Ingredient Guide
Rosemary has been used in historic colognes, including the Queen of Hungary’s Water (Hungary Water). In medieval Europe it was believed to ward off evil and witches, while in ancient Greece it was believed to help improve memory, and it was used accordingly.
It has an aromatic, fresh scent that slightly stimulates the nose, together with a resinous, woody scent, and is also used in fougère-family perfumes.
I use rosemary when I want to evoke a Mediterranean feeling and give the impression of a cocktail of herbs.
Julie Massé
What Does It Smell Like in Perfume?
In perfume, rosemary is a bracing aromatic scent reminiscent of green leaves, camphor, green terpenes, and mint. Its natural essential oil moves from fresh, camphoraceous top notes to a powerful green and terpenic heart, giving a fragrance a cool outline. Natural Rosemary SFE, extracted with a supercritical fluid, is a different material, with a milder camphoraceous character than the essential oil and woody, balsamic facets. The balance between coolness and herbaceousness varies with the origin, chemotype, and extraction method.
Choosing Rosemary Fragrances
Lemon and orange offer bright companions to rosemary; grapefruit suits those who also enjoy bitterness. With lavender or woods, a fresh herbal opening is followed by a calmer drydown.
Fragrances to Explore
Colonia Eau de Cologne (Acqua di Parma)
Lemon, sweet orange and bergamot meet rosemary, lavender, rose and verbena. Supported by woods and patchouli, this is a classic cologne layering citrus, herbs and flowers.
Grapefruit Cologne (Jo Malone London)
Grapefruit is combined with rosemary, peppermint and pimento. A fresh citrus scent accented with herbs and spice.
Find Your Next Fragrance
To explore more fragrances through the notes you enjoy, open our Fragrance Finder. Choose “Favorite fragrances & notes”, then search under “Favorite notes”. Select from the suggestions shown and press “Next”. You can start with notes even if you do not have a favorite fragrance.
