Rose Oil: Uses, Benefits, Safety and What the Research Shows
Rose oil is one of the most prized and most expensive essential oils in the world, and also one of the most often faked. This guide explains where real rose oil comes from, how rose otto differs from rose absolute, and what research says about its benefits. You will also learn how to dilute it, who should avoid it, and how to spot a counterfeit.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before using any remedy, especially for a diagnosed condition, during pregnancy or for a child.
What is rose oil? The plant behind the bottle
Most true rose oil comes from the Damask rose, Rosa × damascena, a member of the rose family, Rosaceae. The “×” means it is a hybrid. According to the PROSEA plant resources database, it is known only from cultivation. It probably arose in Anatolia, in present-day Turkey, and its exact parentage is still uncertain.
Growers recognize several Damask rose groups. The one used for oil is called Trigintipetala, meaning “thirty petals.” It is the rose of Bulgaria’s Kazanlak valley, the famous Rose Valley. That valley runs about 90 km between two mountain ranges. A smaller amount of rose oil and absolute comes from the cabbage rose, Rosa centifolia, mainly in Morocco and France.
The garden rose is harmless to pets. The ASPCA lists roses as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The concentrated oil is a different matter, as the safety section explains.
How rose oil is made: rose otto, rose absolute and rose water
Three different products are sold under the rose name. They are made in different ways, smell different and carry different risks.
Hand-picked at dawn
Same morning
→ rose otto + rose water
→ concrete → absolute
Timing matters. PROSEA notes that flowers are picked by hand between about 5 and 10 a.m., when oil content is highest. A 2023 study from Bulgaria picked its samples between 6 and 8 a.m. for the same reason. The flowers then go to the distillery quickly, before the scent fades.
| Product | How it is made | Yield | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose otto (attar) | Water or steam distillation of fresh petals | About 0.01 to 0.05% | Fresh, honeyed, slightly green. May turn solid when cool. |
| Rose absolute | Solvent extraction gives a waxy concrete, then alcohol gives the absolute | About 0.1% absolute | Deeper, richer, closer to the living flower |
| Rose water (hydrosol) | The fragrant water left over from distillation | Large volumes | Light, watery, gentle. Used in cooking and skin care. |
Yields from PROSEA and Dobreva et al., 2023. The US National Cancer Institute notes that solvent-extracted oils are not considered true essential oils.
One feature surprises first-time buyers. Genuine rose otto contains 15 to 25% stearoptene, an odorless waxy fraction. It can turn the oil cloudy or solid in a cool room. Warming the bottle in your hand clears it again. This is normal, not a sign of spoilage.
What is in rose oil?
Scientists have identified more than 300 compounds in rose oil. PROSEA lists the main ones as citronellol, geraniol, nerol, linalool and phenylethyl alcohol. Phenylethyl alcohol dissolves well in water, so most of it stays in the rose water. That is one reason rose water smells so different from the oil.
Rose oil also contains a small amount of methyleugenol. In large amounts, this compound has raised safety concerns in animal studies. That is why safety experts set a low maximum dilution for rose oil on skin.
Why real rose oil is so rare, and so often fake
PROSEA estimates that 2 to 4 tonnes of flowers produce one kilogram of oil. The American Botanical Council puts it at about 1.6 million flowers per kilogram. The harvest window is only a few weeks each year. Little wonder genuine Damask oil can cost up to $11,000 per kilogram.
That price invites fraud. A 2024 bulletin from the Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program describes common tricks:
- Diluting real rose oil with vegetable oil
- Adding cheap synthetic citronellol and geraniol, the same compounds that authenticity tests look for
- Selling geranium or palmarosa oil, which smell rosy, as rose oil
Studies from Iran, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Turkey found adulteration rates between 56% and 100%. The bulletin notes that affordable rose-scented products are unlikely to contain authentic rose oil. That is fine when labeled honestly. The problem is “pure rose oil” at a premium price that contains none.
- Latin name: Rosa × damascena or Rosa centifolia. “Rose fragrance oil” is usually synthetic.
- Product type: it should say otto, absolute, or a stated dilution such as “3% in jojoba”.
- Country of origin: usually Bulgaria, Turkey, Morocco or Iran.
- Batch testing: reputable sellers can share a GC-MS report, the standard lab test for authenticity.
- Price: a large bottle of “pure rose oil” for a few dollars cannot be genuine undiluted oil.
Many sellers offer rose oil pre-diluted in jojoba. That is a legitimate, affordable way to buy it, as long as the label says so. Our article on geranium oil covers the plant most often swapped for rose.
Sustainability and the human cost of a harvest
Rose oil is a labor-intensive crop. PROSEA notes that every flower is picked by hand, and an experienced worker gathers about 3 to 6 kg per hour. At 2 to 4 tonnes per kilogram of oil, a single kilo represents hundreds of hours of picking. The bloom lasts only a few weeks a year.
Supply is tight as a result. The 2024 adulteration bulletin estimates that only about half of yearly demand for Damask rose oil is met. Buying less, buying diluted, and buying from sellers who name their growers all reduce pressure on the crop. Rose water and rose-scented products made from genuine by-products are lower-impact ways to enjoy the scent.
A short history of rose oil
The Damask rose spread early from Anatolia into Europe and the Middle East. PROSEA notes that Iran has been a center of rose growing and rose oil production for centuries. Rose water was valued across the Middle East and India for cooking, perfume and religious ceremonies.
By the early 20th century, the Balkans dominated production. A 1921 article in Scientific American Supplement described Bulgarian growers using about 3,000 kilos of flowers for one kilo of attar. Each copper still held roughly 22 pounds of flowers and 20 gallons of water. Bulgaria and Turkey remain the leading producers today.
Rose oil in tradition, perfume and spiritual practice
Rose oil carries rich meaning in many cultures. The beliefs below are described as tradition, not as proven effects.
Rose is traditionally described as cooling. It is associated with calming the Pitta dosha, the principle linked with heat and intensity. Rose water and rose preserves appear in traditional Indian preparations.
Rose is one of perfumery’s core floral notes. Rose otto and absolute appear in many classic fragrances, often blended with woods, citrus and spice.
Some modern yoga and energy practices link rose with the heart chakra, Anahata, and with love and compassion. These are beliefs about symbolism, not measurable effects.
Rose water and rose garlands feature in ceremonies across the Middle East, South Asia and Europe, as symbols of devotion, love and remembrance.
A myth worth retiring: “vibrational frequency”
Many websites claim rose oil has the “highest frequency” of any essential oil, often quoted as 320 MHz. No scientific method measures oils this way, and no published research supports the figure. Essential oils are mixtures of chemical compounds. They do not broadcast a radio frequency. We have removed this claim from our earlier version of this article.
Rose oil benefits: what the research actually shows
Aromatherapy research is growing, but much of it is small and hard to blind. People can usually tell when they smell rose. Here is what the stronger reviews found.
Anxiety, stress and sleep
The largest review to date was published in Frontiers in Public Health in 2025. Xu and colleagues pooled 28 randomized trials of Damask rose aromatherapy. They covered surgical patients, pregnant women, burn patients, people on dialysis and others.
The pooled results suggested rose aromatherapy reduced anxiety and stress and improved sleep scores. Blood pressure dropped slightly. Rose made no difference to depression or pulse rate.
The caveats are important. The authors found signs of publication bias for anxiety, so the effect may be overestimated. Results varied widely between trials. The sleep finding depended heavily on single studies. And 24 of the 28 trials came from one country, Iran. The authors called for further validation.
Menstrual symptoms
A 2021 meta-analysis by Koohpayeh and colleagues reviewed seven trials of Damask rose for menstrual symptoms. It combined inhaled, topical and oral rose products. Rose had no significant effect on period pain or anxiety, the main outcomes. Headache, fatigue and bloating improved. The authors called for better-quality studies.
The wider aromatherapy picture
The US National Cancer Institute’s aromatherapy summary describes the evidence as mixed. Many studies have methodological problems, including poorly described products. In one sleep trial with leukemia patients, researchers used rose water as the placebo. That is a reminder that rose was seen as a neutral comparison there, not an active treatment.
Rose oil for skin
Rose oil is a popular skin care ingredient, mostly for its scent. Claims that it treats acne, wrinkles or redness rest largely on laboratory work and small studies. We did not find a systematic review in people that supports these claims. If you have a skin condition, see a doctor or dermatologist.
| Common claim | What the evidence says | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Eases anxiety and stress | Positive pooled results, with publication bias and mixed trials | Promising, uncertain |
| Improves sleep | Positive pooled result, but it rests on a few studies | Promising, uncertain |
| Relieves depression | No effect found in two trials | Not supported |
| Relieves period pain | No significant effect on pain in the 2021 review | Not supported |
| Treats acne or aging skin | Mainly lab studies; no systematic review in people found | Unproven |
| Boosts immunity, balances hormones | No good human evidence | Unproven |
One legal point is worth knowing. The US Food and Drug Administration says products claiming to relieve anxiety, aid sleep or ease pain are drugs. Drugs must be proven safe and effective before sale. An aromatherapy oil sold as a cosmetic or fragrance has not passed that test.
How to use rose oil safely
The Tisserand Institute points out that an essential oil is 50 to 100 times more concentrated than the plant it comes from. Rose oil should never be used neat on skin.
Inhalation
The simplest way to enjoy rose is to smell it. Put one drop on a tissue or a scent strip. If you use a diffuser, run it for short periods in a ventilated room. Keep pets free to leave the room.
On the skin
Because of its methyleugenol content, Tisserand and Young’s Essential Oil Safety sets a low maximum for rose oil on skin. For adults, staying at or below 0.5% keeps you under that ceiling. The table below converts that into drops, using the common estimate of about 20 drops per milliliter.
| Carrier oil | 0.25% (face, sensitive skin) | 0.5% (body, adults) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mL (2 teaspoons) | Half a drop: make a larger batch | 1 drop |
| 30 mL (1 fl oz) | 1 to 2 drops | 3 drops |
| 50 mL | 2 to 3 drops | 5 drops |
For cosmetic and fragrance use in healthy adults only. Not a treatment for any condition. If your oil is already diluted (for example 3% in jojoba), it is weaker, so adjust accordingly.
Before wider use, do a patch test. Apply a small amount of your diluted blend to the inner forearm and wait 24 hours. Stop if you see redness, itching or swelling.
In the bath
The Tisserand Institute advises against dropping essential oil straight into bathwater. Oil and water do not mix, so undiluted drops can sit on your skin. Mix the oil into a carrier, bath oil or unscented gel first.
Rose water: the gentle alternative
If you love the scent but worry about skin reactions, try rose water. It contains only a trace of oil. It works as a facial mist or a fragrant rinse, and it costs a fraction of the oil. Food-grade rose water is also a traditional cooking ingredient.
Is rose oil safe? Who should be careful
The Tisserand Institute advises against ingesting essential oils unless a qualified practitioner recommends it. Never take them neat or in water. Rose water sold for cooking is a different product.
Children need much lower dilutions than adults. Ask your pediatrician first. Never put oil on a child’s pillow or skin undiluted. Store bottles with child-proof caps, out of reach.
The Tisserand Institute advises talking to a doctor or qualified practitioner before using pure essential oils during pregnancy. The same caution makes sense while breastfeeding.
An allergic skin reaction can sensitize you for life, so you may need to avoid that oil from then on. People with fragrance allergies or eczema should take extra care.
The rose plant is non-toxic to pets, but the oil is not the plant. Cats lack a liver enzyme needed to break down essential oils. The Ontario SPCA, citing the ASPCA, warns against diffusers in homes with birds. Never apply oil to a pet, and ask your vet first.
Essential oils are flammable. Keep them away from candles and flames. Store bottles tightly closed, cool and dark, to slow oxidation.
If someone swallows rose oil, or a pet licks it, call poison control. In the US that is 1-800-222-1222. For animals, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control line at (888) 426-4435.
Rose oil compared with similar oils
| Oil | Plant | Scent | Relative cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose otto | Rosa × damascena | Fresh, honeyed rose | Very high | Low skin maximum; often adulterated |
| Rose absolute | R. damascena or R. centifolia | Deep, rich rose | High | Solvent-extracted; not a true essential oil |
| Geranium | Pelargonium graveolens | Green, rosy, minty | Low | Common rose substitute and adulterant |
| Palmarosa | Cymbopogon martinii (a grass) | Sweet, rosy, grassy | Low | Rich in geraniol; often sold as “rose” |
| Rose water | Rosa × damascena | Light, soft rose | Very low | Gentlest option; food grade versions exist |
For a calming floral oil with more research behind it, many people turn to lavender. Our guide to lavender oil covers it in depth. You can browse every oil we cover in our oils and scents library.
Common mistakes with rose oil
- Applying it undiluted. Even expensive, genuine oil can irritate or sensitize skin when used neat.
- Using too much. Rose’s skin maximum is lower than many oils. A few drops in 30 mL is enough.
- Drinking “edible” rose oil. Rose water is a food ingredient. Concentrated rose essential oil is not.
- Paying premium prices for fake oil. Check the Latin name, origin, dilution and testing before buying.
- Diffusing around cats or birds. They are far more sensitive to essential oils than people are.
- Using it instead of treatment. Rose may help you relax, but it does not treat anxiety disorders, insomnia or skin disease. See a doctor for those.
Your first step with rose oil
Start small. Buy a few milliliters of rose otto pre-diluted in jojoba, from a seller who names the Latin plant and its country of origin. Smell it on a tissue first. If you then want it on your skin, patch test a 0.5% blend for 24 hours.
Free download
Rose Oil Buying Checklist and Dilution Chart (PDF)
One printable page: an authenticity checklist for labels, a drop-by-drop dilution chart, a patch-test guide, and safety notes for children, pregnancy and pets. Cosmetic use only, no treatment doses.
This article describes rose oil’s history, traditions, research and safety for educational purposes. It is not a guide to action and not an instruction to treat any illness. If you have a health concern, please see a doctor or qualified healthcare professional first, and never delay or stop medical treatment because of anything you read here.
Sources
- National Cancer Institute. Aromatherapy and Essential Oils (PDQ), Health Professional Version, updated October 2024. cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/aromatherapy-pdq
- Xu S, Shen X, Xu L, et al. The effects of Rosa damascena aromatherapy on mood and sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health 2025; 13. frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1646592
- Koohpayeh SA, Hosseini M, Nasiri M, Rezaei M. Effects of Rosa damascena on menstruation-related pain, headache, fatigue, anxiety and bloating: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Education and Health Promotion 2021; 10. doaj.org/article/b657d8cc44ee43829aa46e2c7f0efb24
- US Food and Drug Administration. Aromatherapy. fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-products/aromatherapy
- PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia). Rosa damascena. uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Rosa_damascena_(PROSEA)
- Dobreva A, Nedeva D, Mileva M. Comparative study of the yield and chemical profile of rose oils and hydrosols. Resources 2023; 12(7): 83. mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/7/83
- University College London. Botanical Adulterants Prevention Bulletin on rose (Rosa damascena) essential oil, December 2024. ucl.ac.uk news release
- ConsumerLab. Authentic rose oil often is not, June 2024, reporting the American Botanical Council bulletin. consumerlab.com/recalls/14848
- Scientific American. Stop and Smell the Attar: Rose Oil Extraction in Bulgaria and France, from the May 1921 Supplement. scientificamerican.com archive blog
- Tisserand Institute. Safety guidelines and Essential Oil Safety resources. tisserandinstitute.org/safety/safety-guidelines
- Tisserand R, Young R. Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone, 2014. Rose otto and rose absolute profiles.
- ASPCA. Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Rose. aspca.org rose entry
- Ontario SPCA. Are diffusers safe to use around pets? April 2022. ontariospca.ca blog