Rose essential oil is commonly used for beauty or aromatherapy, but very few people know what exactly it is. Rose essential oil is a type of essential oil mostly used in aromatherapy.
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.
According to people who practice aromatherapy, inhaling molecules of essential oil, or absorbing a necessary oil through the skin, sends healing messages to the limbic system, which is a brain region that is responsible for controlling emotions and influencing the human nervous system.
The messages sent by the oils are believed to affect several biological factors such as stress levels, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and immune function.
Uses of rose essential oil
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;
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Menopausal symptoms
- Migraines
- Menstrual cramps
In addition to the above listed, rose essential oil is believed to enhance libido, reduce stress, sharpen memory, stimulate circulation, and boost mood.
Health Benefits
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:
1). 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.
2). 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.
3). 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.
4). Menopausal Symptoms
Rose essential oil may also be of health benefit to women who are in their menopause years, according to a study in 2008 that was published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
For this specific study, the researchers assigned 25 menopausal women to massages weekly with different essential oils, including jasmine and lavender essential oils, plus rose and rose geranium essential oils.
After two months (eight weeks), the study members who received massages reported a significantly more significant improvement in menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes) compared to the 27 study participants who weren’t massaged.
But the study authors were unable to attribute the positive effects to aromatherapy, massage, or the combination of the two therapies.
5). Menstrual Cramps and Pain
Rise essential oil, when combined with cinnamon, clove oils, and lavender in a base of almond oil, one can use rose essential oil for abdominal massage. This combination may be useful in reducing the severity of cramps during menses.
In a 2013 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, scientists revealed that women who got an abdominal massage at least once daily for a week before menstruation using the oil combination suffered less pain (both in intensity and duration) when compared to the females who received a massage with only almond oil.
A second study, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2015, revealed that women who got aromatherapy self-massage with rose oil suffered less menstrual pain by their second cycle compared to women who did self-massage with no treatment or unscented almond oil.
Tips on Using It
When used with a carrier oil (such as jojoba, avocado, or sweet almond), rose essential oil may be directly applied to the skin or added to bathwater in very tiny amounts.
You can also inhale rose essential oil after sprinkling one drop or two of it onto a tissue or cloth, or by using a vaporizer or aromatherapy diffuser.
Side Effects
All essential oils are made highly concentrated, so they should be used with caution. Rose essential oil is not suitable for internal use.
Essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil before you use it on the skin and should not be applied to the mucous membranes or the eyes. When used excessively, the oil will be absorbed through the skin and can become toxic.
Just like the case with any essential oil, there is a high risk of contact sensitivity. There is a need for a skin patch test before the use of any new essential oil.
Pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children are required to consult their primary health care providers before using any essential oils.
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