Rosemary Essential Oil
Salvia rosmarinus / Rosmarinus officinalis
Description
Invigorating. Refreshing. Stimulating. These are the first three words that come to mind when I think of Rosemary Essential Oil. When I was first exploring aromatherapy back in the 1990s, Rosemary Oil took me by surprise. I was expecting it to smell closely to the freshly cut herb, but Salvia rosmarinus (Salvia rosmarinus var camphor) smells much more camphorous. As with other oils that contain camphor, Rosemary is helpful in massage and arthritis blends and can help improve circulation. It is useful for respiratory issues and makes a good expectorant/decongestant.
Rosemary has an excellent reputation for oily skin/acne, scalp and hair care, and I have repeatedly read that Rosemary Oil can be helpful with alopecia (hair loss).
Rosemary is quite stimulating and is heralded for help in memory retention and staying focused and alert. Rosemary is a good choice for blends for driving long distances and for long study sessions.
Several important Rosemary chemotypes are worth paying close attention to:
Rosemary Verbenone Essential Oil (Salvia rosmarinus var verbenone aka Salvia rosmarinus ct. verbenone) contains less camphor. The aroma is more herbaceous and is preferred by many.
Rosemary Cineole Essential Oil (Salvia rosmarinus var cineole aka Salvia rosmarinus ct. cineole) is sometimes preferred for use in respiratory and circulatory issues.
Rosemary Essential Oil Benefits and Uses
Cognitive support and brain health. Source: Dorene Petersen, Presentation: Clinical Use of Aromatherapy for Brain Health: 7 Essential Oils. August 9, 2017, New Brunswick, NJ. Alliance of International Aromatherapists 2017 Conference. AIA 2017 Conference Proceedings page 221-222.
- Aching Muscles
- Arthritis
- Dandruff
- Dull Skin
- Exhaustion
- Gout
- Hair Care
- Muscle Cramping
- Neuralgia
- Poor Circulation
- Rheumatism
Source: Julia Lawless, The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Updated Edition) (London: Harper Thorsons, 2014), 173-174.
Botanical Name
Salvia rosmarinus / Rosmarinus officinalis
The proper botanical name for Rosemary is now Salvia rosmarinus. However, you may still often see Rosmarinus officinalis used until more people and companies update their literature, posts and botanical references.
Plant Family
Common Method of Extraction
Steam Distilled
Plant Part Typically Used
Color
Clear
Consistency
Thin
Perfumery Note
Middle
Strength of Initial Aroma
Medium - Strong
Aromatic Description
Rosemary Essential Oil smells fresh, herbaceous, sweet and slightly medicinal.
Major Constituents of Camphor Chemotype
- Camphor
- 1,8-Cineole
- a-Pinene
- Gamma-Terpinene
- Camphene
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: K. Formacek, K.H. Kubeczka. Essential Oils Analysis by Capillary Chromatography and Carbon C-13 NMR Spectroscopy. (New York: John Wiley, 1982). M.H. Boelens. The Essential Oils from Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Perfumer & Flavorist 10, 1985), 21-37. C. Bourrel, G. Vilarem, G. Michel, et al. Etude des priprietes Bacteriostatiques et Fongistatiques en Milieu Solide de 24 Huiles Essentielles Preamblement Analysees. (Rivista Italiana EPPOS 16, 1995), 3-12. J.C. Chalchat, R.P. Garry, A. Michet, et al. Essential Oils of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). The Chemical Composition of Oils of Various Origins (Morocco, Spain, France). (Journal of Essential Oil Research 5, 1993), 613-618. Sources cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 407-408.
Major Constituents of Rosemary 1,8-Cineole Chemotype
- 1,8-Cineole
- Camphor
- a-Pinene
- B-Pinene
- B-Caryophyllene
- a-Caryphyllene
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: J.C. Chalchat, R.P. Garry, A. Michet, et al. Essential Oils of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.). The Chemical Composition of Oils of Various Origins (Morocco, Spain, France). (Journal of Essential Oil Research 5, 1993), 613-618. Private Communication: Badoux, 2003. Sources cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 407-408.
Major Constituents of Rosemary Verbenone Chemotype
- Camphor
- Verbenone
- a-Pinene
- 1,8-Cineole
- Bornyl Acetate
See Essential Oil Safety for more complete list of typical constituents.
Source: F.M. Soliman, E.A. E-Kashoury, M.M. Fathy, et al. Analysis and BIological Activity of the Essential Oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L. from Egypt. (Flavour & Fragrances Journal 9, 1994), 29-33. Source cited in Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 407-408.
Rosemary Essential Oil Safety Information
Tisserand and Young warn that Rosemary Oil is potentially neurotoxic, depending on the level of camphor present in the oil. They also warn not to use on or near the face of infants and children. They recommend dermal maximum s of 16.5% for Rosemary Camphor and 6.5% for Rosemary Verbenone. Reading Tisserand and Young's full profile is recommended. [Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, Essential Oil Safety (Second Edition. United Kingdom: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2014), 407-409.]
Rosemary CO2 Supercritical Select and Total Extracts
In addition to being available as an essential oil, this botanical is available from a small number of reputable sources as a CO2 extract. CO2 extracts offer many advantages. However, they can have differing safety precautions than essential oils because the natural chemistry of CO2 extracts can differ from their essential oil counterparts. Not much safety information is documented from trusted sources for CO2 extracts. Use CO2 extracts with great care and do not assume that every CO2 extract has the same safety precautions as its essential oil counterpart.
General Safety Information
Do not take any oils internally and do not apply undiluted essential oils, absolutes, CO2s or other concentrated essences onto the skin without advanced essential oil knowledge or consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. For general dilution information, read AromaWeb's Guide to Diluting Essential Oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have liver damage, have cancer, or have any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Use extreme caution when using oils with children and be sure to first read the recommended dilution ratios for children. Consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner before using oils with children, the elderly, if you have medical issues or are taking medications. Before using this or any essential oil, carefully read AromaWeb's Essential Oil Safety Information page. For in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young.
Shelf Life
Important Information About the Profiles
The essential oil information provided on AromaWeb is intended for basic educational purposes only. The references to safety information, test results, constituents and percentages is generalized information. Essential oils can vary greatly in composition. The data is not necessary complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate. The essential oil photos are intended to represent the typical and approximate color of each essential oil. However, essential oil composition and color can vary based on harvesting, distillation, age of the essential oil and other factors. Profiles for several CO2 Extracts and absolutes are included within the directory, and are denoted as such.
