There are two essential oils I adore. Rose Oil and Lavender Oil. These two oils are very commonly used in the creation of cosmetics products and for good reason (more on that in a moment).
One of my life goals has been to visit Kazanlak, in Bulgaria, and Grasse, in France, to see the production of these oils. Kazanlak is renowned as the epicenter of rose oil production and Grasse is the same for lavender oil.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to get to Kazanlak and take a private tour of the Enio Bonchev factory. Enio Bonchev Productions is a family-owned (third-generation managed) production facility in the heart of the rose oil manufacturing area of Bulgaria. They produce 60% of all the rose oil in the world and have been in business since 1909. Bulgarian rose oil is highly prized and regarded as the best in the world (as a matter of fact 80% of all rose oil is produced in Bulgaria).
The Damask Rose is the most prized for its oil, and the benefits thereof, but it does not give up its oil easily. It takes some 3000kg of rose petals to produce a single kilo of rose oil. During a dry season (such as the one Bulgaria is experiencing this year) that number can reach as high as 5000kg for a single kilo of oil. And the process is very time consuming. This process has changed very little since 1909 because roses are so fragile.
Roses are still picked by hand (there is no other way to gather the flowers without damaging them) and the best pickers can harvest about 120kg per day. Harvesting can only be done from about 5am to 12pm as the roses start to concentrate their oil in the roots after the mid day sun rises. Everything is time sensitive once the rose is harvested. They must be processed within just a few hours or the precious oil evaporates.
There are two types of rose oil that can be produced: Rose absolute – which is used exclusively for perfume making, and rose concrete — which is used for cosmetics and cooking supplies (yes you can even flavour your favourite foods with rose water — it’s yummy in rice, as a salad dressing, and even in stews).
Part of my tour was in the rose fields, which go for hundreds of kilometres through the Rose Valley, and you can imagine the fragrance in the warm air. Roses have been cultivated there since 1254. The region is known for its soil minerals and fresh water supply, which are both critical in the growing of roses and distilling of rose oil. Kazanlak is perfectly situated in a valley with all the critical natural resources, which have culminated in the world’s most prized rose oil.
Rose water this is the common name for rose concrete and it has a great many benefits to the skin:
Anti-bacterial — rose oil can stay good for literally hundreds of years and when applied to the skin, in rose concrete form, can kill acne causing bacteria on contact.
Anti-inflammatory — a great analgesic that will reduce irritation and redness in the skin.
Hydrating — a natural moisturizing factor, one of the few scented oils that can mimic the structure of human lipids thus hydrating the skin.
Exfoliating — rose concrete can remove dead surface skin and refine the texture of the skin, all without grains or acids.
Healing — a great option for small wounds and cuts on the skin rose concrete is antiseptic and works to speed the healing process of the skin.
Reduces pigmentation — rose concrete can actually fade pigmentation and scars on the skin.
All this said, be wary of products containing rose oil. Due to the fact that it is so expensive to produce, many unscrupulous manufacturers use a very small amounts of rose oil and mix it with irritating geranium oil to mimic the smell while negating all the benefits. Rose concrete should have a listed concentration of 0.02% - 0.05% to be effective on the skin and it can be as high as 0.12% for the best quality (also the most expensive). Personally I use a 0.08% concentration and find it works the best for me.
If you can’t find a quality rose water, with the noted concentration of rose concrete on the ingredient list, you can buy pure rose absolute and dilute it for use. This is an expensive option as 5ml will run about $150 but all you need is one or two drops in your favourite jar of moisturizer and you can get all the benefits right away.
Just make sure you are buying pure Bulgarian Rose Oil.
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