* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
PLANT NAME (Botanical name): ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Geographical source: France, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia (Wild)
Used in hair care, fragrance, cooking and cosmetics. Brush on or wash into dark hair to condition and bring out color highlights.
Aromatherapy: clarifying, warming, invigorating
Rosemary's strong, clean scent has been highly valued in cosmetics, medicine and ritual for thousands of years. In the world of aromatherapy today, it is as esteemed as ever.
Thought to have originated on the Mediterranean coast, the low-lying, spiky rosemary bush now grows abundantly in Europe. It has needle-like, silver-green leaves and light blue flowers. According to legend, the flowers were once white, but turned to blue when the Virgin Mary placed her cape over the bush.
Rosemary's Latin name, -- ros and marinus -- means "dew of the sea," in reference to the place where it feels most at home. Common species include Rosmarinus officinalis and Rosmarinus pyramidalis.
Rosemary's ritual and medicinal uses are long-standing. In ancient Greece, it was burned in shrines as a "poor man's incense." And in the Middle Ages, it was relied on to protect households from evil spirits. Because of its strong antiseptic properties, it was also burned in French hospital wards until the early part of this century.
For hundreds of years rosemary has been used cosmetically as a rejuvenator -- to tone the skin and stimulate the scalp. It is the primary ingredient in Hungary water, the famous aromatic mixture created in the 14th century for Queen Elizabeth of Hungary. It is said that this citrusy scented compound cured the aging queen of gout and restored her skin to a youthful glow. Its effects were so miraculous, the story goes, she was able to lure a Polish king, 50 years her junior, to ask for her hand in marriage.
The cleansing scent of rosemary is also legendary for clearing the mind and improving memory. "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance," says Shakespeare's Ophelia. And in his classic herbal, Nicholas Culpeper states, "The oil drawn from the leaves and flowers is a sovereign help . . . to touch the temples and nostrils with two or three drops for all the diseases of the brain spoken of before . . ."
Aromatherapists believe rosemary's scent -- herbaceous, woodsy, citrusy and a bit piercing -- cleanses both the mind and the respiratory tract. Its warm, stimulating qualities can also help tired, aching muscles and joints. Athletes can use it before competition and training to limber stiff muscles without the sedative effect of other analgesics. It's commonly used in steam inhalations, compresses, massage oils and salves. Rosemary blends especially well with peppermint, orange, petitgrain, basil, cedarwood, juniper, fennel, lavender, geranium and all citrus oils.
User Group Forum
Share your questions and information with the ZooScape community!
Be the first to post!
Ingredients
Rosemary Relief
Use this versatile, cleansing essential oil blend for a compress or steam inhalation.
9 drops rosemary 2 drops tea tree 4 drops lavender distilled water
Blend oils well in a small bottle.
For compress, add two to three drops to a medium-sized bowl of very warm water. Swish to disperse the oils. Dip washcloth in water and allow oils floating on the top of the surface to be absorbed by the cloth. Place washcloth over chest. Cover with plastic wrap and a dry bath towel. Rest with compress on chest for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cloth is room temperature.
For steam inhalation, place blended oils in a room vaporizer containing at least 12 ounces of water.
Rosey Toes Foot Scrub
This fun blend will cleanse and enliven the weariest feet. Store it in a decorative glass container and stir before each use.
3 tablespoons table salt 3 tablespoons find sand or grated loofah sponge 1 cup unscented liquid shower gel 5 drops rosemary 3 drops peppermint 1 drop eucalyptus 4 drops lavender
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended. To use, dip a washcloth into the mixture and scrub gently over dry, cracked skin or calloused areas. Rinse with water.
Marathon Massage Oil
This restorative rub will help keep you going and soothe minor muscle aches and pains at the same time.
Blend first three ingredients (vegetable carrier oils) in a small bottle. Add essential oils. Cap bottle and swirl to blend before each use.
Hungary Water
You may not be able to claim the same miraculous results as Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, but this concoction still makes a refreshing skin tonic, toilet water, or light deodorant for both women and men.
16 drops rosemary 24 drops lemon 8 drops orange 3/4 cup 90% alcohol (vodka) 1/4 cup orange flower water 1/4 cup rosewater
Blend essential oils in vodka and stir. Add flower waters and shake. Pour into a jar and cap, then place in a cool, dark area to mature. Shake daily for the first five days, once a week thereafter -- three more weeks will do it, though two or more months are ideal, if you can.
Cautions
Avoid if pregnant.
People with high blood pressure or epilepsy should avoid.
Label Information
Skin Type: Dry, oily, watery
Note/Strength: Top / Medium Note refers to the speed at which an oil evaporates - top notes dissipate the fastest and base notes the slowest. Strength refers to the intensity of the aroma.
Special Features: Masculine perfumes, adds highlights to brunette hair, yang quality, fire element
Additional Information
Founded in 1984 in the Trinity Mountains of north central California, Aura Cacia is a leading manufacturer of 100% pure and natural essential oils and quality aromatherapy products.
Aura Cacia offers more than 80 essential oils that create moods such as relaxation, rejuvenation and sensuality.
Essential oils from Aura Cacia are 100% pure botanical oils without any added water, alcohol or other diluting agents. These aromatic oils are generally steam-distilled from herbs, fruits and flowers. Citrus fruit essential oils are cold-expressed.
No animals are used to test Aura Cacia products. The products are biodegradable.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
