Rosewood Essential Oil

Rosewood essential oil is derived from the giant rosewood trees or Aniba Rosaeodora native to Brazil and Peru. These magnificent, hardy trees are probably better known for their practical uses than their medicinal benefits.

The trees have been cultivated for many years to produce furniture and other wooden products and the high demand meant that many areas of the rainforests were cut down. Recent legislation however means that for each rosewood tree that is cut down, another must be planted in its place.
Also known as Bois-de-rose, rosewood belongs to the same family as camphor, bay, cassia and cinnamon.

The warm, fragrant essential oil is extracted from the wood of the rosewood tree by steam distillation. It is becoming increasingly popular because of its warm, uplifting scent and its therapeutic potential.

It is popularly used in aromatherapy to treat depression and to calm the mind of stress and anxiety. It is also thought to have aphrodisiac properties and is widely used to treat the skin.

Composition and Therapeutic Properties

Rosewood essential oil is composed of a number of chemical constituents. It also contains:

Alpha-pinene
Geraniol
Linalool
Limonene
Nerol
1,8-cineole (Eucalyptol)

Rosewood’s high level of alpha-pinene is responsible for its excellent antibacterial action. Its other therapeutic properties include:

Mild analgesic
Antidepressant
Antibacterial
Antiseptic
Deodorant
Insecticide
Possible Aphrodisiac

Rosewood Oil Benefits

1. For Depression and Anxiety

One of the most common uses of rosewood essential oil is to alleviate feeling of anxiety, nerves and stress while also helping improve symptoms of sadness and depression. These are conditions that affect millions of people the world over and many of those people continue to suffer in silence.

Many people turn to powerful antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications that come with long term risks of addiction and serious adverse side effects.

Essential oils provide a safe and potentially effective alternative to these medications and while they will not work for everybody, many people have experienced excellent results from natural oils like rosewood.

You can diffuse it throughout the day or add a few drops to your pillow at night.
Alternatively try inhaling it directly from the bottle whenever you feel the signs of stress and anxiety building up.

If rosewood essential oil does not work for you, don’t despair. Alternative essential oils for depression and anxiety include lavender, ylang ylang, frankincense and bergamot.

2. For the Skin

Rosewood essential oil is a popular skin care oil which can help rejuvenate your appearance and strengthen the tone of your skin. It also has excellent antibacterial properties that give it some potential when it comes to treating skin complaints like acne.

You can add a few drops of rosewood essential oil to your regular lotions or dilute it with a suitable skin friendly base oil like coconut oil and apply it with a cotton ball.
To give your entire body a lift, add a few drops to your bathwater or combine it with your shower gel. This will not only help rejuvenate your skin but also means you will smell great.

3. For Oral Health

This is not the best known essential oil when it comes to oral health but its antibacterial and mild analgesic properties makes it an effective natural weapon against toothache, gingivitis and oral infection.

You can apply a little rosewood essential oil directly to the affected teeth or gums but it is best to dilute it in water first.
Another option is to make your own gargle mixture by adding a few drops of rosewood oil and an equal amount of peppermint to a glass of warm water. Gargle with the mixture each evening to kill off infection, eliminate toothache and strengthen your gums. Make sure that you do not ingest any of the mixture.

4. To Heal Minor Wounds or Cuts

We would never suggest that you treat a major wound with essential oils alone but if you have suffered a small cut, scrape or insect bite, rosewood essential oil is one of many essential oils that can help sped up the healing process and keep bacteria at bay.

Coupled with its analgesic effects, rosewood essential oil may be just the natural alternative that you are looking for to treat these scrapes and wounds. Try adding a few drops of rosewood essential oil to a damp cotton ball and applying it to the affected area.

5. For Pain Relief

Rosewood is far from the strongest essential oil when it comes to its pain killing ability. However, its mild analgesic effects may be more suitable for you when it comes to treating mild toothaches or headaches. To treat a headache, apply a few drops of diluted rosewood oil to your temples, neck and shoulders.

6. For Libido

Rosewood essential oil has a long history of use when it comes to improving sexual desire and romance. According to people that have used it has effective aphrodisiac properties that can benefit both men and women.

Stress, depression and anxiety are all contributory factors to a lack of libido which can cause serious strains on relationships and knock on effects for the family. If essential oils like rosewood can help get you in the mood for romance, then that is a great thing.

Natural aphrodisiacs are a subject I am interested in and because of the lack of serious scientific evidence, I would love to hear your personal experience.

7. To Keep Bugs at Bay

Rosewood essential oil has insecticidal properties making it a far safer and home friendly alternative to the chemical laden insect repellants. If you need to keep ants, mosquitoes, bed lice and silver fish at bay-try Rosewood Oil.

To use Rosewood for bugs, add between 5 and 8 drops to a water spray dispenser and squirt the mixture in the areas of the home that are prone to bug intrusion.
Diffusing the oil near in the home should also deter these unwanted visitors.

8. As a Deodorant

Rosewood has a very pleasant scent and its antibacterial abilities can help prevent the spread of bacteria that can cause body odor.

You can add a few drops of rosewood to your deodorant or add a few drops to your bath or shower gel to keep yourself smelling fresh for the day.

How to Use Rosewood Essential Oil

How you use your rosewood oil will depend on the condition that you are treating. The most popular uses include the following:

Diffuse it: around your home in the day and night to help improve your general mood and treat depression and anxiety.
Topical application: make sure you dilute your rosewood oil with a carrier oil before applying it to your skin to treat wrinkles, acne or simply to support the general health of your skin.
Gargle mix: for tooth and gum health.
Bath time: add a few drops to your bathwater for general wellbeing and to moisturize your skin.
Blending: if you would like to get even more out of your rosewood oil, you can try blending it with a number of other essential oils. Rosewood blends especially well with neroli, lime, bergamot, lavender, jasmine and grapefruit.

Rosewood Oil Side Effects and Precautions

Rosewood is generally considered safe and non-toxic. Having said that, it is always prudent to be cautious when using essential oils.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid using the oil unless they talk to their doctors first.
As with pregnant women, there is not enough evidence to recommend the use of rosewood oil for young children.
Always dilute your rosewood oil with a base oil before applying it topically.
Do not ingest rosewood essential oil.