Damask Rose

This is an automatic translation

Rosa damascena

It is believed that this variety of rose was imported from the Middle East to Europe by the Crusaders when they brought back exotic goods: in a treaty dated 1551, "Damascena" is said to indicate the origin from the city of Damascus. There are only two places in the world where climate, soil and other ecological factors have favored the development of this rose: the rose valley in Kazanlik in Bulgaria and the Isparta valley in Turkey. In particular, the Kazanlik valley is one of the largest producers of damask rose oil in the world. In fact, the area produces about 70% of all rose oil in the world. The humidity of the air, the cloud cover and the rainfall in May and June contribute to obtaining roses in this area which contain high percentages of oil.

It is a small shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family, with a bushy habit that can reach a height of up to 150 cm with thorny stems bearing small, rounded, grey-green leaves. From May to July they produce pink flowers with white undertones that have exactly 36 petals and are intensely scented. Roses harvested early in the morning give the best yield in terms of quantity and quality of essence. The flowers come off just below the glass and are processed immediately to avoid fermentation. Damascena rose essential oil is among the most expensive on the market, this is due to a very low yield: a rosebud contains only about 0.02% of essential oil and it takes about 4 tons to extract a kg of essence of petals!

From an aromatherapy point of view, the rose brings harmony and well-being and is an excellent antidepressant. Using rose essence helps drive away negative thoughts and moods related to anxiety and anger. It reduces psycho-physical stress, even during pregnancy, restoring balance. Furthermore, if massaged on the female belly, it calms the spasms in case of menstrual pain. Damask rose essential oil is also among the most precious ingredients for mature skin because it effectively counteracts the production of free radicals and keeps the skin toned and elastic for longer. It has soothing properties and is an excellent anti-reddening agent for the skin, it fights dermatitis, eczema and skin infections. It also performs an astringent action, very useful for those with dilated pores. During pregnancy, the presence of oleic acid, linoleic acid and lycopene make it very suitable for use on the skin of the breast, belly and legs, preventing the typical post-pregnancy stretch marks. It also has healing properties that help make scars and marks of boils and acne less visible by encouraging the skin's healing processes. During distillation, hydrolat is obtained, i.e. distilled rose water, excellent for burning eyes, bags, dark circles, tired eyes and for intimate hygiene. It is excellent both for inflamed skin, perhaps in the presence of acne, and for more delicate skin. Just vaporize it on the skin, even around the eyes, performing a light massage.

The Emilian company that supplies us with the rose hydrolat carries out the extraction using a technologically advanced method based on ultrasound: it is an exclusively mechanical method in which the entire extraction process takes place at room temperature thus avoiding the disintegration of the thermolabile active ingredients , such as vitamins or essential oils. During the process, the ultrasounds are transformed into shock waves which spread in the containment tank through the formation of millions of micro-bubbles which grow until they explode. This phenomenon allows the rupture of the cell membrane, the emptying of the active principles contained in it and the consequent solubilization in the solvent medium: in this way almost total extractions of all the active principles contained in the plants are obtained, which cannot happen with a physical extraction. It is therefore an extraction method capable of keeping the organoleptic and functional qualities of the plants intact, with which real distilled waters are obtained and not simple flavored waters.