Its name is a testimony to where it grows best. In Latin “rosa centifolia”, it reflects the impression it gives of having one hundred petals (or one hundred leaves). Also known as rose de mai or Provence rose, its bright pink color is gradated and it exudes a light, delicate scent.

It is gentle on the skin allowing it to be used in cosmetics. In both the East and West, it is often used to remove make-up. In Morocco, it is used to dilute rhassoul – a type of clay – to make skin and hair masks.

The ingredients it provides (essential oil, extract, floral water) remain expensive because it only flowers once a year.