Rosemary, Verbenone (organic)

Rosemary is one species with several distinct chemotypes. The verbenone, cineole and camphor types share a botanical name and differ widely in character. For rosemary, the chemotype on the label tells more than the species.

01 · Origin

Rosmarinus officinalis is an evergreen shrub of the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean. The verbenone chemotype is associated with the garrigue of southern France and Corsica. This oil is distilled in France from wild-crafted organic flowering plants.

02 · Chemistry

Alpha-pinene leads, with bornyl acetate and camphene. Camphor is present alongside verbenone, the ketone that defines the type, and borneol. The ester and ketone balance gives a softer, greener profile than the cineole chemotype.

03 · In Practice

Fresh, herbaceous and green, less sharp than other rosemaries. Used at low concentration given the ketone content. Skincare formulation, massage blends and diffusion. For chemotype study: Rosemary, Cineol (No. 2591) and Rosemary, Borneone (No. 2610). Blends with lavender, lemon, petitgrain, peppermint, cedarwood, thyme and frankincense.

General information: For external use only. Dilute before applying to skin. Keep away from heat and sunlight. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.