That Amazing Rosemary
Do you have a favorite herb? I have to admit, I love Rosemary and even grow it so it’s always available when I want to use it. I love the fragrant bouquet and uplifting aromatherapy. But there’s more to Rosemary than meets the nose – so to speak.
The Latin name is Rosmarinus officinalis. Other common names you might have heard are camphor rosemary and compass plant. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region of the world. Currently most rosemary oil is produced in Spain. France, Tunisia, Morocco cultivate rosemary for commercial distribution and yes, we grow it in the United States!
Here’s a little history. The name comes from the Latin “rosmarinus”, which means rose of the sea or dew of the sea. I guess they named it so because rosemary is often round growing near the coast. Rosemary goes back even further to the pharaoh’s tombs in Egypt. It was an herb that was associated with remembrance and used to help them remember their previous lives. Rosemary is one of earliest medical herbs favored by the English. Rosemary was often used to drive away evil spirits (remind me to put some in the mail box).
Most of the time, rosemary oil is distilled from the stem and leaves of wild or cultivated plants. The British Pharmacopoeia believe the most superior oil is distilled from the flowering tops of the plant. There are many different varieties and forms of rosemary Depending on the geographic region where the plant is gown, it can produce widely different oils.
There are many benefits of rosemary in addition to the strong, fresh woody herbaceous odor which has pungent bouquet. The essential oil of Rosemary also contains many therapeutic benefits and has been used for pain, digestive disorders-including nausea, for skin especially in the treatment of acne (we use Rosemary in one of our Illustre Essenza moisturizers). Rosemary also has therapeutic benefits for some respiratory and circulatory conditions and has shown to be helpful with hair loss like Alopecia. It’s truly a remarkable herb!
You can also use Rosemary as a very effective deodorizer in the home. All you have to do is add a few drops of rosemary oil to a candle and the aroma will waft throughout the air in your home. Because Rosemary is invigorating, it is often used in skin care for its uplifting effect. The other day I made an energizing morning scrub – by adding few drops of rosemary oil combined with peppermint oil and mixed well with 1 cup of sugar and 5 tablespoons of almond oil for a fabulous exfoliating scrub. It’s fun and easy to make your own skin care recipes especially when you can combine it with some of your favorite herbs and aromatherapy.
So next time you grab the rosemary for cooking, don’t forget about all of the other marvelous uses rosemary is famous for around the world and enjoy having fun getting creative because there’s more to rosemary than meets the nose!
Pam Tirado, President & Product Developer, ILLUSTRE ESSENZA®, the Difference is Real®
