Rose essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the Damask rose (Rosa damascena) (buy it here). It is extracted either with the use of solvents or through steam distillation. This oil contains antidepressant, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, aphrodisiac, astringent, bactericidal, cholagogue, choleretic, cicatrisant, depurative, emmenagogue, hemostatic, hepatoprotective, laxative, nervine, sedative, stomachic, tonic and uterine therapeutic properties. It is an incredibly useful oil that works like a potent medicine but smells like a bouquet of roses.
1. Lower Blood Pressure
Use rose essential oil aromatherapy or a 1% to 2% blend of rose EO and the carrier oil of your choice to lower your blood pressure. Coconut oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and avocado oil are all great carrier oils to use with rose oil.
2. Improve Circulation
Practice rose EO aromatherapy or use it topically to improve circulation. Add 5 drops of rose oil to about 1/2 cup of distilled water in your diffuser and run it for 30 to 60 minutes once or twice a day. Topically, a 1% to 2% rose oil/carrier oil blend can be massaged into ankles, legs, arms and chest to get your circulation going.
3. Improve Heart Health
Apply the 1% to 2% rose oil/carrier oil blend to the soles of the feet and chest to help improve heart health. Rose oil aromatherapy is good for heart health, too.
*The 1% to 2% dilution rate (1 to 2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil) is fine for everyday use.*
4. Alleviate Coughs
Rose essential oil can put a stop to an annoying cough. Take a couple inhales directly from the bottle or put 5 drops of rose oil in your diffuser with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of distilled water and run it for 30 to 60 minutes. You can also rub the 1% to 2% rose oil on your throat and chest to calm coughs.
5. Relieve Chest Congestion
Add 3 to 5 drops of rose essential oil to a hot bath for relief from chest congestion. Applying the 1% to 2% blend to your chest can also help reduce congestion.
Important Note: Whatever you choose for an oil, make sure that the oils you purchase are high quality. Remember, you’re breathing this oil into your lungs so essential oil quality is a terrible place to cut corners.
6. Help Prevent Asthma Attacks
Rose essential oil can help prevent or reduce the severity of asthma attacks. Practice rose EO aromatherapy several times a day. You can also apply a 1% to 2% rose/carrier oil blend to your chest and throat.
7. Get Relief from Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
Reduce seasonal allergy symptoms by practicing rose oil aromatherapy. You can also apply the 1% to 2% rose/carrier oil blend to your chest and throat for relief. If you are congested, add 1 to 2 drops of peppermint and eucalyptus oils to the diffuser, too.
8. Alleviate Gout
Use rose essential oil topically to treat gout. Its antiphlogistic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties will quickly give relief from gout pain. Rose oil’s ability to reduce blood toxins helps clear the uric acid build-up from the afflicted joint. The 1% to 2% dilution rate should work, but you can use a stronger blend, if necessary. Just don’t use it for more than two weeks.
*An allergic reaction to rose oil is unlikely, but possible. Dab a drop on your skin and wait at least a few hours to see if you have a reaction.*
9. Treat Arthritis
Apply rose oil topically for relief from arthritis pain and inflammation. It can be used for arthritis in the same way as it is used for the treatment of gout.
10. Reduce Inflammation
Practice rose oil aromatherapy or apply it topically to reduce inflammation of any kind. It quickly increases circulation, relieves pain and soothes inflammation.
11. Help Control Diabetes
Include rose oil aromatherapy in your diabetes treatment plan. Its ability to reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleep and circulation have proven beneficial to diabetes sufferers. Applying the 1% to 2% blend topically will help with poor circulation in the legs and arms.
12. Relieve Indigestion
Massage a 1% to 2% rose oil/carrier oil blend into your abdominal area to help relieve indigestion. Start on the upper right, over your liver, and gradually work your way all the way down over your stomach, intestinal area, etc. Rose oil aromatherapy can help with indigestion, too.
13. Alleviate Nausea
A hot bath with 3 to 5 drops of rose essential oil added alleviates nausea.
14. Improve Digestive Tract Health
Rose essential oil’s chologogue and hepatic properties encourage healthy bile and stomach acid production. Ulcers heal and are less likely to return with the use of rose essential oil. Rose oil also reduces inflammation in the digestive tract and helps prevent infections and ulcers.
15. Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Rose essential oil’s high levels of the active compound geraniol can help heal the gut when a Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is causing IBS. Use it topically on the abdomen and lower back. For best results, include thyme essential oil in your treatment. For a 1% to 2% blend, add 1 drop each of rose oil and thyme oil to 1 teaspoon of a carrier oil.
16. Alleviate Muscle Cramps and Spasms
Massage the 1% to 2% rose oil blend into cramping, achy muscles for quick relief. Its anti-spasmodic and analgesic properties will provide quick relief.
17. Relieve Constipation
Massage the abdomen with a 1% to 2% rose/carrier oil blend. Begin on the upper right to stimulate the liver and work your way down. You can massage the oil into your lower back, too.
18. Alleviate Diarrhea
Use rose EO in the same way to alleviate diarrhea as you would to relieve constipation.
*There are two types of rose EO – rose otto and rose absolute. Rose otto is steam distilled. Rose absolute is solvent extracted.*
19. Lose Weight
Rose essential oil’s laxative properties support weight loss in a healthy way while it helps your body eliminate toxins. The overall improvement in the health of the digestive tract will help, too. Practice rose oil aromatherapy or apply the 1% to 2% blend topically to the abdominal area.
20. Improve Intestinal and Anal Muscle Health
Use rose essential oil to improve the overall health of your intestines and anal muscles. The oil tones the muscles associated with peristalsis and elimination.
21. Treat Urinary Tract Infections
Apply rose essential oil to the lower abdominal area over the bladder and from the middle of your back down to alleviate urinary tract infections. You may want to use a slightly stronger dilution rate, although you shouldn’t need to increase the strength by much. Rose EO is highly concentrated. Start with the 1% to 2% dilution and build up gradually until you get results.
22. Alleviate Internal Infections
Use the 1% to 2% rose EO blend topically to alleviate internal bacterial infections. Massage it into the abdomen and lower back.
23. Remove Toxins from the Blood
Rose essential oil’s depurative therapeutic properties actually eliminate toxins from the blood. Practice rose oil aromatherapy or apply the 1% to 2% blend topically over the upper abdominal area.
24. Improve Liver Health
Rose essential oil’s hepatic therapeutic properties can improve the overall health of the liver. Apply the 1% to 2% blend topically over the liver area, which is located in the upper right abdominal area.
25. Prevent Colds and Flu
Practice rose oil aromatherapy and use the 1% to 2% blend topically to help prevent colds and flu. Its anti-viral properties can prevent these illnesses. Diffusing rose oil into the air kills air-borne viruses while using the blend on your hands kills the virus topically.
26. Help Treat HIV
Rose essential oil has been proven beneficial in the treatment of HIV. Utilize rose oil aromatherapy and use it topically for this great benefit.
27. Alleviate Pain
Massage a 1% to 2% rose essential oil/carrier oil blend into any painful area for relief. Its wonderful analgesic properties will quickly alleviate the pain.
28. Get Rid of Headaches
Practice rose essential oil aromatherapy or massage a few drops of the 1% to 2% blend into your temples and forehead for headache relief.
*Rose oil’s strong fragrance can sometimes cause headaches. Use it sparingly until you find out how it effects you.*
29. Relieve Migraine Pain
Take a hot bath with 3 to 5 drops of rose oil added to the water for migraine pain relief.
30. Treat Sexual Dysfunction
Rose EO aromatherapy or a nice massage with a 1% to 2% blend can boost the libido. Daily use of rose aromatherapy or application of the blend to the lower back, abdominal area or soles of the feet can alleviate impotence and frigidity.
31. Improve Skin
Add 1 or 2 drops of rose EO to 1 teaspoon of a light carrier oil and use it as a moisturizer to soften your skin. Jojoba is excellent for this purpose. You can also simply add 1 to 2 drops to your favorite moisturizer.
32. Firm Loose, Sagging Skin
Massage the 1% to 2% rose/carrier oil blend into loose, sagging skin. Its astringent properties will firm and tone the skin, making you look years younger. You can use this on your throat, face, upper arms, thighs and anywhere else that is a little saggy.
33. Balance Oily Skin
Mix 1 to 2 drops of rose essential oil into 1 teaspoon of jojoba or argan oil and use it to moisturize oily skin. Jojoba is slightly heavier than argan but they are both great for oily skin. Rose oil and jojoba actually regulate the skin’s sebum production, which is the oily substance that causes acne.
34. Get Rid of Acne
Dab straight rose essential oil on pimples with your finger or a cotton swab. If it is too drying, use the 1% to 2% blend instead.
35. Treat Eczema and Psoriasis
Use the 1% to 2% blend to treat eczema. Rose oil soothes the irritation and speeds healing.
36. Get Relief from Rosacea
Apply the 1% to 2% rose/carrier oil blend to soothe irritation and reduce redness from rosacea.
37. Reduce Wrinkles
Use rose essential oil to reduce wrinkles. Blend 1 to 2 drops with 1 teaspoon of jojoba oil and use it as a face moisturizer. Gently dab it on laugh lines around your eyes. Just be careful not to get it in your eye.
38. Prevent Hair Loss
Rose oil is astringent, which means it tightens skin around your hair follicles. Apply a 1% to 2% rose/carrier oil blend to the scalp 30 to 60 minutes prior to washing to help reduce hair loss.
39. Firm Gums
Use rose oil to firm your gums and cleanse your mouth. Mix 1 to 2 drops in a glass of water, swish and spit. Its astringent properties firm and tone your gums while its antiseptic properties kill germs. If you prefer a minty flavor, use 1 drop of rose EO and 1 drop of peppermint EO (buy it here).
40. Improve Muscle Tone
Massage the 1% to 2% blend into muscles to help firm and tone them. Rose oil’s astringent properties are absorbed through the skin into the muscle tissue below. Warm the blend in your hands then massage the oil deeply into your muscles.
41. Reduce Blood Flow from Wounds
Dab a drop of rose essential oil on a bleeding wound to speed clotting and stop the bleeding more quickly.
42. Prevent Wound Infections
Put rose essential oil on wounds to prevent bacterial infections. After washing the wound, apply 1 drop of straight rose oil and bandage the wound. If the rose oil is irritating, dilute it to a strength of 25% to 50% with coconut oil, which also has excellent antibacterial properties.
43. Get rid of Boils and Skin Ulcers
Gently apply the 1% to 2% rose EO/carrier oil blend to boils and ulcers on the skin to help them heal.
44. Soothe Rashes
Apply the 1% to 2% rose oil blend to skin rashes. It will quickly soothe the rash and help the skin heal.
45. Reduce Scars and Stretch Marks
Rose essential oil reduces scars and stretch marks. Use the 1% to 2% blend once or twice a day.
46. Regulate your Menstrual Cycle
Rose oil’s emmenagogue and uterine properties help regulate the menstrual cycle and improve uterine health. Rose EO also reduces symptoms associated with pre-menstrual syndrome including excessive bleeding, bloating, mood swings, cramps and hormone imbalance.
47. Balance Hormone Levels
Utilize rose essential oil aromatherapy or apply the 1% to 2% blend topically to balance hormone levels naturally.
48. Get Relief from Menopause Symptoms
The same rose essential oil therapeutic properties that help with menstrual irregularities can relieve symptoms of menopause, including fatigue and hormone imbalance. Rose oil can also delay the onset of menopause.
49. Alleviate Postpartum Depression
Rose oil has been proven to alleviate postpartum depression. Add 5 drops each of rose EO and lavender EO (buy it here) to your diffuser with about 1/2 cup of distilled water and run it for 30 to 60 minutes once a day. For best results, make arrangements for someone else to take care of the baby during this time so you can truly relax and enjoy your aromatherapy session. Otherwise, do your aromatherapy while baby is napping.
*Do not use rose essential oil while pregnant.*
50. Strengthen Nerves
Rose oil’s nervine properties are a soothing tonic for your nerves. Its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties also help reduce nerve pain and inflammation.
51. Help Prevent Seizures
Practice rose oil aromatherapy to help prevent seizures and reduce their severity. There hasn’t been enough research done to recommend an exact dosage; however, administration of rose EO in rats proved it can be very beneficial.
52. Alleviate Anxiety
Use rose EO aromatherapy to alleviate anxiety. If you tend to get anxious when you are away from home, keep a bottle of rose oil in your purse, car or desk. When you feel yourself getting anxious, simply take a few deep inhales of the rose vapors directly from the bottle.
53. Treat PTSD
Practice rose essential oil aromatherapy to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You can also massage the 1% to 2% blend into the back of your neck, shoulders and chest for relaxation.
54. Reduce Stress
Calm yourself with rose oil aromatherapy when you feel overly stressed. You can also massage a few drops of a 1% to 2% blend into the back of your neck, shoulders and chest for relief.
55. Treat Depression
Practice rose oil aromatherapy once or twice a day to treat depression.
56. Boost Confidence and Self-esteem
A 30- to 60-minute rose aromatherapy session can boost your confidence and self-esteem. You can take a few deep inhales right from the bottle, too, if you need a quick boost but don’t have time for aromatherapy.
57. Banish Insomnia
Massage the 1% to 2% rose EO blend into the soles of your feet or practice rose aromatherapy for 30 to 60 minutes before bed for a good night’s sleep.
58. Prevent Nightmares
Rose essential oil promotes relaxed, restful sleep without nightmares.
59. Alleviate Fatigue
Boost your energy levels with rose EO aromatherapy. This is especially helpful first thing in the morning and during that mid-afternoon slump.
Was this list helpful to you? I absolutely love the smell of roses and was thrilled to find out rose essential oil has so many proven therapeutic uses. It is a little expensive, because the oil is so difficult to make, but you don’t need much oil for it to be effective. All you need is 1 or 2 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil, if that. For aromatherapy, you don’t even really need to use any of it. Just inhale deeply through the nose right from the bottle. If you can afford it, I highly recommend this oil. With so many amazing uses, it is good to have around.
Please leave a comment to let me know if this list is useful and tell me about your own personal experiences with rose essential oil. We can continue to add to the list of its remarkable uses. Be sure to share, too, so that others can become aware of all the uses for this amazing essential oil.
References:
1. Blood Pressure Nutrition: Essential Oils for High Blood Pressure – Recipeshttp://bpnutritions.com/3-easy-to-make-essential-oil-recipes-for-high-blood-pressure/