What makes Bulgarian Rose perfume so luxurious

From Hollywood sirens to contemporary designer fragrances, rose remains a timeless and most sensual fragrance. The founder of the Bulgarian rose oil ECOMAAT explains the appeal of rose perfume in this way: "With the nickname "liquid gold" Bulgarian rose oil is the most expensive among all essential oils», — tells Culture Trip Atanas Krachmarov, founder of ECOMAAT, luxury rose perfumery in Bulgaria. Founded in 2001, ECOMAAT is known in Europe and Asia and is starting to break into the US market with its line of rose oils, La Vie En Rose.

If you think rose perfume – this is a scent meant for your grandma, think again. According to Town & Country, Marilyn Monroe delivered boxes of Floris Rose's geraniums to the Beverly Hills hotel where she was staying during the filming of Some Like It Hot. The same article notes that Ava Gardner was a fan of Creed Fleurs de The Rose Bulgare. The fragrance is popular not only among the Hollywood pinup of the 50s, designers use the rose in their perfume lines. Tom Ford delivers Cafe Rose, Yves Saint Laurent, Paris Premieres Roses and Narciso Rodriguez, Rose Musc. Search Instagram for the hashtag "pink fragrance" and you'll find the best beauty influencers filming their favorite fragrances for their feed.

So what is so attractive about the scent of a rose? "It has a rich, intoxicating aroma", — says Krachmarov. "There are hundreds of compounds that make for a great scent – it sets the world standard for quality».

In particular, the Bulgarian rose, grown from the flowers of Rosa Damascena, is recognized as a crème de la crème of roses. “This legendary species of Rosa Damascena has been cultivated in Bulgaria for nearly four centuries,” says Krachmarov. "The Rose Valley region in Bulgaria produces the most effective rose essential oils in the world, thanks to both advanced production techniques and the properties of the Bulgarian rose itself, shaped by generations of careful cultivation and thanks to the unique geography of Bulgaria." Krachmarov notes that due to the high cost, many manufacturers use alternative varieties of roses and synthetics in their perfumes. However, the benefits of Bulgarian rose oil - including anti-inflammatory, astringent, relaxing and aphrodisiac properties - cannot be duplicated or replicated.

A study by the U.S. National Library of Medicine supports these claims, showing that rose oil can reduce stress and promote wound healing. Another study from the US National Library of Medicine points to the anti-inflammatory properties of rose.

The high cost of rose oil, which makes rose perfume a luxury, is partly due to the extraction process. "It takes about 1,500,000 rose flowers to make one kilogram of Bulgarian rose oil,", says Krachmarov. "Right after the roses are picked by hand from the field, they are sent to the distillery. Essential oil extraction begins when the flowering reaches its peak, when it is still fresh and fragrant».

Highly qualified professionals use the steam distillation method to preserve the correct properties of the essential oil. ECOMAAT also uses carbon dioxide at low temperature and high pressure to extract the oil without compromising its bioactive properties. Authentic Bulgarian rose flower water touted for its anti-acne and anti-aging properties (US National Library of Medicine study also confirms the skin-clearing benefits of rose extract) — this is what Krachmarov calls "a distillate obtained as a result of steam distillation". In other words, pure rose water – it is not a by-product, but a quality product in itself.

Whether you choose a designer rose fragrance or an essential oil, read the ingredients carefully so you know exactly what type of rose you are paying for. As Gertrude Stein says: "A rose is a rose is a rose". Unless, of course, it's a Bulgarian rose.