Rose Oil: All Hail the Queen!

Welcome back to Harvesters’ Corner! Even though spring is still a couple of months away, the romantic holiday of Valentine's Day is fast approaching. One flower which has become synonymous with Valentine's Day is the rose. Its delicate petals and elegant curves are overshadowed, however, by its rich scent. Nearly everyone I know takes a new bouquet and inhales deeply, savoring the aroma. Rose has been used for centuries in a multitude of aromatic applications, with petals layered  between sheets on a bed, rose water spritzed on pillows to help a person relax and sleep better, or in unguents and perfumes throughout the halls of history.

In our modern day, rose oil has quickly become known as the Queen of Oils for its relaxing aroma and its powerful topical and emotional benefits. Applications of the oil, either singularity or in a lotion, help promote an even skin tone, create a healthy complexion, and help balance moisture levels in the skin, reducing blemishes. Rose can truly be viewed as a fountain of youth, but this does come with a cost.

While there are thousands of different rose and rose-hybrid varieties available across the world, the most sought-after species for rose oil is the Damask Rose. Originally grown around the ancient city of Damascus, Syria, clippings of this species were carried away to the northwest, into the European country of Bulgaria. Tradition indicates that soldiers serving under Alexander of Macedon (better known to history as Alexander the Great) brought the first rose clippings when they returned from the conquest of Persia, via Syria. These were later augmented by a Turkish judge who settled near Kazanlak (founded around 1420). The judge reportedly planted the roses in vast gardens on his property. (1)

Our last blog post focused on the Healing Hands Foundation, and looked at a couple of projects sponsored by the foundation in Bulgaria. This country is one of the oldest countries in Europe with a rich heritage stretching over the centuries. However, the past half-century has been very unkind to the Bulgarian people. Even though the nation is a member of the European Union (EU), it has not enjoyed the prosperity of many member nations. Prior to the 1990s, Bulgaria was part of the countries guarded and maintained by the former Soviet Empire. Following the collapse of the U.S.S.R., Bulgaria’s infrastructure disintegrated from corruption, with many citizens moving abroad to seek better lives. Even today (2023), close to a quarter of the country’s population still live at or below the global poverty rate. This means that one in four people in Bulgaria are surviving on less than $6.85 (US) a day. (2) Yet despite the poverty and the associated struggle to survive, many Bulgarians continue to celebrate their country’s heritage. One example of how the celebrations benefit the people is the annual rose festival.

The Valley of Roses

Central Bulgaria is often collectively referred to as the Valley of Roses. There are two primary regions located here: the Kazanlak Valley, roughly fifty-nine miles long by seven and a half miles wide; approximately 766 square miles (metrics); and the Kalofer Valley, roughly thirty-four miles long by ten miles wide, approximately 536 square miles (metrics). (3) Two mountain ranges enclose the valleys. These help channel precipitation through the central region. Rainfall is heaviest in the spring, often peaking in mid-June, frequently falling daily as small, scattered showers. That helps prolong the flowering period of the rose, and the associated cloud cover helps inhibit excessive sunshine which helps reduce oil evaporation prior to harvest. (1) Rose gardens are often enclosed by tall hedges, which act as wind-breaks. (1)

The harvest starts near the end of May and lasts into June. Villages through the valleys host festivals, which have become key events for the local economies. The actual harvesting, traditionally a woman’s task, is frequently assisted  by excited tourists from all around the world. (3). The flowers are cut, one by one, and carried in willow baskets to the distillers. (3) Why willow baskets, one may wonder? The willow is less-likely to draw the all-important moisture from the petals Pickers spread out through the fields starting at 4 A.M., wending their way from bush to bush, up and down the rows, clipping flowers. A typical day usually wraps up around 10 A.M., but may extend longer depending on the cloud cover. Overcast weather is preferred over clear skies, as the collection time can be prolonged. (4) Based on local tradition, pickers usually place the first petal picked in their hair, behind the ear. (3)

Not only is the harvesting of rose a labor-intensive process, all picked material must be transported to the distillery either on foot or in a horse- or ox-drawn cart, as gasoline and diesel fumes would contaminate the final product. All of the petals gathered that morning have to be distilled in the afternoon. Otherwise the petals dry out and lessen the quality of oil obtained. The distillation process gives further indication as to why rose oil is so expensive. 10,000 petals are required to obtain enough oil for a 5mL bottle. (5) Surprisingly, different varieties require different quantities of petals. For the Damascena variety (pink petals), one pound (0.45 kg) of oil requires between 3,300 and 3,800 pounds (1497 - 1724 kg) of petals. The Alba variety (white petals) requires 5,512 pounds (2,500 kg) of petals to get one pound of oil, while other varieties require over 11,000 pounds (4,990 kg) of petals! (6)

Rose oil is not the only product produced during the distillation process. This brings up a point of discussion. When searching rose products online one finds reference to rose oil, rose attar, rose hydrosol, and even rose water. It is important to understand how each of these products are created to ensure that one gets what they desire. Rose water is simply rose petals soaked in water. The end product has culinary and cosmetic uses. Rose oil is created through the standard hydro-distillation process. As the oil-steam mixture leaves the still and begins to cool down, the oil and water condense and separate. The water-rose mixture left over is the rose hydrosol. The essential oil is also known as attar, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a fragrant essential oil.” (7) So what is the distinction between the two? Opinions differ, but some feel that the attar has some degree of water while the essential oil has no trace of water.

Terra Roza

doTERRA has enjoyed a presence in Bulgaria since 2015, when the Esseterre distillery opened near Dobrich. The company soon realized that another distiller was needed, much closer to the rose valleys, if doTERRA wanted to have a sustainable source for oil.

Completed in 2020, the Terra Roza rose distillery is situated on a four acre (11 decares) field, close to the city of Shipka, Kazanlak, located along the northeastern border of the Valley of Roses. It is equipped with 4 distillation units, each with a capacity of 1,450 gallons (5.5 m3). Terra Roza distills pure Rose essential oil exclusively for doTERRA, but it is truly a Bulgarian establishment. The equipment for the distillery is made in Bulgaria. Terra Roza has partnered with local farmers and has established the standard for rose essential oil. The rose distillery is open only during the harvest and distillation season with members of the Esseterre team from Dobrich participating in the distillation process. (8)

“We knew we couldn’t be the largest and best Bulgarian distillery without producing the world-famous Bulgarian rose oil and rose hydrosol,” said Tim Valentiner, VP of Global Strategic Sourcing at dōTERRA, stated at the Terra Roza Dedication. “So, we planned over five years back to build Terra Roza, a distillery established with rose-focused operations to source Rose essential oil right in the heart of the rose valley. It’s the perfect place.” (9)

dōTERRA didn’t stop with the distillery, either. Renovations soon followed on a healthcare center near Terra Roza. The existing center was literally falling apart, and had no equipment inside. Since the renovation, medical professionals have visited the clinic multiple times to provide services. These professionals include optometrists and dentists (8)

Through the contracts with the farmers and distillers, nearly 2,900 people have been empowered with jobs, and an extended impact of over 6,500 people. An additional 1,400 lives have been impacted by by the medical clinic. (8)

As mentioned before, Rose oil is expensive, especially considering the narrow harvesting window and challenges in getting product to the distillery. dōTERRA has multiple products incorporating rose oil, including the Rose Oil Hand Lotion in the Spa line, the Rose Touch oil, the Stronger Blend in the Kids Line, the Whisper Blend (for intimacy), the Immortelle Blend (anti-aging) and the 5mL bottle of Rose oil.

If you have questions about essential oils and their uses, feel free to reach out to me here. If you want to make a donation to the Healing Hands Foundation, click here.

Incidentally, while we in North America are giving gifts of chocolate and roses to celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14, the Bulgarians will be celebrating a different holiday. They will be sharing bottles of wine in celebration of Trifon Zarezan, or Wine-grower’s Day!

In our next article we will take a look at one of the original dōTERRA oils, Lavender which incidentally, is also distilled in Bulgaria. We’ll see you soon, here at Harvesters’ Corner!

Sources

1. Author Unknown. “Welcome to Bulgaria.” Online <http://www.welcome-to-bulgaria.com/ f_roses.htm> Accessed 19 December 2023.

2. WorldVision. “Global Poverty Facts.” Online. <https://www.worldvision.org/ sponsorship-news-stories/global-poverty-facts#what-is-poverty> Accessed 20 November 2023.

3. Docheva, Pavina “Rose Valley, Bulgaria.” Online. <https://bulgariarosefestival.com/ rose-valley-bulgaria/> Accessed 19 December 2023.

4. Ivan. “Rosa Damascena” Online  <https://www.rosefestivalkazanlak.com/ rosa-damascena-importance-bulgarian-rose-valley/> 20 December 2023.

5. dōTERRA. Product Information Page. Online. <https://media.doterra.com/us/en/ pips/doterra-rose-essential-oil.pdf>. Accessed 30 December 2023.

6. Docheva, Pavina. “Did You Know About the Bulgarian Rose Oil?” Online.  <https://bulgariarosefestival.com/did-you-know-about-the-bulgarian-rose-oil/> Accessed 19 December 2023.

7. Mirriam-Webster. “Attar.” Online. <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attar> Accessed 30 December 2023.

8. dōTERRA. “Source to You; Rose.” Online. <https://sourcetoyou.com/en/stories/ story/rose> Accessed 19 December 2023.

9. dōTERRA Newsroom. “dōTERRA Officially Inaugurates Rose Distillery in Bulgaria.” Online. <https://news.doterra.com/TerraRozainaugurationdoTERRABulgaria>. Accessed 19 December 2023.