The Greek poet Sappho described the fragrance of the rose as "the breath of love".
At CÎME we’re also fond of roses, especially now that the flower is starting to bloom again!

Roses have become more and more cultivated over time, which means that they’re selected for their desired properties. Unfortunately, this has also made them more and more susceptible to diseases. Many hybrid rose varieties these days hardly even smell at all.

At CÎME we only use active ingredients of the original wild roses in our skincare products because they offer the highest quality.

What exactly are these wild, botanical species? We’ll list them for you!

Rosa sericea Wall.ex Lindl – Rose with four petals from the Himalayas

This is a very old botanical rose variety from the Himalayas. It is the only rose variety that has only four flower petals. It grows wild in the western Himalayas around 2000 meters altitude.

Dog Rose - Rosa canina L.

Dog rose can be found all over Europe. It's the wild rose that you encounter in many places as undergrowth in our forests, along meadows and pastures. It blooms in early summer with its white to pink flowers.

Rosa rubiginosa L.

(photo: fruit with seeds)

The Rosa rubiginosa is found in Chile and Argentina and is a variant of the Dog Rose that has adapted to the local ecology.

The seeds of this rose are pressed into a high-quality oil, which is very rich in unsaturated fatty acids. The oil is especially rich in alpha-linolenic acid, vitamin A and vitamin C. It also contains retinoic acid, which has a tissue repairing effect and helps prevent wrinkles. We use this oil in our Belle d'Amour and Under My Skin day and night creams, in our serum Kissed by a Rose, and in our multifunctional dry oil l'Huile by CÎME.

Damask Rose - Rosa x damascena Herrm

The Damask rose, as the name suggests, comes from the Middle East. It is a natural hybrid variety with a typical rose scent. The essential oil distilled from it is extremely precious. It takes 3 to 4 tons of freshly picked roses to obtain one liter of essential oil from this flower.

The essential oil of the damask rose has been known for centuries for its healing, astringent and tonic effect. It is therefore the ideal oil to relieve rosacea and to prevent wrinkles and fine lines. The essential oil of the Damask rose is a real skin tonic that stimulates dull and tired skin.

It is not without reason that we use this essential oil as an active ingredient in the formula of our repairing serum, Kissed by a Rose. A true youth elixir that stimulates natural cell regeneration and improves skin elasticity.

Gallic rose - Rosa Gallica L.  

The Gallic rose has been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages and is the first rose variety to be grown on a large scale in France. You often see them in old rose gardens.

Provence rose - Rosa centifolia L.

Few people know that the Provence rose forms the basis for the world famous perfume Chanel No5.
This rose is a hybrid developed by Dutch breeders at the end of the sixteenth century, perhaps as a cross between Rosa gallica and Rosa damascena. In France it is also called "Rose de mai". It was often planted at the end of the row in vineyards, as it is quite susceptible to disease, giving an early warning when the vineyard would be in danger of being affected by mildew or other diseases.

Musk rose - Rosa moschata Herrm.

The musk rose also comes from the western Himalayas, although it no longer exists there in its original form. It’s a climbing rose with a slightly musky scent. Some will recognize the rose from William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".