“Do thou smile like the rose at loss and gain;
For the rose, though its petals be torn asunder,
Still smiles on, and it is never cast down.” – Rumi

Lying on a bed of roses had always been on my bucket list,  and since 1999, my aromatic journeys across India, Turkey, and Bulgaria finally let me experience it. I was sourcing a certified organic, pesticide-free rose essential oil—a challenge, as roses, like any other monocrop, are vulnerable to many diseases. More than a pretty face, the rose yields a powerful therapeutic essential oil and remains an important economic driver in these regions.

Rumi,  the Sufi poet’s words, capture the spirit of rose perfectly—resilient,  graceful, and always uplifting.  Beyond its poetic beauty, rose essential oil, Rosa × damascena, has been treasured for centuries for much more than its fragrance. Today, science confirms what ancient cultures knew: this oil is a wellness superstar.

Roses in History

The love affair between humans and roses stretches back thousands of years, and I was lucky enough to travel in Turkey with Dr. Baser, a highly respected professor of pharmacognosy known for his significant contributions to the fields of essential oils, phytochemistry, botany, and ethnopharmacology. He shared his knowledge of the long-term fascination with roses in a 2017 paper. Baser notes that fossil records suggest that wild roses have bloomed on Earth for at least 40 million years, but the first written records appear about 5,000 years ago on Mesopotamian clay tablets. One such tablet tells how Sargon I, King of Akkadia (2684–2630 BC), returned from a military campaign with rose saplings—likely from what is now southeastern Turkey (Başer, 2017).

Ancient civilizations prized roses for both beauty and healing. Assyrian texts describe boiling petals to make a precious, fragrant water, so valuable it was measured in grains. The Greeks and Romans praised roses for medicine: Pliny the Elder recommended rose fragrance to “clear the brain,” while Dioscorides wrote of its cooling, astringent properties for ailments from headaches to gum pain (Başer, 2017).

In the 9th–10th centuries AD, in the Middle East, roses were widely associated with beauty and spirituality. Scholars and physicians such as Ibn Sina (Avicenna) described rose water as calming for the heart, uplifting for the mind, and beneficial for memory—observations that modern studies are beginning to validate (Başer, 2017).

During this same period, Middle Eastern scholars refined the art of distillation, producing the first true rose oils. These early methods—remarkably similar to traditional stills still used in parts of India and Turkey—transformed fresh blossoms into the rose otto and rose water we know today (Başer, 2017).

From my own travels in India, Turkey, and Bulgaria to royal gardens in ancient China and Sufi poetry in medieval Persia, the rose’s story winds through medicine and myth, a testament to its enduring power to heal, inspire, and delight.

Rose Essential Oil Chemistry

Have you ever indulged in a deep inhalation of rose essential oil? Compare that with the same deep inhalation of rose perfume oil. You will see the two are very different. Rose essential oil is one of the most complex oils in the world and extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recreate. It is a complex cocktail with over  275 constituents working in harmony. This intricate chemistry gives rose essential oil its profound therapeutic effects.

Here’s a quick look at the dominant constituents:

• Citronellol (20–35%): Citronella is both calming and antimicrobial, and early lab studies suggest citronellol may do more than smell good. In rats, it helped protect brain cells by reducing inflammation and stress, and keeping important nerve cells healthy (Jayaraj et al., 2022). While this is early research and only in animals, it hints at why citronellol is such an interesting part of rose oil.
• Geraniol (19–26%): Geraniol (19–26%): Laboratory and animal studies show this rose-scented compound has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, including activity against skin pathogens and chemopreventive effects in animal models of skin cancer (Mączka et al., 2020). Animal studies have also shown that it can reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, and bacterial load (Lin et al., 2021).
• Nerol (5–10%): Animal studies show that, on its own, nerol can reduce anxiety and produce gentle calming behavior without sedative effects in mice (de Sousa et al., 2015).- Phenyl Ethyl Alcohol: Adds that signature sweet aroma (dominant in rose absolute).
• Eugenol (around 1%): A mild analgesic, but also a potential skin sensitizer (Mohammadi Nejad, Özgüneş, & Başaran, 2017).

This powerhouse mix makes rose oil more than a pretty scent.

Rose Otto vs. Rose Absolute

Here’s where it gets interesting. Rose comes in two main forms: rose otto and rose absolute.

Rose Otto is steam-distilled from fresh petals. It’s light, floral, and pure—perfect for therapeutic use. It even crystallizes when cold, which is actually a sign of authenticity (Petersen, 2014).

Rose Absolute, on the other hand, is created by solvent extraction or CO₂ methods. It’s richer, closer to the scent of the living flower, and ideal for perfumery. While it has more phenyl ethyl alcohol (up to 78%), it may contain trace solvents, so it’s less common in clinical aromatherapy (Antonova et al., 2020).

How It Loves You Back

Rose oil isn’t just for romance; it’s for resilience—body and mind. Here’s why aromatherapists adore it:

• For Skin: It soothes dryness and irritation, supports mature skin, and helps balance oiliness, (with even stronger evidence for dryness/irritation and mature skin) (Happy, Jahan, & Momen, 2021).
• For the Heart (Emotional & Physical): Inhaling rose has been linked to reduced stress and better mood. (Yulianti & Awaludin, 2024).
• For Women’s Wellness: Traditionally used for menstrual cramps and even shown in clinical studies to ease labor pain and dysmenorrhea (Petersen, 2014).
• For Pain Relief: Gentle compresses or massage blends with rose can help with headaches and muscle tension. (Niazi et al. (2017). (Nasiri, Torkaman, Feizi, & Bigdeli Shamloo, 2021).

Safety Guidelines

Rose is gentle but contains eugenol and methyl eugenol, both regulated under IFRA. For many leave-on products, the limit for eugenol is about 0.64% in finished formulations (Gale, 2025). Even diluted, I recommend a skin patch test. And while generally considered safe during pregnancy in low concentrations, it’s best to check with a qualified professional (Petersen, 2014).

Did You Know?

It takes about 2,000 rose petals—30 blossoms—to make a single drop of rose essential oil. Talk about concentrated flower power! That also explains the price tag.

DIY Rose Recipe

Here’s a simple indulgence to try yourself:

Rose Body Scrub

• ¼ cup ground almonds
• ¼ cup ground oatmeal
• ¼ cup powdered rose petals
• ⅛ cup white clay
• 2–3 drops rose essential oil

Directions: Mix dry ingredients and add water to form a paste. Gently exfoliate, rinse, and feel like royalty (Petersen, 2016).

Final Thoughts

Rose essential oil is more than just the fragrance of romance—it’s centuries of tradition, backed by modern science, in a single drop. Whether you diffuse it for emotional balance or blend it into a skincare ritual, rose elevates your everyday into something truly exquisite.

References

Antonova, D. V., Medarska, Y. N., Stoyanova, A. S., Nenov, N. S., Slavov, A. M., & Antonov, L. M. (2020). Chemical profile and sensory evaluation of Bulgarian rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) aroma products, isolated by different techniques. Journal of Essential Oil Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/10412905.2020.1839583

Başer, K. H. C. (2017). Rose mentioned in the works of scientists of the Medieval East and implications in modern science. Acta Horticulturae, 1152, 177–182. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1152.26

de Sousa, D. P., de Almeida Soares Hocayen, P., Andrade, L. N., & Andreatini, R. (2015). A Systematic Review of the Anxiolytic-Like Effects of Essential Oils in Animal Models. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 20(10), 18620–18660. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules201018620

Gale, M. (2025, August 27). Understanding IFRA standards. Marie Gale. https://www.mariegale.com/understanding-ifra-standards/

Happy, A. A., Jahan, F., & Momen, M. A. (2021). Essential oils: Magical ingredients for skin care. Journal of Plant Sciences, 9(2), 54–64. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210902.14

“Jayaraj, R. L., Azimullah, S., Parekh, K. A., Ojha, S. K., & Beiram, R. (2022). Effect of citronellol on oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and autophagy pathways in an in vivo model of Parkinson’s disease. Heliyon, 8(11), Article e11434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11434

Lin, L., Long, N., Qiu, M., Liu, Y., Sun, F., & Dai, M. (2021). The inhibitory efficiencies of geraniol as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial natural agent against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in vivo. Infection and Drug Resistance, 14, 2991–3000. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S318989 

Mączka, W., Wińska, K., & Grabarczyk, M. (2020). One hundred faces of geraniol. Molecules, 25(14), 3303. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25143303

Mohammadi Nejad, S., Özgüneş, H., & Başaran, N. (2017). Pharmacological and toxicological properties of eugenol. Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 14(2), 201–206. https://doi.org/10.4274/tjps.62207

Niazi, M., Hashempur, M. H., Taghizadeh, M., Heydari, M., & Shariat, A. (2017). Efficacy of topical Rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) oil for migraine headache: A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled cross-over trial. Complementary therapies in medicine, 34, 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2017.07.009

Nasiri, M., Torkaman, M., Feizi, S., Bigdeli Shamloo, M. B., & others. (2021). Effect of aromatherapy with Damask rose on alleviating adults’ acute pain severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 56, Article 102596. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102596

Petersen, D. (2014). Essential Oil of Rose Monograph [Course material]. American College of Healthcare Sciences.

Petersen, D. (2016). 3 reasons to love rose in your DIY skin care. American College of Healthcare Sciences Blog.

Yulianti, Y., & Awaludin, S. (2024). Inhalation of rose aromatherapy against anxiety of heart patients. Eduvest – Journal of Universal Studies, 4(3), 1310–1321. https://eduvest.greenvest.co.id/index.php/edv/article/view/1053/1991