Without confusing with the Rose of May, the Damascus rose, also called the Rose of Damascena, is an ancient flower with Persian and Chinese origins. A hybrid rose whose fragrance is unique in the world, and whose noses stand out in the world of perfumery. Fragrances for women with a smooth, suave, and sweet trail, with many subtleties. Here is a complete article to know everything about this rose. 

All you need to know about the Rose of Damascus or Rose Damascena

Its origin and culture

According to a legend, the Damascus name, in Syria, would come from the crusades of the French knights, during the Middle Ages. The time when the knight Robert de Brie would have brought this magnificent rose back to his country, in Provins, a city which became the capital of the French rose.

But it was in Bulgaria, under the Ottoman Empire, in the 17th century, that its culture took root and took off. Kazanlak becomes its capital with the Valley of Roses, world-famous for its production in large quantities. For your enthusiasts, you can visit a museum specially dedicated to this emblematic flower: the rose museum. 

Another important capital for rose cultivation is the city of Isparta in Turkey, the second-largest producer in the world: 320 tonnes of roses are produced there every day.

Its flowering and its extraction

There are two varieties of Damascus Roses: 

• Summer Damascus (non-returning roses), which blooms only in summer.

• Autumn Damascus (four-season roses or Castile roses), which blooms until autumn. 

Piking the rose is ultra-delicate and has been done by hand, for several decades. To do this, the pickers must get up at dawn to collect each barely hatched flower. Damascena roses offer a beautifully romantic color, sublimated by the sun of the southern regions. A generous flowering that sublimates and perfumes our gardens. 

The Rose of Damascena used in Perfumery

If it is so appreciated in feminine perfumes, and its wake is unique, recognizable among a thousand. A smooth and sweet scent, also widely used in the world of cosmetics for its delicate fragrance.

The roses of Damascus are famous in the world of perfumery. They are cultivated to extract and produce rose essence, to create unique fragrances with the essential notes: Damascus rose. 

To obtain the rose absolute, you must follow the volatile solvent extraction technique, so it will take 400 kg of petals to produce 1kg of rose concrete. 
A unique and exceptional product, the rose has been one of the most used flowers in Perfumery since Antiquity, most often agreeing as a heart note. 

Belle épine, a fragrance for women with Damascus rose 

Belle epine is a perfume designed to be worn by a rebellious, ephemeral, docile, and fatal woman at the same time. 

It is a woman’s perfume, with rose absolute. A hybrid flower, a vector of memories, and an immersion in the childhood of khedija, founder of Kabeah Paris perfumes. Fragrances for women, vegan and cruelty-free. A vibrant olfactory kingdom, designed in Grasse, the quintessential French capital of perfume, under the aegis of Stépahnie Bakouche, an active member of Osmothèque (International Conservatory of Perfumes). 

In short, the rose of Damascena is the emblematic flower, the hybrid rose with a unique fragrance. As an eau de toilette or eau de parfums, it will stay for long hours as a heart note. An olfactory encounter to discover with Belle epine, an elegant, delicate, and flowery fragrance. A high-end niche perfume made in France.