A spritz of a ST. ROSE scent is layered with stories of nature, self, and the culture that surrounds us. Each note, whether sweet, smoky, or sensual, tells the history of nature’s ancient elements. Sustainability and transparency are the essential pillars of the luxury perfume brand [ST. ROSE.](https://www.st-rose.com/) If you pick up a bottle of ST. ROSE, you can pronounce every ingredient on the label and know that they prioritize being environmentally and socially conscious. Through practices such as upcycling and using raw materials, ST. ROSE is able to bring luxury and sustainability into the same playing field. St. ROSE explores gender neutrality and art through distinctive fragrances that narrate the human experience intertwined with nature. Check out Flaunt’s conversation with the Founder and Creative Director of ST. ROSE, Belinda Smith.
**What does ST. ROSE stand for and what does it hope to accomplish as a brand?**
Named for the Patron Saint of Gardeners and inspired to create in harmony with nature, ST. ROSE is an artisanal fragrance brand born in Australia and based in New York. Rooted in the art of nature and with our emphasis on working with natural ingredients, we prioritize sustainability and transparency throughout our creation process.
At ST. ROSE our greatest desire is to inspire and to also make this planet more conscious for all humankind. What better art form than fragrance, drawing from the Earth’s most alluring aromatic materials, to inspire a deeper connection between self and nature. Creating with smart transparency from a palette of environmentally friendly ingredients, we hope to make the artistic intention behind our fragrances that much more inspiring.
**What is the importance of fully disclosing the ingredients you use and their origins?**
When it comes to personal care and beauty products, my own philosophy is that anything we apply to our skin is either absorbed or washes off into the ocean.
For ST. ROSE we have chosen to work with an emphasis on naturals, preferring their rich olfactive quality, our fine fragrance compositions contain 95% or more natural ingredients and are over 80% organic. Working with naturals can actually be at odds with the environment if harvesting principles and the supply chain are not sustainably managed which is what makes traceability of raw materials imperative.
When it comes to transparency, the ingredients we apply day in, and day out to the largest organ on our body, our skin, start to add up. As with all things when it comes to our bodies and our health, decisions are personal so our hope with being transparent about all ingredients in our fragrance formulas is to empower our customers with the full information to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.
We have six gender-neutral fine fragrances in our collection that are vegan, cruelty-free & Leaping Bunny Certified. Our sophisticated compositions are free-from BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Parabens, Pthalates, Nitro or Alicyclic Musks, and Artificial Colorants.
**St. Rose combines luxury with environmentally responsible practices. What does this intersection mean?**
Up until I started ST. ROSE, I had spent my career working in both luxury and high-street fashion, fostering my curiosity about the behind-the-scenes journey that a product takes before it reaches the sales floor. The world is waking up to the need for better environmental practices across the board and especially now as a brand founder, it is my responsibility to operate a conscious business. As an earth child, from my earliest memories living on a property outside of a small country town in New South Wales, Australia I have always lived a very conscious lifestyle, so it was also a very natural inclination to root ST. ROSE in sustainability. That word has not always been associated with the concept of luxury, but we take an uncompromising approach, refusing to sacrifice being environmentally conscious with sophistication or quality. The two need not be mutually exclusive. From ethical sourcing at origin, to using recyclable packaging, starting a recycling program in-house and ethical practices throughout our supply chain, our line of sophisticated fine fragrances truly lives at that intersection where luxury meets environmental responsibility.
**How does the history of each of these ingredients play a part in the final product?**
Perfumery dates back far beyond today’s mainstream applications as a mere cosmetic indulgence. Across cultures and throughout millennia the transcendent properties of nature’s ancient elements have been experienced through the art of scent. The origin story of our raw materials, _starting at the farm_, is a core source of inspiration for the final essence as is the historic aromatherapy and ritualistic aspects to natural ingredients.
**What does it mean to upcycle an ingredient and why is this revolutionary within the perfume realm?**
Upcycling, or creative re-use, is the process of transforming side streams of raw materials to reveal new olfactive facets that offer significant environmental value. One example is our upcycled Cedarwood Atlas created from collecting the sawdust shavings from the furniture industry. Another example is our upcycled Rose Concentrate created from what would be discarded rose petals after initial distillation and distilling them a second time to get the most out of these beautiful resources. These novel ingredients are entirely revolutionary in the fragrance industry truly raising the bar for sustainable creation. We discovered this innovative approach working with world renowned fragrance house, Givaudan. A partnership that began over a shared dedication to sustainability, meeting at the United Nation’s Equator Awards Ceremony during Climate Week in 2019.
When the idea to use upcycled Rose and Moroccan Cedar Atlaswood was presented it was not only the perfect fit for the intention of the fragrance but the layers and depth they added to the perfume were incredible. This is a revolutionary space for clean beauty and fragrance that we were excited to step into.
**All of St. Rose's signature scents are gender neutral, why is this critical and why does St. Rose chose to take on this direction?**
I don't believe scent should have a gender. Perhaps this stems from growing up in the 90's where we saw the launch of the original unisex fragrances that were met with a cult following.
The concept of gendered perfumes only really gained traction in the 20th century when advertising and marketing began to reinforce the era’s gender “norms.” I am really excited to see those notions today being dismantled. One of my favorite aspects to fragrance and beauty is that they are non-discriminatory, anyone can wear it regardless of size, shape, age, etc.
I have personally always preferred more “masculine” scents and love when a scent exudes a sensual yet androgynous appeal.
**How would one go about selecting their perfect fragrance?**
Fragrance is such a personal experience and especially with the case of our natural fragrances they can be a bit like fine wine needing a moment to fully unfold in order to reveal their entire character. Skin is always the last most important final ingredient so while you might like a particular scent on someone else or out of the bottle it’s always important to try it on for size. A bit like dating, try a few before making a commitment.
I have always loved rotating between fragrances and there are times of the year when your skin will react differently to perfume, such as winter versus summer. So with the change in seasons, it’s a great time to consider a new signature.
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