How to Extract Rose Oil

Rose oil, also called rose otto, is the essential oil of roses. Rose oil has soothing and fragrant benefits. It can be used on skin to stimulate circulation. A couple of drops of rose oil in bath water eases tension. Add a few drops to jojoba lotion for a body lotion. There are a number of ways to extract oil from rose petals. The process is complex and requires enormous amounts of rose petals. Because of this, rose oils are often adulterated with other oils such as geranium. The following recipe will extract rose oil and rose water.

Things You'll Need

• At least 1 lb. fresh rose petals
• Heavy soup pot
• Heavy ramekin or other heavy glass baking dish
• Glass bowl that will fit in ramekin dish
• Stainless steel bowl that will fit securely in the pot
• Distilled water
• Distilled ice water
• Small eye dropper
• Small dark blue or brown glass bottles

Instructions

1. 

   Set a large soup pot on the stove with the ramekin dish placed inside the pot. Leave ample room between the ramekin dish and the interior wall of the soup pot. Pour enough distilled water into the dish to keep it secured to the bottom of the pot.

2. 

   Arrange rose petals between the ramekin dish and the pot. Pour distilled water over the rose petals until the water is about halfway up the dish. Insert a small bowl on the ramekin.

3. 

   Set the metal bowl on the soup pot. Make sure this bowl does not touch the smaller bowl on top of the ramekin. Bring the water to a boil and then down to a simmer.

4. 

   Fill the metal bowl with distilled ice. Do this as soon as the water begins to simmer. As the rose petals simmer, the heat causes the ice to melt and for condensation to drip back into the petals and water. Keep adding ice to the bowl as it melts. You will know that the process is finished when the small bowl has rose water in it. The simmering process takes about four hours.

5. 

   Separate the layer of rose oil from the rose water after the process is finished. Use an eye dropper to draw out the oil and store it in a dark blue or brown bottle in a cool, dry place. Save the rose water in the same way. You can spray it to scent bedding materials or closets. How much rose water and rose oil you extract will depend on how many rose petals you use.

Tips & Warnings

• It takes about 60,000 roses to make 1 oz. of rose oil.

Resources

• Extracting Rose Oil
• Extract Your Own Rose Oil