- Origin
- a natural molecule (found in rose and geranium oil); in perfume — synthesis
- Raw materials
- rose oxide
- Extraction
- synthesis
- Olfactory group
- floral (rose), green
- Position in the pyramid
- top note and heart
- Synthetic substitutes
- geraniol, citronellol, geranium oil
Rose oxide is a natural molecule found in small amounts in rose and geranium oil, as well as in lychee and some wines. In perfumery it is produced synthetically and used as a bright “rosy” accent.
How it smells: fresh, green and a little metallic: rose petals, geranium leaves, a faintly fruity shade of lychee. Rose oxide sounds sharper and greener than the rose itself — like a freshly cut stem with its flower.
This molecule is very strong: even a minute amount makes a rose composition more realistic and alive. Together with citronellol and geraniol it gives geranium oil its resemblance to rose, which is why geranium oil so often sounds next to rose accords.
What it pairs with: with rose — a fresh garden rose, with geranium — a green rose composition, with lychee — rosy fruity fragrances, with pepper — a sharp modern rose, with musk — transparent floral fragrances.
Good to know: rose oxide is responsible for the characteristic rose-and-lychee aroma of Gewürztraminer wine — which is why sommeliers often describe it in exactly those words.
