Palmarosa is an essential oil steam-distilled from Cymbopogon martinii, a wild grass in the lemongrass family, native to India. It smells of roses — which is where the name comes from — and it is one of the four essential oils in our Black Cedar Beard Oil.
The Plant
Palmarosa grows as a tall green grass with flowering tops. It needs little rainfall and plenty of sun, and once established a stand will crop for around five years.
Planted in raised, ploughed earth, it takes roughly three months to reach full height. The stems are cut when the plant flowers, because that is when the concentration of geraniol — the compound responsible for the rose-like scent — is highest. Drying the cut grass for a month before distilling improves both the yield and the quality of the oil. After the first harvest the grass regrows and is cut again roughly every ten weeks.
History
Palmarosa was used in Ayurvedic practice in India, a tradition stretching back some three thousand years on the subcontinent.
It reached Europe as a fragrance material, finding its way into soaps, perfumes, cosmetics and even tobacco. Because it smells so convincingly of roses at a fraction of the cost, it was historically blended with rose oil to extend it — a practice recorded among Turkish traders, and one that has never entirely stopped.
What's in It
Palmarosa oil is dominated by geraniol, typically making up the large majority of the oil, alongside geranyl acetate and linalool. Geraniol is the same alcohol that gives rose and geranium their character, which is why palmarosa reads as floral despite coming from a grass.
Palmarosa in Beard Care
Palmarosa is a middle note. In a fragrance it lifts and rounds — a floral brightness over the top of heavier woods, without turning the blend sweet.
In our Black Cedar blend it sits above Cedarwood Atlas and patchouli, alongside black pepper, diluted in jojoba and grape seed oil.
Essential oils are used at low concentrations. Undiluted essential oil should never be applied directly to skin.
Palmarosa FAQs
What is palmarosa?
An essential oil steam-distilled from Cymbopogon martinii, a grass in the lemongrass family native to India. It is used widely in perfumery.
Why does palmarosa smell like roses?
Because it is rich in geraniol, the same alcohol that gives rose and geranium their scent. It is a grass that smells like a flower.
Is palmarosa used as a rose substitute?
Historically, yes. It has long been blended with rose oil to extend it, since it delivers a similar character at far lower cost.
Can you put palmarosa oil directly on skin?
No. It must be diluted in a carrier oil and used at appropriate concentrations. Geraniol is a recognised fragrance allergen and is declared on our labels.
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