The oilseed rose is rightfully considered the national symbol of Bulgaria. Products based on rose oil are very popular around the world. Every summer, Bulgarians and guests of the country gather in the city of Kazanlak and celebrate the holiday magnificently roses. The country's climate is ideal for growing. Roses are mainly grown in mountain valleys, well warmed by the sun, sheltered from the wind by mountain ranges. In addition to plantations, roses also decorate private gardens, cities and parks. A lot of wild rose grows in Bulgaria; in the mountain forests you can find thickets of rose hips.
Rose oil has always been worth its weight in gold. Legend says that Cleopatra ordered her servants to apply rose oil to the sails of the ship so that people could feel her greatness from afar. In addition, there is an opinion that the oil is also a strong aphrodisiac. As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to make homemade rose oil, especially if a lot of flowers are missing from your garden or neighborhood.
Rose water and oil prepared at home are certainly inferior to the product made in production. However, it is worth trying and experiencing the results.
Basic rules
- Pay attention to the rose aroma, the stronger it is, the better the product will be.
- The color of the petals also plays an important role; the richer it is, the better the product will turn out.
- Traditional time for collection from May 20 to June 20.
- Morning hours are the most suitable for collection. The hot midday sun promotes the evaporation of ether.
- Damaged petals can lead to rotting of the tincture.
- You can use dried rose petals, but the aroma will not be as strong.
Simple and fast way:
- Several handfuls of pink petals need to be pour boiling water until the water cools.
- During the cooling process, a small volume of oil will appear on the surface in the form of a film.
- It needs to be collected in a glass container and used within several hours.
Complicated and time-consuming method:
Place several handfuls of petals in a glass jar and pour in about 50-100 ml of heated (~60°) oil (olive, almond, peach or apricot oil work well as a base). The oil level should not overlap the petals. Close the lid and leave for a week in a dark and warm place. At this stage, you can stop and start using the infusion, or replace the petals with new ones and fill them with the resulting liquid again. The container must be shaken lightly every few days.
Storage
Oil from the petals, made at home, is stored for about 30 days; using jojoba oil as a base, the shelf life increases to 2-3 months. For better preservation, add vitamin E from the pharmacy (a few drops). It is better to store the infusion in the refrigerator.
Usage
The resulting oil can be added to masks and cream before application; it is also well suited for massage and for removing cosmetics. The oil works especially well as a hair mask. The dried petals also provide a pleasant aroma when added to tea.