Rose Oil Benefits

Rose petals are full of fragrance and are the part of the plant used in extracting rose oil through distillation. The earliest known rose oil distillery existed in the year 1612 in Shiraz. Most roses come from Bulgaria, Morocco, Turkey, Russia and France with Bulgaria being the main producer.
Surprisingly, 10,000 pounds of fresh flowers are necessary to make 1 pound of oil. Rose petals are highly water soluble and require the distillery process at least twice, hence the price of rose oil generally reflects the effort of extraction.

Tonic

Rose oil has numerous properties including bactericide, antiseptic, stimulating and anti-inflammatory. These four properties complement one another when used as a skin tonic to soothe, cleanse and reduce minor surface inflammations especially recognized for such use in commercial products such as cosmetics, soaps and toiletries.
The antibacterial property helps regulate skin oil production. The fragrance of rose oil is literally a natural antimicrobial and combined with its anti-inflammatory properties is favored in lavish skin soaps.
According to the scientific analysis of the Department of Chemistry, Punjab University in India, rose oil exudes extremely high antioxidant activities more so than any other tested oils. Although rose oil is non-toxic, strong solutions can irritate the face or skin.

Alternative Medicine

In herbal folklore, rose oil is used to treat male and female disorders such as impotency, irregular menses and menopause. According to British Pharmacopoeias, extended use of rose oil has been found to increase overall sperm count. Herbal folklore uses rose oil in remedies to treat hay fever, nausea, asthma, sore mouths and throats.
According to Rama Kant Mishra, Ayurvedic medicine specialist, rose oil is used in the general practices of skin augmentation to treat issues such as acne. The properties of rose oil, according to Ayurveda organizing principles, addresses in part, the associated imbalances rooting within the endocrine and digestive enzyme systems of the body.

Aromatherapy

According to the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, rose oil is an antidepressant that increases alertness and pleasure dreams. Clinical studies conclude rose oil is beneficial in the treatment of insomnia.
Rose oil drops added to a room diffuser can help eliminate stressful emotions providing a comforting atmosphere. Rose oil aroma is intense and floral. Since it the scent lingers, rose oil should be used sparingly to prevent headaches in individuals less tolerable or sensitive to the aroma. One or two drops to start can easily do the trick.
Aromatherapist Clare Maxwell Hudson suggests adding 4 -- 5 drops of rose oil to a warm bath to help alleviate emotional stress associated with depression and mood swings. It will also soothe the skin.
Blending up to 8 drops of rose oil with a carrier oil can be used for an aromatherapy massage according to Colorado RMT & Biofeedback Specialist Danette Steele. Concentrating on the forehead and temples with gentle circular pressure can alleviate symptoms of pain and stress associated to hangovers, achy body and nausea.