HEADSPACE
ROSE
2025
PERFUMER
Dominique Ropion
mint
basil
blackcurrant
rose essence
rose absolute
rose LMR
geranium
tarragon
gunpowder
frankincense
vetiver
benzoin
‘The explosion of a bouquet of roses: A symbol of love, tenderness and purity, the rose is here played out in major mode: an essence, an absolute and an ‘LMR Ultimate’ (an upcycling of previously discarded rose petals) declaim their grandiose floral poetry in unison. Facing the queen of flowers is her extreme opposite: gunpowder. An explosive mix of sulphur, potassium nitrate and charcoal, this ingredient – in the form of a capture headspace – unfurls its metallic, cold and smoky facets. It’s an unusual component, but the ideal one to shake up the classicism of the rose and push it to its limits. What emerges is the image of a bouquet of roses whose grace lies in the dramatic explosion of its petals. A fragrance of imperative hope, Rose_Headspace captures our most contradictory facets – beauty and violence, vice and virtue – and forcibly brings them together to create something unique, singular, ultimately human? An aromatic explosion of camphor, mint and basil meets the austere elegance of gunpowder. A vibrant rose soon emerges, virile with geranium and facetted with blackcurrant buds. Incense prolongs the contrast with a trail of vetiver and benzoin, between wood and amber. A fragrance of imperative hope, this woody aromatic-floral captures our most contradictory facets – beauty and violence, vice and virtue – and brings them together to create something unique.’ – Headspace
Headspace has been one of my favorite emerging brands, with Santal as a stand-out from the ones that I’d reviewed prior to this. The brand sent over a discovery set of the Extraits & samples of later additions Cedre & Rose to try as well.
And Rose is an instant favorite for me. Rose in general, as a note in perfumery, has always been one of my favorite, but in the past year or two, it has become the thing that I seek out most. In particular citrussy, fresher types of rose, with some of my favorite discoveries being Henry Jacques Snow Rose de HJ, Krigler Manhattan Rose 44, Superfumista Infra Rose etc. And this Headspace Rose is scratching that itch very well.
A bit more on the greener side, but not as green and herbal as the opening of Amouage Epic Woman or Epic 56. This is closer to a citrussy rose with some greener, garden tinges surrounding it as decoration. I get mint distinctively only for a few minutes, but throughout you get different green aromatic touches.
The sensation of a full garden or miscellaneous bouquet in bloom, rather than smelling a rose or rose bouquet up close. Frankly, I can make no connection to what I’m smelling and the whole ‘gunpowder’ theme; I don’t sense that duality in this fragrance. Instead, it’s one of the more vivid, Summery, joyful roses. And it’s top notch.
I ended up buying a 30ml bottle a week after trying it for the first time. Especially on second and third wear, the connection to Frederic Malle Rose Tonnerre (or the previous Une Rose) became more clear to me. I think describing Headspace Rose as a middleground between Epic Woman and Rose Tonnerre, with more of a citrussy, citronellol than both should give a good indication of what to expect.
