Botanical Name: Rosa Damascena
Origin: India
Plant Part: Flowers
Cultivation: Wild
Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery. Always dilute.
Note: Middle to Top Note
Aroma: Fresh, warm, deeply floral and rich with hints of soft citrus zest, faint pepper and earthy green body notes; extremely complex, sweet and full-bodied.
Overview
Rose Otto Essential Oil
Our Rose Otto is a very fine quality-distilled essential oil from the region best known for producing the world’s premium roses. This Rose oil is equally great for body care, aromatherapy or perfumery. It is fresh, warm, extremely complex, sweet and full-bodied with soft citrus, pepper and earthy green body notes and a muted waxy undertone - a truly sublime Rose Otto and one of the finest we have ever carried! The principal constituents are citronellol, geraniol, neral, and nonadecane.2
“For its perfume, the Rose reigns supreme amongst the flowers of the world.”3 Used throughout history for their exquisite scent and visual beauty, Roses of every color and size seem to encourage feelings of happiness and contentment and are esteemed for being metaphorical “heart openers.” Homer and Pliny, Ovid and Virgil refer especially to the Rose being esteemed more for its perfume than for its beauty.4 The first distillation of Rose oil was probably by the Arabs in 500 CE, although ancient drawings show primitive stills as far back as 10,000 BCE.5 In its more recent history, it is believed by many historians that Rosa damascena was brought to the town of Kazanlak in Bulgaria by a Turkish immigrant to cultivate in his own garden around the time Kazanlak was founded in 1420.6
With their multi-petaled intricacy, it is no surprise that Rose essential oils and absolutes are among the aromas with the most chemical complexity. And while many of the more than 400 chemical constituents7 of Rosa damascena are present in mere trace amounts, they contribute immensely to the sublime and nuanced fragrance we know as Rose. It takes about 4500 kilos (about 9900 pounds) of fresh Rose petals to make 1 kilo of Rose Otto.8
Known as the oil of love, Rose oil has a deep psychological effect as it encourages opening of the heart while soothing the emotions, being especially useful for anxiety and depression. In the words of Gabriel Mojay, “[t]he compassion of the flower is revealed through its ability to heal emotional wounds . . . rose oil can touch the deepest despair, restoring the trust that makes it possible to love again.”9
For information regarding the aromatherapeutic attributes of Rose Otto, please see:
Essential Oils – A Handbook for Aromatherapy Practice, Jennifer Peace Rhind, 2012, pp. 204-5.
Aromatherapeutic Blending – Essential Oils in Synergy, Jennifer Peace Rhind, 2016, pp. 241-2.
L’Aromatherapie Exactement, Pierre Franchomme and Dr. Daniel Pénoël, 1990, p. 392.
Aromatherapy Workbook (revised edition), Marcel Lavabre, 1997, pp. 96, 146-7.
The Art of Aromatherapy, Robert Tisserand, 1977, pp. 271-6.
“Rosa damascena essential oils: a brief review about chemical composition and biological properties,” H Nunes and M G Miguel, Trends in Phytochemical Research, Summer 2017, 1(3) Article 2, pp 111-128, http://tpr.iau-shahrood.ac.ir/article_532669_
d72d2686983cb5dbbb7e721834197c7c.pdf
“Rosa damascena as holy ancient herb with novel applications,” M Mahboubi, J Tradit Complement Med, 2016 Jan; 6(1): 10-16, DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2015.09.005, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737971/
“Pharmacological Effects of Rosa damascena,” M H Boskabady, M N Shafei, et al., Iran J Basic Med Sci, 2011 Jul-Aug; 14(4): 295-307, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586833/
“Roses – Used as Scent,” Jeanne Rose, March 2017, http://jeanne-blog.com/roses-used-for-scent/
For information regarding the use of Rose Otto in perfumery, please see:
"Rose," The Perfume Society, https://perfumesociety.org/ingredients-post/rose/
"Roses in Perfumery," Elise Pearlstine, February 2012, http://www.cafleurebon.com/cafleurebon-roses-in-perfumery-the-name-of-the-rose-draw/
"Stop and Smell the Roses," Ayala Moriel, February 2010, http://ayalasmellyblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/stop-and-smell-roses.html
Aromatic Profile: Fresh, warm, deeply floral and rich with hints of soft citrus zest, faint pepper and earthy green body notes; extremely complex, sweet and full-bodied.
Appearance: Very pale yellow to colorless, transparent, slightly viscous, mobile liquid at temperatures above 72 degrees F. This oil will congeal and form (as do all true hydrodistilled Rose oils) translucent or colorless crystals of one of its components - stearopten - at temperatures below 72 degrees Fahrenheit; the oil will solidify into a thin paste-like mass at even cooler temperatures. This does not alter the quality of the oil, but rather verifies that it is a true Rose Otto. By gently rolling the bottle between your hands, the oil will soon warm and return to a completely liquid state.
Use: Aromatherapy / Natural Perfumery.
Blending Suggestions: Dilute and add drop by drop to your blends until the desired effect is achieved. (Please note: a little goes a long way.) In perfumery, Rose Ottos are more potent than Rose Absolutes, so you can use a smaller amount to achieve the same level of odor intensity. According to Steffen Arctander, even trace amounts (fractions of one percent) of Rose Otto in many types of perfume blends can do wonders. In fact, we suggest that care must be taken not to use too much, as it can overpower a formula. Happily, Rose Otto combines well with many other essential oils and is useful for 'rounding off' and adding 'lift' to blends.
PLEASE NOTE: This oil is soluble in fixed (vegetal) oils; it is partially soluble in alcohol..
Blends Well With: Agarwood, Amber - Fossilized, Amyris, Balsam of Peru, Bergamot and most Citrus oils, Beeswax, Black Pepper, Boronia, Carnation, Cassie, Cedarwood, Roman Chamomile, Cinnamon and most spice oils, Clary Sage, Cocao, Coffee, Coriander, Frankincense, Galbanum, Geranium, Helichrysum, Jasmine, Laurel Leaf, Lavender, Lemon, Litsea Cubeba, Liquidambar (Styrax), Melissa, Myrrh, Neroli, Orange Blossom, Orris, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Tansy (Blue), Tuberose, Vanilla, Vetiver, Violet Leaf, Ylang Ylang. “Even traces, fractions of one percent of this oil in many types of perfume bases, can do wonders when correctly used.”10
Safety Considerations: None known, but a maximum dermal use level of 0.6% is recommended due to the presence of methyleugenol, otherwise has GRAS status (Generally Recognized as Safe).11 Dilute before using. A patch test should be performed before use for those with sensitive skin.
1 Industry communication.
2 Ibid.
3 Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World, 1994, p. 396.
4 Ibid.
5 Rose, Jeanne. 375 Essential Oils and Hydrosols, 1999, p. 131.
6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_%C3%97_damascena
7 Rhind, Jennifer Peace. Fragrance and Wellbeing – Plant Aromatics and Their Influence on the Psyche, 2014, p. 303.
8 Naturals Compendium, International Flavor & Fragrances, 2009, p. 137.
9 Mojay, Gabriel. Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, 1996, p. 113.
10 Arctander, Steffen. Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, 1960, p. 562.
11 Tisserand, Robert and Rodney Young. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed., 2014, p. 405.
About Our Products:
All our products are 100% natural artisanal grade Pure Oils
No Additive, No Fillers, just pure Oils.
All oils are subjected to rigorous quality control standards and are not tested on animals.
An unwavering commitment to the highest quality products and a deep connection to our Indian heritage, has allowed us to bring you artisanal High-grade essential oils at amazing prices.
We are a small family run business and essential oil distillation has been in our family for generations.
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We will be listing many thousands of items over the coming months. If you would like something and we do not have it listed then please do not hesitate to contact us.
How Best To Use These Oils:
There are many, many ways to use Essential Oils, here are just a few...
Oil Burners - One of the most popular ways is using them with an oil burner. Adding a few drops to your oil burner will create a lasting beautiful aroma, you can also mix oils to create your own smell.
Bath - Adding a few drops of our oils to your bath creates a heavenly, natural and pure aroma, and is proven to be a highly effective way get the most our of essential oils.
Massage - Our oils are strong, so please do not use them directly on your skin. Adding a few drops to a carrier oils (such as Grapeseed oil), and then massaging it on to your forehead, palms, neck, back, feet or other affected areas work wonders.
Making your own products - Many of you like create your own soaps, candles and beauty products, and these oils are perfect for that. They are of therapeutic grade, natural, pure and all hand bottled in the UK, making them ideal for you creative souls out there who make your own products.
Others - Other popular ways apart from the above include, de-humidifiers, diffusers, on your pillow at night, meditation, car air fresheners and in steam / saunas.
Warning:
* For external us only. Do not use essential oils internally.
* Do not apply directly to skin (sensitive skin); always dilute with carrier oil. Do a small test first.
* Keep out of reach of children.
* Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.
* Avoid pro-longed exposure to direct sunlight.
* Use only pure essential oils
* Store essential oils and carrier oils properly to avoid degradation and rancidity.
* Do not use on children, or when pregnant or while using medication.
* An essential oil should not be used instead of seeing a doctor for medical advice.
* Never self-prescribe and if in doubt please ask your doctor.
* If an allergic reaction occurs or you get the oil in your eyes then wash away the oil with water and then seek medical attention straight away.
Use by: We suggest using your oil within 12 months of purchase. Some will last longer and some scents mature with age.
Please note: Eden Essential Oil accepts no liability for misuse of any of our products.