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Rose is perfumery's most documented flower, and it comes in more moods than most people expect. Here is how to find your kind. Rose is the note almost everyone has an opinion on. Some people picture powdery grandmother's soap, others a dark, theatrical flower, and others something sharp and green. All of them are right, because modern perfumers treat rose as a whole vocabulary. This guide explains where perfumery's roses come from, sorts rose perfumes by style, and offers examples available at Esscentum. Always check the product page for price, availability and notes, since descriptions here come from brands, retailers and reviewers and can vary between sources. Two Roses Behind Most Rose Perfumes Two species dominate perfumery. Rosa damascena, the damask rose, is grown mainly in Bulgaria and Turkey, and is processed into rose oil, also called rose otto or attar. Perfumer's World says the greatest quality comes from Bulgaria's Valley of Roses, with Turkey's Anatolian rose oil next. Rosa centifolia, the May rose or "rose de mai," is grown in Grasse in southern France and in Morocco, and is processed into an absolute. They smell related but different. Première Peau, a niche perfume house, describes damask as honeyed with a gentle spicy depth, and May rose as softer, rounder and closer to the fresh petal. Both are costly: producing one kilogram of absolute takes several thousand kilograms of petals. The same brand argues that most "rose perfumes" don't use absolute at all, relying instead on isolated molecules such as rose oxide. That's one house's opinion, but it explains why two rose perfumes can feel so different. The Main Styles of Rose Perfume Style Example What brands and retailers list Dark, theatrical rose Frédéric Malle Rose Tonnerre Frédéric Malle calls it "a somber rose, a theatrical rose, perhaps even a fatal rose." A retailer lists wine lees and honey on top, Turkish rose, geranium and truffle in the heart, and castoreum, musk, vetiver and patchouli below. Rich, spiced rose Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady The house lists rose, blackcurrant, raspberry, clove, patchouli, sandalwood and frankincense. Perfumer Dominique Ropion said he'd never put so much rose in a perfume before. Luminous, sharp rose Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir Jean-Claude Ellena describes it as "clear, pure and sharp. A luminous rose." Fresh, light rose Maison Francis Kurkdjian L'Eau à la rose One retailer lists rose, peony and musk in an eau de toilette. Citrus and rose Maison Francis Kurkdjian À la rose L'Homme One retailer lists grapefruit and Bulgarian rose on top, clary sage and ambery woods in the heart, and Grasse rose absolute and cistus underneath. Peppery, woody rose Acqua di Parma Luce di Rosa The house lists bergamot, longoza and pink pepper on top; rose, geranium and black pepper in the heart; vetiver, guaiac and cedarwood below. Rose and amber Mancera Amber & Roses Sicilian lemon on top; Indian jasmine and rose in the heart; amber, labdanum and white musk below. Rose and oud Mancera Aoud Exclusif; Tiziana Terenzi Gold Rose Oudh Aoud Exclusif lists saffron, labdanum, cumin and pepper, then Bulgarian rose, patchouli and violet, over agarwood. One retailer lists rose and patchouli in the heart of Gold Rose Oudh, over oudh, sandalwood, musk and honey. Rose and coffee Mancera Aoud Cafe Oud, bitter orange and lemon on top; Turkish rose, patchouli and coffee in the heart. Rose and white musk Jo Malone Rose & White Musk Absolu Jo Malone's team says the top notes are removed, so you go straight to the heart. Esscentum also lists Kilian Rose Oud, Mancera Roses Greedy, Xerjoff Damarose and Louis XV 1722 Rose, Stéphane Humbert Lucas Rose de Petra, Nicolai Rose Oud and Rose Royale, and Détaillé Rose Nuit. We haven't sourced notes for these, so read each product page. Frédéric Malle on Rose Few houses have given rose as much attention as Frédéric Malle. A fragrance blogger quotes him saying that rose is to perfumery what the nude is to drawing, and the house has presented several roses from different perfumers, each with a strong personality. Rose Tonnerre, released in 2003 and composed by Édouard Fléchier, grew from a base that Fléchier created to reproduce the smell of a Périgord truffle, according to the house's description. A Parfumo reviewer describes a slightly green, earthy rose. For a complete picture of the house, see our Frédéric Malle guide. How to Choose a Rose Perfume Decide how sweet or dark you want it Fresh roses like L'Eau à la rose are light and clean. Spiced and woody ones like Portrait of a Lady and Luce di Rosa have more weight. Dark roses like Rose Tonnerre are for people who find sweet florals boring. Look at the partner note Amber makes rose soft and warm. Oud makes it deeper and more resinous. Coffee and honey make it gourmand. Musk makes it clean and skin-like. Don't assume rose means feminine Retailers describe Mancera Amber & Roses as unisex, and the house markets À la rose L'Homme toward men, while Portrait of a Lady is pitched as feminine by its house and listed as unisex by at least one retailer. Choose by the notes you enjoy. Sample first Esscentum has a Decants collection and Discovery sets, so check whether the fragrance you want is offered in a smaller size. Rose changes more on skin than almost any other note. Tip: If you think you don't like rose, try one that isn't a soliflore. Roses paired with leather, truffle, coffee or oud barely resemble the soap-and-powder stereotype. Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between damask rose and May rose? Damask rose (Rosa damascena) is grown mainly in Bulgaria and Turkey and distilled into rose oil. May rose (Rosa centifolia) is grown in Grasse and Morocco and extracted into an absolute. Perfume houses describe damask as more honeyed and spicy and May rose as softer and rounder. What is a good rose perfume for people who don't like sweet scents? Look at darker, drier roses such as Frédéric Malle Rose Tonnerre or peppery, woody ones such as Acqua di Parma Luce di Rosa. Sample first, since taste varies. Are rose perfumes only for women? No. Many are unisex, and some are marketed to men. Choose by notes rather than the label. Where can I buy rose perfumes in Lebanon? Rose perfumes are available online through Esscentum. Always verify current stock and pricing on the product page before ordering. Browse the floral fragrance family, home to many rose perfumes. Shop Floral Fragrances at Esscentum