Palmarosa Essential Oil

Palmarosa, the floral mistress of Nepal is a rosy, floral grass that grows wild in Nepal and other places. I wear the oil for a few days as I do with all oils intended for the shop, as if to qualify its benefits and verify my scent notes. The compounds of Palmarosa offer notes of relaxation and sleep and it indeed fulfills that promise. Palmarosa can also bring relief to arthritis and inflammation when used topically. Palmarosa calms eczema and psoriasis when added in an aloe vera gel based serum. I find it brings the spa to home when a few drops are added to an Epsom salt bath. The oil is of the Citronella and Lemongrass genus and so it makes ‘scent’ sense to blend Lemongrass with Palmarosa in a diffuser.

Arctander speaks of a time when the oil was shipped in 200 pound copper containers, bringing to mind the copper konkums I once was able to buy with my Bulgarian Rose oil (smaller version of course). His work also mentions the vernacular name “Geranium Palmarosa” as a carryover from the days of when Palmarosa was used to adulterate Turkish Rose oil.

Suggested uses: Blend with Coriander, Geranium, Cedarwood, Amyris and Oakmoss absolute. Useful in soap making, DIY skincare and natural perfumery. Diffuse with Rosemary or Lemongrass to scent and freshen the air.