Roseoverdosed

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The Rose is the ultimate Rock Star of the aromatic world. Welcome to my Rose Garden!

12/07/2026

Perfume Plants of Bulgaria was created with the intention to reveal the richness of Bulgaria’s aromatic heritage beyond the rose.

Over the past five days, our international group explored the country’s fragrant terroir, from lavender fields and extraction facilities to locally produced materials such as To***co Absolute, Beeswax Absolute, Oakmoss Absolute, Clary Sage Absolute and many others.

Guided by the wonderfully knowledgeable Karen Gilbert, we smelled, blended, questioned, and discovered the stories behind the materials.

The 2026 edition has now come to an end, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who travelled to Bulgaria to experience this small but remarkably fragrant corner of the world.

Thank you for your curiosity, your creativity, and for making this week so special.

Until next time. 🌿

08/04/2026

Finding something monumental in the ordinary or when a handful of roses becomes a portrait of a lifetime.

Some things are measured in kilos harvested.
Others, in decades carried.

These hands know both.

See you in the Valley.
Five weeks to harvest.

01/04/2026

Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol - the molecule that changed my life forever. Growing up in the heart of the Bulgarian Rose Valley, roses were always around me, but Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol gave me a reason to look at them differently.

⚗️The Distillation Enigma 🔮

Rose oil and rose water smell different because one of the key aromatic compounds - Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol (PEA) - is water-soluble. During steam distillation, it partitions predominantly into the aqueous phase, concentrating in the rose water rather than the oil. As a result, rose water carries a softer, more delicate rosy sweetness, while rose oil appears drier, waxier, and more complex in character.

The difference between the aromatic profiles of rose water and rose oil led me to question everyone I could, from the distillery to the lab. While most people would simply accept that “they smell different,” I wanted to understand why.

Looking back, it was over a decade ago that this curiosity led me to discover Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol and quietly marked the beginning of my path into perfumery. In a way, a single aromatic molecule became the intellectual key that opened the door to an entirely new vocation.

This May, I am inviting you to experience the Rose Valley for yourself. Rose Retreat 2026 takes you from the rose fields at sunrise, through the alchemy of distillation, to creating your own perfume with guest perfumer Maya Njie of Maya Njie Perfumes. Everything starts with a question. Come ask yours. More details here 👉 Rose Retreat 2026

13/03/2026

Nature leaves small clues everywhere. Rosa damascena belongs to the Rosaceae family — the same botanical family that gives us apples, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, almonds, strawberries, and raspberries.

Once you know this, it becomes easier to understand why Rosa damascena does not resemble the typical garden rose. In fact, the plant looks much closer to a wild raspberry bush.

Moments of discovery like these are always part of the Rose Retreat experience.

May 25–29 • Bulgarian Rose Valley • Rose Retreat 2026

02/03/2026

This one feels special. It is an honour to welcome Maya Njie as the guest perfumer of Rose Retreat 2026

Maya Njie is a self-taught London-based perfumer and the founder of her eponymous fragrance house. Drawing from her Swedish and Gambian heritage, Maya creates scents that are rooted in memory, emotion, and a strong visual sensibility. Her work blends personal storytelling with an intuitive approach to materials, often inspired by photographs, cultural traditions, and everyday moments.

When Silvia first encountered Maya’s work, she felt an immediate resonance. Both Maya Njie Perfumes and Roseoverdosed were founded in 2016, each emerging from a need to stay connected to personal memories and origin through scent.

This May, Maya will step into our gardens and experience the Bulgarian rose not as a symbol, but as a living scent shaped by time and place.

Until now, rose has not been part of her perfume vocabulary. This retreat marks a new chapter - an exploration of a new landscape.

At Rose Retreat 2026, Maya will lead the perfume-making workshops inspired by the olfactory profile of the Bulgarian rose.

We cannot wait to share the Rose Valley with her and with you 🌸 25–29 May 2026, The Rose Valley. For more details, follow the link in bio.

Photo credit: Christian Cassiel

20/02/2026

13 weeks until Rose Retreat 2026 🌸

Experience perfume-making and rose-harvesting in the Bulgarian Rose Valley from May 25th to May 29th.

15/02/2026

Two roses. Two olfactive personalities. Five days that will change how you understand rose fragrance forever.

Rose Retreat 2026 is open for bookings. Join us and experience rose-harvesting, distillation, and perfume-making from May 25th to May 29th in the Bulgarian Rose Valley.

What to expect:

👃Perfume-making workshops with a guest perfumer �
🌸 Rose-picking of Rosa Damascena & Rosa Alba �
⚗️ Visit to an authentic local rose oil distillery �
🏛️ Rose museum visit in the town of Kazanlak �
🍷 Dining experience with wine tasting �
🏨 4 nights at a 5-star hotel included�
🎁 Complimentary gifts

For more information, DM us or follow the link👉https://www.roseoverdose.com/online-shop/rose-retreat-2026

12/02/2026

Rose Petal Honey 🌹🍯 by Sarah McCartney for ROSEOVERDOSE

When I think about the perfumers who’ve joined me for the Rose Retreat throughout the years, Sarah McCartney from 4160Tuesdays stands out. Not only because of her incredible talent and adventurous persona, but because of how she honored Bulgaria before she even arrived.

For Rose Retreat 2023, Sarah created multiple perfume formulas in advance, each one exploring and celebrating locally produced perfume materials. She was the only perfumer to approach the experience this way, and it showed her deep respect for our culture and craft.

Rose Petal Honey is the beautiful outcome of that first encounter. It weaves together the richness of Bulgarian honey with the delicate, complex character of our roses. Deliciously floral, this fragrance is more than a perfume. It’s a tribute to Bulgaria, to our collaboration, and to Sarah’s artistry.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I’m reminded that this fragrance was born out of curiosity, mutual respect, and a shared love for exceptional perfume materials.

Whether you’re celebrating romance, friendship, or any meaningful connection in your life, Rose Petal Honey honors all forms of partnership that make life sweeter.

Available on our website 👉 https://www.roseoverdose.com/online-shop/rose-petal-honey

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