Rose essential oil and Rose otto (Rosa damascene) are not only used for their romantic pleasant scent, but also for their anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Take advantage of the alluring scent of rose blossom by using rose oil. Rose oil makes a wonderful base scent in facial cream made with jojoba oil, lavender oil, and beeswax beads. Try diluted rose essential oil as a natural perfume using funnels and an atomizer bottle.

Aroma
The common and unassuming, yet elegant rose is probably the most recognizable flower and its aroma the most evocative. Roses and their scent have been enjoyed since ancient times from Persian gardens and Roman feasts of yesteryear to home gardens and elegant banquets today. The rose symbolizes innocence, love, passion, sympathy, desire, luxury, and ideal aesthetic beauty.
 
The healing power of rose is as remarkable as its scent and beauty. The English physician Culpeper wrote in the 1600s that red roses strengthen the heart. Rose strengthens the heart not only physically, but also spiritually and emotionally. Culpeper recommended rose extract for its cooling and astringent benefits. This revelation may have led to its first use in aromatherapy and cosmetics. He also suggested its use for headaches, tired eyes, and as an ointment to cool and heal pimples on the face.

Rose oil is an ingredient in creams, lotions, and soaps, used not only for its pleasant floral scent, but also its mild anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Rose water from rose oil distillation is mildly astringent, cleans, and refreshes dry, sensitive skin. Rose has long been used to produce expensive perfume. In India, Greece, and Egypt during ancient times, fresh roses were soaked in hot fat to make scented hairdressings called pomades. In Egypt these pomades were formed into cones and put on the top of the head. Body heat melted the fat, freeing the rose scented oil that would run down the face and neck.

Distillation began in the 900s in Persia where rose flower water was extracted from fresh roses. The crude, inefficient stills produced little essential oil and the oil may not have been even noticed. In a legendary wedding ceremony account of a princess marrying an emperor, rose essential oil is mentioned. The couple floated in small boat through a rose flower water-filled canal that surrounded the wedding garden. The bride noticed a film of oil on the surface of the water, so the oil was carefully skimmed off. This must have been the first and accidental discovery of rose essential oil.

Rose oil is expensive because it is difficult to extract the oil from the plant. With only around 0.02% essential oil in a rose blossom, approximately 60,000 roses are needed to produce only 1 ounce of oil, and ten thousand pounds of rose blossoms are need to produce 1 pound of oil. Using chemical solvents to extract the oil to produce rose absolute is much more efficient than using steam distillation to produce the essential oil. Ten pounds of what is known as concrete can be extracted from 10,000 pounds of roses using this chemical extraction process. The concrete is refined further to produce rose absolute, yielding approximately 67% from the concrete. Whatever the price, the potency and power of even small amounts of rose otto or absolute makes it a good investment - particularly since a dozen fresh roses costs about $60.00 and it takes around 2 and 1/2 dozen roses to produce a drop of oil.
 
Southern Bulgaria produces the majority of rose otto from roses cultivated in the Stryama and Tundzha river valleys near Plovdiv. The finest essential oil is produced by recently opened flowers, harvested in the cool morning prior to the sun’s warming that would cause some aroma to escape. For more efficient extraction, a two step process occurs. The first distillation produces a small amount of green concentrated oil and a greater quantity of rose flower water. The flower water is redistilled yielding pale yellow oil that is mixed with the first oil.

The majority of rose absolute comes from Morocco between the High Atlas and Jbel Sarhro mountains in the valley east of Marrakech. Rose absolute is a refined, liquid extraction of aromatic components from fresh rose blossoms. Even though absolutes contain essential oils, they are not the same as distilled essential oils. Absolutes come from a concrete, a thick, aromatic substance made up of essential oils, fatty acids, and waxes extracted using a hydrocarbon solvent. Pure alcohol is used to extract absolutes from the concretes. The alcohol dissolves and absorbs the aroma from the concrete. The waxes, fats, and other non-aromatic constituents are filtered out and the alcohol is evaporated out resulting in a pure, fragrant absolute that contains essential oils.

Some aromatherapists only use essential oils due to the belief that the chemical solvents used in the extraction of an absolute have a negative impact on the oil properties. Others believe the intensity and radiance of rose and similar products are able to withstand the extensive processing and still yield positive benefits. Rose oil brings emotional calm and stability without causing sedation. It is powerful and comforting, mildly astringent and balancing, and is excellent for sensitive combination skin. Apply to a freshly washed face as an aromatic toning emollient.

Use a double boiler to melt the beeswax in the jojoba oil. Add the distilled water in a thin stream while vigorously beating the blend with a wire whisk. Remove from heat and continue whisking the oil while adding the essential oils drop by drop. For a variation, make a tea of fresh rose petals and lavender flowers and use this in place of the distilled water.

In perfumery rose absolute adds great richness, warmth, and depth to almost any personal scent. Even in small quantities, rose otto will contribute a sweet, natural radiance and balance to floral blends.

Making essential oil-based personal scents is easy. Natural essential oils are refreshing compared to expensive commercial perfumes and colognes, most of which contain synthesized chemical ingredients.

Try substituting some of the drops of rose oil with other essential oils to create a distinctive personal scent.

Perfumes normally contain 95% alcohol and 5% essential oil and colognes or toilet waters can contain 85% alcohol, 11% water and 4% essential oil. For less harsh alternative to alcohol, mix with a carrier oil or pure water. Be sure to shake vigorously before each use.

3 ounces distilled water
* 30 drops rose otto
* small funnel
* atomizer bottle

Using the funnel, add the water to the atomizer bottle. Add the rose otto one drop at a time. Shake vigorously before each use. (Using funnels can save time and money by helping to avoid spills and cleanup.)

Rose's scent is possibly more recognized than its relaxing, soothing, and balancing benefits. The ability of rose oil to arouse, stimulate, stir, and bring about reminiscent thoughts are benefits in aromatherapy, cosmetics, and perfumery. This long used scent will never lose its popularity.

To learn more about aromatherapy, click Learn and view topics under Aromatherapy, Essential Oils, & Lavender. See items under Aromatherapy Oil Information & Recipes to learn more about individual essential oils and the plants from which they come with more aromatherapy recipes included.