Bulgarian rose

Bulgarian Rose is a brand that almost everyone has heard of, especially those who have been to Bulgaria. The fact is that kiosks with cosmetics on roses are an indispensable attribute of any resort or tourist place. Usually they sell cosmetics of the same name and small wooden bottles with a cone of "rose oil". Let me tell you a secret - there is not really real oil, but a very diluted one. This oil costs about seven thousand euros per kilogram, and these cones are cheap.

Bulgaria has been extracting rose oil since the 16th century, but it has been actively exported since the end of the 19th. On average, 1.5 tons of this oil are produced in Bulgaria per year. Rose oil is used in cosmetics, perfumery, pharmaceuticals and cooking.

It is said that in the composition of the first perfume "Chanel No. 5" there was the oil of the Bulgarian rose, and that Coco Chanel personally came for him to Bulgaria. Well, this is probably a legend.

Oil is extracted not from ordinary roses - not those on my photos (these grow around my house), but from special roses - oil ones. They, by the way, are not so luxurious in appearance, and more resemble a modest rosehip.

The most common oil-bearing rose in Bulgaria, which is called "Bulgarian", is the variety Kazanlyshka, a species of Rosa damascena. It is from her petals, collected at dawn, until the dew fell, and rose oil and pink concrete are mined.

Ester oil, which is extracted by another method, is called a crème. It produces a pink absolute, which is used in aromatherapy and a little in cosmetics.

Out of four hundred kilos of rose petals, only one kilo of concrete comes out.

Where in Bulgaria roses

It is believed that the rose came to Bulgaria from Turkey. The soil and the climate turned out to be fertile and she settled down here.

Commercially, rose here began to grow in the 18th century. The most famous place is the so-called "Rose Valley", in the Karlovsky district, which includes 18 communities. Therefore, when it is written on cosmetics that it is made in Karlovo - take it “first-hand”    😊 

Tourists constantly go to this valley, especially on the Rosauber holiday. It is true that rare oil roses are rarely seen because they collect it early in the morning before the arrival of tourists. But for them they arrange concerts, beauty contests, sell all kinds of souvenirs, including cosmetics on the Bulgarian rose.

In its pure concentrated form, rose oil does not smell very pleasant, in order to get a real fragrance, it must be strongly diluted. Oil is hard and yellow because it is mined by the open method. This is either distillation or extraction.

In Bulgaria, growing almost all varieties of roses. But those that we see on the streets are not oil-rich, although they smell great.

By the way, Dutch roses are very often sold at Sofia’s flower kiosks.

When I was going to visit the Bulgarians, one lady gave me instructions: "Just do not give roses." I was very surprised, but I did not get a clear explanation of why. I was recommended to buy an orchid.

Thank you for your time and attention.

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All photos in this blog are taken by me unless otherwise attributed.

With love from Bulgaria @varya-davydova

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