Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
What is Rose?
Damask and centifolia as jam, stem or lipstick — the flower that built Grasse and a century of icons.
EDP vs EDT — what changes?
Concentration is oil in alcohol, not a quality score. EDT (about 5–15%) shows more top; EDP (about 15–20%) shows more heart and base. Houses vary; this is not a lab assay.
How should I wear Rose?
One or two sprays on skin or cloth — sternum or hair, not a cloud in a lift. Let it turn an hour before you add more.
Which season fits?
Spring to autumn. Dry winter air turns rose stemmy; humidity turns it to jam.
Does skin chemistry change it?
Yes. Warm, moist skin amplifies sweet and spice; dry or cool skin can turn the same juice woody, soapy or short. Test on your skin, not only a blotter.
What about IFRA and oakmoss?
IFRA sets industry limits on some naturals and synthetics. A reformulation is usually a legal edit, not a betrayal. This atlas is not a safety sheet.
Craft for Rose is solvent, steam, headspace and dose — not a mood.
The six steps below are a studio loop; they are not a safety sheet.
Methods
- Steam otto — Low-yield distillation; the luxury oil.
- Solvent absolute — Concrete then absolute; most designer roses.
- Deg-bhapka — Kannauj copper still into a sandal receiver.
- Headspace garden — Living-rose snapshots for “fresh rose”.
- Ionone lipstick — Violet molecules to make rose read as makeup.
Steps
- Choose the rose
Otto (spice), absolute (jam), Taif (dry).
Mixing all three muddies terroir.
- Cut the jam
Pepper, tea, lemon or geranium.
Lychee is a 2000s habit — use sparingly.
- Pick a bed
Sandal, moss, oud or musk — one bed.
Two beds make a different family.
- Dose in traces
Otto is potent; start below 1%.
More rose is not more rose.
- Age briefly
Rose accords settle in two weeks.
Otto can throw crystals.
- Skin-test spice
Cumin-rose (Rose 31) splits rooms.
Keep savory notes optional.
Limits
- Yield and price — Otto kilograms cost more than most formulas can bear.
- IFRA geranium/rose — Some constituents capped; “natural rose” is still regulated.
- Soap memory — Phenylethyl alcohol plus musk slides into detergent rose.
A good Rose formula knows its IFRA ceiling before it knows its ad.
Origins & milestonesNotes & accordsCraft & methodCulture & meaningIcons & legendsHow to wearMarket & bottles