Rosemary Essential Oil from Natural Health Crafters

Rosemary - The smell of rosemary wafting from the kitchen, but the essential oil has a host of positive medicinal and psychological effects.

Rosemary Rosemarinus officilalis is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean coast but now cultivated worldwide for ornamental, culinary, medicinal; and perfumery purposes. The plant can still be found growing wild in vast masses on the uncultivated hills of Provence. It is also common in parts of Spain, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Corsica. It is one of the oldest recorded herbs in history. References to rosemary were found written in cuneiform on stone tablets dating from the 5th millennium B.C. Dioscorides, the 1st century Greek physician, recommended it for its "warming faculty"; ancient Greek students wore garlands of rosemary to improve their memory, and mourners would also throw the fragrant herb into the grave of the deceased as a symbol of remembrance. The Latin name, "Rosmarinus," means "dew of the sea"; it was so called because it grew around the Mediterranean and became associated in ancient Rome with Venus, the goddess of love who was supposed to have sprung from the sea foam. Because of that legend, it became the symbol of fidelity in love and was used at weddings and funerals, and even to ward off the plague. Sir Thomas Moore believed the herb to be sacred to remembrance and friendship. In Hamlet, Ophelia said, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." According to legend, rosemary was used to awaken Sleeping Beauty.

Rosemary is considered to be the herb of fidelity. If you sprinkle some around the house it is said to bring good luck and protection. Christians called rosemary the "Holy Herb" and associated it with Mary, who, according to Spanish legend, draped her cloak over a rosemary bush on the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, turning the color of the blossoms from white to blue. Rosemary—along with juniper and thyme—was burned in medieval hospitals as an antiseptic. It was widely grown in kitchen gardens in England at that time; an old folk saying was that "Where rosemary flourishes, the woman rules." Down through the ages, it acquired a reputation for aiding memory.

At weddings, it was entwined in the wreath worn by the bride, being first dipped into scented water. Anne of Cleves, we are told, wore such a wreath at her wedding. A Rosemary branch, richly gilded and tied with silken ribands of all colours, was also presented to wedding guests, as a symbol of love and loyalty. Together with an orange stuck with cloves it was given as a New Year's gift - allusions to this custom are to be found in Ben Jonson's plays.

Rosemary oil was first extracted in the 14th century, after which it was used to make Queen of Hungary water, a very popular cosmetic used at that time. The essential oil is produced by steam distillation of the flowering tops, it requires metric ton of flowers to produce 19 - 21 pounds of oil, Rosemarinus officinalis being the variety most often used in aromatherapy. The oil is a colourless to pale yellow liquid with a piercing, camphorated, woody-balsamic aroma.

The precise nature of the scent varies according to the plant’s habitat. French rosemary oil, for example, is highly camphorated; the Corsican oil has a gentler quality; while the Tunisian variety is fresher with a peppery overtone. Despite regional variation the odour effect of rosemary is generally perceived as refreshing, yet warming and invigorating.

Clears the mind Rosemary has impressive healing properties and is also an excellent nerve tonic. A few drops of the essential oil in a blend restores flagging energy levels after a period of prolonged stress. It can also be used in a burner to help concentration. Since the beginning of civilisation, rosemary has been associated with the mind and improving the memory. Garlands of rosemary were worn by ancient Greek and Roman students taking exams. The modern equivalent is to dab essential oil onto wrist bands or a hairband to boost mental power.

The essential oil reflects most of the uses of herbal remedy and studies have shown that as well as being a stimulant to the nervous system, rosemary essential oil is primarily antiseptic and anti-bacterial. (in former times the herb was used to delay putrefaction in uncooked meat). The warming and stimulating effects of rosemary help clear phlegm from the head and chest, which is why it has traditionally been used as a remedy for upper respiratory ailments, such as acute bronchitis, catarrh and colds. For such complaints it can be used in steam inhalations, diluted in grapeseed or sweet almond oil and applied as a chest rub, or simply added to the bath.

Pre-Exercise Massage Rosemary’s analgesic properties mean that it can be used in baths and massage blends to ease rheumatic and arthritic pain, and to soothe overworked muscles. In combination with lavender, rosemary makes an excellent conditiong massage oil to use before athletics or any strenuous activity. It warms and loosens the muscles and joint, thus helping to prevent cramp and injury.

Rosemary has long been considered a tonic for the heart and nervous system. A Renaissance herbalist from Strasbourg, Wilhelm Ryff, said of rosemary tea, ‘the spirits fo the heart and the entire body feel joy from this drink which dispels all despondency and worry’. For centuries herbalists have used the remedy for skin complaints, poor circulation, jaundice, painful periods, fainting, nervousness, anxiety, exhaustion, headaches and migraines. Applied as a compress, it also heals wounds.

The pungent aroma of rosemary was believed to ward off disease and it was often burned as incense to purify the air in sick chambers. And, according to Bancke’s Herbal of 1525, ‘the leaves laid under the pillow deliver one for evil dreams’. The publication also suggests ‘smell it oft and it shall keep thee forever young’. Interestingly, rosemary has always had a reputation for promoting lustrous hair growth and rejuvenating the skin.

Essential oil of rosemary is an ingredient of authentic eau de cologne, and a major ingredient in Hungary water – a tonic formula which was especially popular in Victorian times. The elixir was named after Queen Elizabeth of Hungary who, it is said, was given the recipe by a hermit in the late 14th century. She took a few spoonfuls once a week, washed her face with the mixture every morning and rubbed it all over her body. It made Elizabeth so youthful, so the story goes, that the King of Poland asked for her hand in marriage when she was 72! Indeed, recent research has shown that rosemary is a powerful antioxidant and may indeed slow down the ageing process.

However, Napoleon was more interested in harnessing rosemary’s power to focus the mind. Records show that he used about 60 bottles of rosemary cologne a month. It reminded him of his boyhood in Corsica, where rosemary still grows wild on the cliff tops, and he believed its piercing aroma enabled him to plan his army manoeuvres. Intriguingly, odour researchers in the USA using high tech scanning devices have discovered that sniffing rosemary essence results in increased electrical activity in the part of the brain associated with logical thought processes. In other words, it has the power to light up the mind!

Adulteration

Addition of cineole and various terpenes, cypress oil, white camphor, eucalyptus (eucalyptus radiata & Eucalyptus globulus), turpentine fractions from synthetic terpineol production, light cedarwood fractions and spanish sage etc.. Flower oil from low-grade Spanish rosemary is often deterpenized to give a good quality oil.

GRAS

Rosemary Oil has GRAS status

Uses

Rosemary Oil is carminative and mildly irritant (37). It has been used in hair lotions and linaments.