Damascus Rose Oil

Rose essential oil is extracted from rose petals by steam distillation. This one uses the Damascus rose, known for the depth of its scent; Damascus roses are cultivated in Morocco, Turkey, Bulgaria and elsewhere.

Roses begin to open once the temperature rises above five degrees and lose their fragrance within a short time, so they are harvested in haste from five in the morning, between late May and early June. To hold as much of the scent as possible, the flowers are picked only in the cool early hours.

Extraction is by steam distillation using only flowers and water. When the distilled steam is collected it separates into an oil layer and a water layer: the oil layer above becomes rose oil, and the water layer beneath becomes rose water. It is said that obtaining one gram of oil by this method takes 2,600 Damascus roses.

Many of the rose oils on the market are rose absolutes, extracted with volatile solvents. What distinguishes this product is that, unlike those, it is distilled from nothing but water and flowers.

The scent of rose has long been loved for settling the mood and gently easing the tension of the day. Keep it close as a scent or a massage oil, and use it as a comma in the run of daily life.