Aromatherapy A-Z: Rosemary

Cascades of rosemary emit a pungent pinelike aroma with a woody camphoraceous note. This aromatic shrub, Rosmarinus officinalis, has scaly bark and dense, leathery needlelike leaves. Tiny pale blue blossoms abound from December through spring. Rosemary can grow to heights of five to six feet.

Steam distillation of 100 pounds of rosemary in bloom will yield one pound of strong, clean and potent rosemary oil. Rosemary oil from varieties grown in Spain and North Africa smell similar to eucalyptus oil, while the scent of oil from plants grown in France is reminiscent of frankincense. Rosemary has several chemotypes, or plants that differ in the chemical composition of the essential oil they produce but not in physical appearance. Moroccan rosemary, Spanish rosemary, rosemary Provence and rosemary verbenone are four common chemotypes of rosemary used in aromatherapy.

A member of the Lamiaceae family, rosemary is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe. The Dalmatian Islands, France, Spain and Tunisia produce the majority of rosemary oil.

Beauty Benefits

Rosemary oil stimulates cell renewal. It improves dry or mature skin, eases lines and wrinkles, and heals burns and wounds. It can also clear acne, blemishes or dull dry skin by fighting bacteria and regulating oil secretions. It improves circulation and can reduce the appearance of broken capillaries and varicose veins. Rosemary oil nourishes the scalp and keeps hair looking healthy and shiny. Many users claim that it promotes hair growth. It normalizes excessive oil secretions and improves most scalp problems, particularly dandruff and seborrhea. Rosemary oil is also helpful in treating cellulite.

Emotional Effects

Rosemary oil helps to overcome mental fatigue and sluggishness by stimulating and strengthening the entire nervous system. It enhances mental clarity while aiding alertness and concentration. Rosemary oil can help you cope with stressful conditions and see things from a clearer perspective. It relaxes nerves and restores nerve health, especially after long-term nervous or physical ailments.

Rosemary oil balances intense emotions and controls mood swings. It lifts spirits and counters depression. It assists in managing stress and overcoming stress-related disorders and nervous exhaustion. Rosemary oil can open the heart and bring the wisdom and discrimination necessary to establish healthy boundaries in relationships. Rosemary oil arouses ambition and drive, inspires the desire to achieve and strengthens willpower. It also reputedly helps in overcoming impotence.

Reprinted from Aromatherapy for Vibrant Health and Beauty by Roberta Wilson with permission of Avery Books, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc. Copyright © 1995 by Roberta Wilson.

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