Roseoverdose

Roseoverdose is run by Silvia, who was born in Kazanlak, the town of Bulgaria's Rose Valley. Her family grew tens of thousands of roses, and a photo on her site shows her in her grandfather's rose garden in 1982. She took over the family garden during a time of grief and learned to care for its thorny bushes.

The roses are picked early in the morning, because by midday the blossoms have only half their strength, then steam distilled into rose oil and rose water. Her perfumes are made in small batches, and each is named with a number and a Bulgarian place. She also hosts a Rose Retreat based in Kazanlak, with rose picking at dawn, a distillery visit and lessons in building a scent from rose materials. Bois de Jasmin, which promoted the 2023 retreat, says her family has grown roses for generations.

Roseoverdose has no shop of its own, and its site lists no shop in Kazanlak. To buy in person, its product pages point to two shops in Sofia: No8 Design Shop at Shishman Street 8 and 43, and Gifted at 24 Ivan Denkoglu Street. A 30 ml bottle costs 84 euros. Try 8130 Sozopol first. It is inspired by the fig trees along the seaside streets of Sozopol, green and woody with a milky coconut edge.