roses, filled with hundreds of bags of flowers arriving directly from the farms to be processed during harvest season. Waste is kept to a minimum; for example, after rose oil distillation, the water is reused, and the spent rose heads are returned to the farmers for compost. 

In 2017 we created our own rose absolute production site in Pakistan in a joint venture with a local partner. We started this business from scratch and we are the only absolutes producer in Pakistan where we work with a network of around 100 small farmers who we support to abandon chemical inputs in favour of organic and permaculture systems.

We also source rose water from Bulgaria, an upcycled product obtained from rose petals previously used to make essential oil.

So much to say about roses - and this is just the tip of the scented iceberg. We didn’t even discuss roses' excellent benefits for the skin! If you’re tired of reading, jump straight into our selection of seductive rose-scented products. Whatever you choose, don’t miss out on this decadent combination of rose absolute and argan oil.

Written by Florence Bossière, Ingredient Writer and Anya Dale, Essential oils & Aroma chemicals Buyer.

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