Steam-distilled from the leaves of Cymbopogon martinii. Soft, green and unmistakably rosy — which is a genuinely surprising thing for a grass to be.
A grass that smells of roses
Palmarosa is a close relative of lemongrass and citronella, and yet it smells almost nothing like either. The reason is geraniol, which makes up the great majority of the oil and is one of the principal components of rose oil itself.
That has a straightforward commercial consequence, and it is worth knowing: palmarosa is the cheapest honest way to get a rose note into a blend. True rose otto is one of the most expensive materials in existence, and palmarosa has been used to extend and imitate it for as long as both have been traded. It is not rose, and anything sold as cheap rose oil is likely to be substantially this — but as itself, at its own price, it is lovely.
Cautions
Geraniol is on the EU list of fragrance substances that must be declared on cosmetic labels — which is a recognition that it is a known contact allergen, not a mark against the oil.
-
Dilute to one to two per cent in a carrier oil (6–12 drops in 30 ml). Never neat.
- Patch test at your intended dilution and wait 24 hours.
- Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding unless a health professional advises otherwise.
- Not for young children. Not around pets — cats especially.
- Store it well: oxidised geraniol-rich oil is more sensitising than fresh.
What an essential oil may and may not claim
Palmarosa is commonly sold as "a star for skincare, helping to balance and refresh all skin types", as something that "diluted into a carrier can gently ease everyday digestive discomfort", as "welcome support when you are under the weather", and as a scent that "helps soothe moments of anxiety, grief or frustration". None of that appears here.
Claims about treating skin, about digestion, about illness and about emotional states are health claims, and none is authorised in the EU for any essential oil. The reference to grief and anxiety we take particularly seriously: those are not things a bottle should be sold against.
What it is genuinely good for
Its scent, and its usefulness. Palmarosa is one of the great blending oils — it softens sharp things, rounds out citrus, gives body to a floral blend without the price of a true floral, and sits beautifully with geranium, bergamot, sandalwood, cedarwood, lavender and petitgrain. It is also a good scent on its own, which not every blender is.
-
Diffusion: a few drops in a ventilated room, twenty to thirty minutes at a time.
-
In a body oil: at one to two per cent, once you have patch tested.
Safety — the essentials
-
Never swallow essential oils without the direct supervision of a qualified health professional.
- Keep out of reach of children, in the original bottle with the child-resistant cap.
- In eyes: flush with plain vegetable oil rather than water.
- Accident or swallowing: in Portugal call CIAV on 800 250 250 — free, 24 hours. In an emergency, 112.
Storage: cool, dark, tightly closed, upright.
Propos'Nature
Propos'Nature
Propos'Nature
Propos'Nature
