Cabbage Rose Rosa centifolia

Plant description

The Rose that is generally used for oil production is strictly a hybrid involving Rosa centifolia, Rosa damascena and Rosa gallica. Known as Rose de mai it grows to 2.5m in height and has a mass of pink or rosy purple flowers. The oil produced has a reputation for being a strong aphrodisiac with a deep sweet rosy scent. The colour of Cabbage Rose ranges from a deep orangey red to rosy pink colour.

History

It is thought that the first distillation of Rose oil was carried out in Persia by the Arab physician and alchemist Avicenna around the 10th century. Although this cannot be confirmed it is known that Rose oil and Rose water were well known in Arab speaking countries around that time.
Up to the Middle Ages Rose played an important part in the ‘materia medica’ of the times. It was used for a wide range of disorders including digestive, menstrual problems, nervous tension and infections.

Botanical Family

Rosaceae

Key constituents

Cabbage Rose: Citronellol 18-22%, geraniol & nerol 10-15%, stearopten 8%, phenyl ethanol 63%, farnesol 0.2 – 2% plus many other trace elements.

For comparison between Bulgarian Rose and Cabbage Rose oil:
Bulgarian Rose: Citronellol 34-55%, geraniol & nerol 30-40% stearopten 16-22%, phenyl ethanol 1.5%, farnesol 0.3-2% with up to 300 other trace elements.

Main therapeutic properties
Antidepressant, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, bactericidal, chleretic, Emmenagogue, hemostatic, sedative, stomachic.

Main therapeutic uses
Broken capillaries, eczema, herpes, mature skin, palpitations, poor circulation, asthma, menorrhagia, uterine disorders, depression, insomnia, impotence, nervous tension, stress related disorders and headaches.

Blends well with

Rose has a strong scent which blends well with most oils including frankincense, cinnamon, jasmine, neroli, geranium, bergamot, lavender, clary sage, sandalwood and patchouli.

Safety data
Non toxic, non irritant, non sensitising and non-phototoxic.

Additional information

Rose is considered to be a very expensive oil. This is due to the number of petals required to produce a tiny amount of oil, the petals of approximately 30 flowers are required to produce a single drop of Rose oil. Having said this, the scent is so powerful that only one or two drops are required in a blend which makes a bottle last a long time.

Extraction Methods

There are two methods of extraction used for Rose oil.

Steam distillation
Steam Distillation produces Rose Otto. The colour can vary in Rose Otto and the oil can become solid at room temperature, rolling the bottle in the hands is generally enough to liquefy the oil for use. Personally I find the scent affected by the distillation process, in my opinion the oil loses some of its wonderful fragrance.
Rose water is a by-product of the distillation of Rose Oil and is a very useful tonic for facial skin. Rose water is also bactericidal and can be used to treat infection and conjunctivitis.

Absolute
An Absolute is also produced using Rose petals, this has a golden orange colour and is highly scented. Chemicals are used to extract the oil and at one time a residue used to remain in the oil. Due to this chemical content it was recommended that only Steam Distilled Rose (Rose Otto) be used in aromatherapy and many practitioners still believe this to be true.
Benzine was one of the main chemicals used for extraction however modern methods have evolved and now a chemical called Hexene is generally used. This does not leave the toxic chemical residue that Benzine did, making the oil suitable for Aromatherapy use.
By far the best method of extraction is by the carbon dioxide method however this makes the oil prohibitively expensive and very difficult to source.

Adulteration

Due to the high cost of Rose it is often adulterated with cheaper oils. This is always difficult for anyone to detect and often the only way is by Gas Chromatography analysis. Your supplier should be willing to provide analysis sheets on request for all oils although it can be difficult to decipher the information. Here at Ellwoods Of Dumfries we have always provided analysis sheets on request and as an aromatherapist I would rather chop off my right hand than adulterate these beautiful oils.

Diluted Blends

As the cost is so high many people purchase diluted blends of expensive oils such as Neroli, Jasmin and of course Rose. Generally these are 2% or 3% in Grapeseed oil and supplied in 10ml bottles. I believe this is a false economy – the cost can still be considerable and many people will only add a few drops to a blend as this gives a lovely scent. But as the oil has already been diluted adding a few drops will not give the therapeutic benefits that pure Rose provides. Really the whole bottle would need to be used for a treatment!
For example if you purchased a 5ml bottle of Rose from Ellwoods Of Dumfries for £23.00, and 250ml of Grapeseed for £4.00 I would have a 250ml bottle of 2% diluted Rose for £27.00.
The cost of a 10ml bottle of diluted Rose can range from £3.00 to £12.00. Multiply that by 25 and the true cost of 250ml can be £75.00 or up to £300.00 – Something worth considering next time you are thinking of buying Rose Oil!

In my opinion Rose is one of the best oils to use in aromatherapy, it has such a warming and calming effect, the scent is one of pure decadence and it has valuable benefits for all skin types especially dry and mature skin.


Recipe – Night Moisturising Drench
Rose Maroc 5 drops
Frankincense 10 drops
Carrot Seed 5 drops

Diluted into:
50ml Apricot or Peach Kernel

This is a rich moisturising oil ideal for use at night.
Cleanse the face and neck and tone with Rose Water.
Apply a small amount of oil and lightly massage into face and neck area.
Leave the oil to absorb into the skin and nourish through the night.

I love the action of both these oils, excellent for all skin types but especially mature skin.