The rose is one of the most classic and timeless flowers dating back to the Middle Ages in Europe. It has become known as a symbol of romance, exquisite femininity, splendor, and passion, often immortalized through various forms of art. The rose was the first symbol of Lancôme, and now, the rose is intimately linked to Lancôme, as Lancôme is to the rose. Our founder, Armand Petitjean labeled the rose as his favorite flower, noting that it was a source of inspiration that never left him. As such, the iconic flower was at the core of 2 of the 5 original rose perfumes that Lancôme launched with and continues to be an icon of our products to this day.
What does rose smell like in perfume?
The rose is appreciated in perfumery for its sensual and multi-faceted olfactive profile, with more or less sweet notes, bringing an elegant floral tone to any fragrance. Although it's known as a classic flower, the rose also appears modern and fresh, especially when layered with earthy greens or zesty fruit notes. With its specificity, rose can easily be associated with other notes and layered in among other florals, spicy notes, and warm bases of vanilla or musk. Rose has the specificity to be versatile and allows all possible combinations, used in overdose or with finesse.
What are the different types of roses used in perfumes?
The different types of roses used in Lancôme perfumes are the Rose Centifolia Absolute from Domaine de la Rose, Rose Centifolia Absolute from Grasse, and Isparta Rose from Isparta. We focus on our iconic Rose Centifolia to give our perfumes a uniquely beautiful rose scent. Small, round, pink and full of petals (each flower contains over 100 rose petals), the Rose Centifolia is sometimes called the “may rose” – it is picked at this time of the year, during its period of full bloom to ensure the intensity of the rose scent.
Synthetic Rose Scents in Perfumes
With the development of synthetic rose scents, fewer than 50 dedicated rose farms remain.
Lancôme focuses on the Rose Centifolia in perfume and for good reason – it’s the highest quality rose in existence, so pure that its scent simply cannot be recreated, with no known equivalent. This special rose embodies the elegance of timeless femininity: sensual, faceted, and intensely floral. Rose Centifolia is a rare and complex scent due to its olfactive profile, made of more than 300 molecules, many of which are impossible to copy.
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Lancôme’s iconic rose is a unique variety – an elegant long-stemmed fuchsia beauty with a cylindrical bud holding up to 40 thick and shiny petals on each bloom. It’s a robust, adaptable rose with unparalleled visual and sensory beauty.
In 1973, a world-famous horticulturist and rose breeder named Georges Delbard developed this new variety of rose for Lancôme. The Delbard family has cultivated roses since 1935 and the Maison Delbard roses are bred by hand-pollinating thousands of seeds and undergoing a thorough selection process to release only a handful of new varieties to the market each year.
Our Rose Scents in Perfumes
Rose Centifolia Absolute from Domaine de la Rose
The rose absolute from our Domaine de la Rose brings out the fresh floral facets of the rose compared to the damascena, which is spicier and more animalic. This rose scent offers a slightly fruity accord with facets of pear, almost creating a slightly tea-like rose scent with complexity and elegance. In comparison to a traditional rose centifolia, it’s more vibrant than the classic rose petal notes thanks to its subtle fruity accord.
Rose Centifolia Absolute from Grasse
The rose centifolia absolute from Grasse used in our perfumes is a rose with depth and complexity. The rose brings the rich and sensual notes of a voluptuous bouquet of roses. Deeply floral, this rose embodies the elegance of timeless femininity. The rose centifolia helps bring roundness and sensuality to a perfume. Its effect is powdery with a slight sweetness of honey for a sensual accord.
Isparta Rose Petals from Isparta
Our Isparta Rose Petal Essence was crafted exclusively for Lancôme and sourced in the cradle of rose cultivation in Turkey. The carefully crafted rose accord intensifies the refreshing facets of the classic rose, but with an interesting warmth. As the rose blooms in the warmth of the Turkish sun, surrounded by lakes and sunshine, the essence of Isparta Rose radiates a velvety aroma as its soft warm petals are heated by the sun. The rose petals from Isparta are featured in our Idôle Eau de Parfum and support this family-based rose industry in Turkey, helping to improve agricultural practices and work conditions.
Our Rose Perfumes
Our Idôle perfume collection is centered around the rose, offering a fully immersive rose experience which is both verdant and tender, and fresh and voluptuous. Idôle features 4 exceptional rose accords: 2 essences, an absolute, and rose water. They come together to form the heart of Idôle for a beautiful rose scent.
Our original Idôle scent features the rose at its heart, inclusive of four different rose varieties – like a kaleidoscope of roses modern, radiant, and youthful. The rose heart is layered with jasmine, while white musk and vanilla sit at the base to create a unique rose perfume with a clean, floral fragrance. Wear it as your everyday fresh and confident scent — Idôle is for the daring, those pursuing new horizons and paving a new path forward.
Our latest chapter of Idôle – Idôle NOW is a powerful, unapologetic fragrance featuring rose as a core note, radiating at the heart, and strengthened by warm base notes of vanilla and musk. The upcycled Uplifted Rose Concentrate – Rose Isparta, Rose Centifolia, Rose Absolue Damascena – features a larger-than-life olfactory profile achieved by blending rose essence, concentrate, and water. The water, normally discarded during the distillation process, is reused so “nothing is wasted, not a single drop”, explains perfumer Adriana Medina. By repurposing our ingredients, we’re able to capture every floral facet and bring it to the top notes of this rose perfume for a luminous scent. Wear it for a confidence boost or on days when you want to feel bold, powerful, and radiant.
Our decadent, sweet, and delicious Idôle Nectar contains what we call a “rose soufflé” with a faceted bouquet of roses. The scent features the signature Idôle rose perfume blend with hand harvested Isparta Rose, Rose Centifolias from Grasse, in addition to Rosewater and Rose Absolue Extract. These rose perfume notes are layered with a caramel popcorn accord and bourbon vanilla for a decadent, irresistible, and perfectly balanced sweet floral perfume. Wear it when you want to feel fun, spontaneous, and bursting with sweetness.
Our energizing and comforting Idôle Aura features a trio of rose scents, including notes of Damascena Rose from Isparta, Rose Centifolia from Grasse, and Lancôme’s Rose Absolue. The essence of iconic roses is layered with fresh jasmine and warm salted vanilla for a sun-kissed floral fragrance – wear it when you want to feel like it’s a warm summer day or night, any time of the year.
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