Rose Essential Oils
Rose essential oil is commonly used for beauty or aromatherapy, but very few people know what exactly it is.
This oil is derived from the Rosa damascena plant, and it contains the aromatic compounds of the flower. Because these plant compounds are believed to have healing properties, the rose essential oil has been used several health-related purposes over the decades.
Rose Essential Oil
Stress Reduction & Relaxation Benefits
The power of rose essential oil as a relaxing agent has been widely observed in scientific literature. The use of this oil in aromatherapy can induce deep feelings of quietness, sedation, and calmness. Proper diffusion of rose essential oil in stressful environments may help reduce tension.
The vast emotional benefits of this powerful oil are best enjoyed via aromatherapy methods such as diffusing, topical applications like massage or perfumes or through inhalation or cupping. Through decades of studies, science has shown that rose essential oils in their purest form can have profound psychological effects including relieving stress, anxiety and depression. Individuals suffering from anxiety, PTSD or any other type of trauma in the present or past may feel isolated and lack trust and confidence due to heart chakra blockages. However, rose essential oilvcan help break the cycle of isolation and heartbreak by opening the heart up to hope, joy and receptivity to new experiences.
The relaxing effect of rose essential oil was tested in laboratory experiments over muscle tissue. The study showed that when essential oil was applied to muscle cells, it helped reduce the contractibility effect to levels similar to synthetic substances.
While the mechanism behind this relaxing effect is not yet completely understood, the inhalation of the volatile active ingredients may lead to muscle distention and explain the calmness patients experience during aromatherapy.
So far, there is fairly limited scientific support for the claimed benefits of rose essential oil. Here’s a quick look at some significant findings from scientific studies on the health benefits of the rose essential oil:
Stress
There is some proof that rose essential oil may help to relieve stress, according to a study carried out in 2009 and published in the Natural Product Communications.
The said study involved 40 healthy volunteers who either absorbed a placebo or rose essential oil through their skin.
The outcome revealed that people who used rose essential oil recorded a higher increase in feelings of calmness and relaxation, as well as a more significant drop-in breathing rate and their blood pressure when compared to people who received the placebo.
Sleep
A small study carried out in 2014 and published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice in the same year suggested that rose essential oil might be capable of improving sleep quality in people who are hospitalized in coronary care units.
In a study involving 60 randomly selected people, individuals who received routine care together with rose oil aromatherapy for three nights subsequently had a better quality of sleep compared to people who received only regular care.
Anxiety
Several preliminary studies have been carried out on this subject, and they all suggest that rose essential oil might be of help with anxiety alleviation.
For example, a study that was published in Nephro-Urology Monthly back in 2016 researched the use of aromatherapy with rose water for the treatment of anxiety in hemodialysis patients and discovered that rose water reduced anxiety levels noticeably.
Rose Essential Oil Uses and benefits
For beauty purposes, rose oil may not be applied directly to the skin. There are skincare products that contain rose essential oil, and they are purported to promote skin hydration, reduce signs of aging, clear acne, reduce the appearance of scars, and aid healing from conditions like eczema and rosacea.
Rose essential oil is mostly touted as an aromatherapy remedy for health concerns, including the ones below;
Boost Immunity and Fight Infections: The thymus serves a vital role in the production and functioning of T cells, which is an extremely important white blood cell for survival. Because rose oil has strong antiviral and antibacterial qualities, it can be used to shield cells from certain types of infections by promoting healthy white blood cell production. Over time, rose oil can help ‘train’ the immune system to resist certain bacteria, including many associated with influenza.
Libido Enhancement: Beyond the sensual appeal of the scent itself, rose oil has been shown to help enhance one’s libido by balancing sex hormones to promote healthy sexual function—both physically and emotionally.
Detoxification, Blood Purification & Circulation: Rose oil is known to promote blood circulation and induce drainage of lymphatic fluids through stimulation of the glands. This allows the body to naturally detox and purify itself from blood to external skin cells.
Cardiovascular Benefits: Because of its purification and circulatory effects, rose oil is widely accepted as beneficial for heart health overall. With cardiovascular disease ranking as a leading killer along with stress, using rose oil is an easy tool for prevention.
Womanly Concerns: Staying in touch with its relationship as a femininely divine aroma, rose oil offers women a few special perks upon the arrival of moon days, relieving cramps, irritability and mood swings. Rose oil promotes the secretion of hormones associated with menstrual cycles and is also used to relieve morning sickness and post-menopausal symptoms.
Skin Health: Rose oil is widely known for its hydrating and moisturizing qualities, which is why it’s commonly used in countless cosmetics and health and hygiene products. It is employed and used as an astringent that offers skin toning and firming. Rose oil promotes elasticity to prevent wrinkles and can help reduce the appearance and formation of scarring. Those with skin conditions such as acne or eczema can often get relief with topical dilutions of rose oil solutions.
Side Effects of Rose Essential Oil
Rose essential oil is an extremely potent essential oil. While there are many positive and beneficial effects of rose essential oil, it can become harmful and counterproductive when used in very high concentrations. Always dilute rose essential oil before topical application.
What is the history of Rose Essential Oil?
Roses belong to the family Rosaceae, and some fossils of roses have been found in America dating to 30 million years old. Roses are cultivated for their oils and their essences in waters. The history of rose essential oil has many myths and legends surrounding its origins, but it is believed that the distillation of roses for their oil began in the 7th century AD in Iran.
Babylon: Ancient Babylonians grew roses
China: Records reflect that the Chinese were growing roses from at least 500 BC
Rome: The Romans prized roses and scattered the petals over floors and threw them from ceilings during feasts. They adorned their statues with roses and wore roses to protect them from drunkenness. Roman mythology included references to roses, and it is said that Virgil wrote the goddess Aphrodite asked for Hector’s body to be embalmed with rose essence. The ancient Romans also brought roses to England during their conquests.
Greece: Homer referred to roses in the Iliad and Odyssey and Sappho called it the queen of flowers.
Egypt: Ancient Egyptians used roses in religious ceremonies and put them in tombs with their mummies.
Europe: In 1148 during the Siege of Damascus, a French crusader Robert de Brie brought the Damask rose from Syria back to Europe and credited the rose with its name:
North America: North American Indian tribes used the root of the rose to treat children’s coughs.
Persia: Ibn Sina (also known as Avicenna in the west) was a leading physician, writer, and astronomer who was one of founders of early modern medicine. He produced essential oils, especially rose essential oil, in the 10th century via steam distillation.
Persian physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) was a great believer in the healing benefits of rose essential oil. Concerning head wounds that required surgery, Ibn Sina advised doctors to soak a linen cloth with rose oil and bandage it over the wound, as well as applying rose oil to the wound topically. Ibn Sina wrote that rose oil relieved pain, and that rose oil could help wounds clot. He considered rose oil to have cooling effects.