Once upon a time, Rose de Mai was the main rose absolute used in fine French fragrances. These days the price is prohibitive and the absolute is mainly available to big houses like Dior and Chanel. But all is not lost! You can make your own Rose de Mai.
This is very much a wardia-type base (it is, in fact, based in part on a GCMS analysis of rose wardia by Firmenich). However, because I like to work with restricted chemicals I have been a little more relaxed around the formula than Firmenich needs to be due to IFRA. The restricted ingredients in this base can be easily substituted if you don’t want to use them but they are in very small doses so I can’t really see why there would be a problem anyway.
This base is expensive but well worth it I think. It can be used at mega-doses or micro-doses. Wardia was created before a number of truly astonishing rose chemicals were discovered. I have incorporated those chemicals into this base while remaining true to vintage perfumery by including a large dose of natural Rose de Mai absolute.
To purchase the formula for this magnificent rose base, go here:
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Sale!
How long would you recommend letting the base sit before using it? Mine still has a pretty distinct DMS smell but I just mixed it. Should I wait before incorporating it into a formula?
I would think you’d not notice the distinct DMS smell after a few days at the most.
I made the mistake of using a .1% dilution and had to try and salvage the base. Placed it on a hot plate around 150 F and after about an hour most of the excess DMS was evaporated. It turned out smelling absolutely beautiful!
Ah! DMS is definitely not a chemical you want to accidentally overdose 🙂 I’m glad it worked out in the end though.
Hi Jamie,
Do you think that Phenyl acetic acid can be used instead of Methyl phenyl acetate?
It could – though methyl phenyl acetate is a touch sweeter in my opinion.
I finally have managed to get all the ingredients for this base, so I was very anxious to mix this one today!
I must say that the main mixture smells absolutely fantastic and I have not yet added the micro base! How soon after mixing these two bases do you add the microbase to the main base?
You can add the microbase immediately if you wish.
So I’ve added the microbase today and I believe it’s the finishing touch for sure!
Excellent perfumery!
Glad you like it! This is one that I am thinking of selling (I have a slightly different version which was kept as a captive form of Wardia for many years – its existence is virtually unknown today. I have nearly finished my batch – I’ll send you a sample when it’s done. It will potentially be my first physical base I sell.
That’s very nice, thank you very much I am really looking forward to that!