Perfumer's Palette Series - Roses

hy ?

What is it that compels us to scent our bodies , to incessantly analyze these materials in the laboratory , to add , subtract and blend these chemical components in endless proportion ?

Many old texts tell us that humanity was trying to cover the stench of it's own uncleanliness . And I suppose to a certain extent that is true . Yet it has also been proven that the scent of sweat and unclean bodies increases for about 8-10 days , then one becomes anosmic to it .

Whatever the reason then , it is big business now . I find it fascinating to read and learn about how it was in the "good old days " , when the distillation of essence was an art , when most fragrance was composed of oils deemed sacred , distilled with love and pride . Like that which is still done in some places in the " third world " .

These methods should be preserved , and I have been scouring the shelves for information about traditional methods of distillation and their history . Today we begin the Perfumers Palette Series with the noble rose , the highest vibration on the planet .

For your information , here is my reference list :

Manual for the Essence Industry by Erich Walter ( 1st Edition , 1916 )

Practical Treatise on the Manufacture of Perfumery by Dr. C. Deite ( 1892 )

Odorographia - a Natural History by J. Ch. Sawer

( second series , 1894 )

Essence and Alchemy by Mandy Aftel ( 2001 )

Perfume by William I. Kaufman (1974 )

The Aromatherapy Book by Jeanne Rose (1992 )

The Magic of herbs by David Conway (1976 )

The Emperor of Scent by Chandler Burr ( 2002 )

Aromatherapy - The Essential Beginning by D. Gary Young (1995 )

Australian Bush Flower Essences by Ian White ( 1991 )

The Art of Perfumery by g. W. Septimus Piesse ( 1879 )

The Toilet of Flora ( 1784 )

Mack's Barbers Guide by J. M. McCammant (1908 )

Perfumery : It's Manufacture and Use by Campbell Morfit ( 1853 )

The Raw Materials of Perfumery by Earnest J. Parry

( year unknown , early 1900s )

Treatise on Perfumery by R. S. Christiani ( 1877 )

The old cottage roses smell so beautiful . It is sad that many long stemmed roses have been hybridyzed to the point of being scentless ! The Damascena Rose is the one to which all others are compared , the HG if you will...

As stated yesterday , the rose has the highest frequency of any other essential oil . Vibrating at 320 hz , it enhances the frequency of every cell in the body , is stimulating and elevating to the mind and can bring balance , harmony and a sense of general well being within minutes after smelling the essential oil .

The importance of rose in the creation of great perfumes cannot be overstated . Not only is it beautiful , but it sells !

" ...consider Arpege first . ..we find that the accord is rose , jasmine , acetate de vetiveryle ....Chanel No. 5 , rose , jasmine , vetyveryle , certain aldehydes being major ...Madame Rochas , methylionone , rose , jasmine , vetyveryle . Following that , Caleche - rose , jasmine , acetate de vetyveryle and santal . We take any or all perfumes that have had sucess and we find that they all contain rose , jasmine and acetate de vetyveryle . This shows us that through the years , the most commercial , the most popular and the most desirable accord has been rose and jasmine..."

- Marcel Carles 1973

The essential oil of rose , or otto of rose and rose attar , was discovered between 1582 and 1612 . Manucci , a Venetian physician wrote that for the wedding feast of the Grand Mogul Princess Nour-Dijhan to Dijhan - Guyr , a canal was dug surrounding the gardens where the celebration was to take place . Then the canal was filled with rose water...( !! ) When the bride and groom strolled the banks of the canal , they percieved an oily substance floating on the surface , skimmed it off and found it to be the most deliciously scented perfume they had ever smelled...

Shortly afterwards , around 1612 , manufacture of rose Otto began in Persia and by 1684 , the distilleries of Shiraz were well known , producing on a large scale " Aettr Ghyl " , translated , " fat of the flower " .

It is believed that the Turks introduced it's manufacture into Europe , specifically Bulgaria , which at the time was part of the Turkish Empire , in 1690 .

Later , distillation spread to France , specifically Grasse , where the soil and weather conditions were optimal for the development of rose cultivars with higher odor profile .

Flowers should be harvested early in the morning , or on cloudy days , and then should be distilled the same day . The still , a copper alembic , is from 3-5 feet high , holds 10-15 kilos ( 25-35 lbs .) of rose flowers and 70-100 liters of water ( about 30 gallons ). Three thousand lbs of flowers will produce one pound of rose otto .

Essence of rose otto is pale yellow and contains a liquid portion which is the scent of the rose , and the solid portion which is odorless , called stearoptene . Larger distilleries remove the solids and sell and a higher price this stearoptene-free Otto of Rose .

Todays drawing winner will recieve a selection of samples of my rose perfume collection , along with a 5ml bottle of rose oil , diluted Turkish rose essntial oil in jojoba oil .

Post a comment to be entered in the draw !

Please share any interesting facts about rose distillation you may know !