DIY Rose Attar

If you’re like me, you may have gone a bit overboard on planting rose bushes. Every spring, my rosa rugosas and carpet rose bushes go all out. And, every year, I dutifully pull the flowers so that they continue to bloom. And every year I try to remind the plants that I’m no longer in the herbal business…so stop being so enthusiastic, already!

So, what’s an herbalist to do with such an abundance of flowers? Make rose attar, of course!

Wait, what?

An attar is the extract of volatile oils from fresh flower petals, although sometimes scented leaves are used as well. The more fragrant the flower, the better the resulting scent. When making attar, make sure to use only freshly picked flower petals.

I recommend that you harvest the flowers mid-morning, after the morning dew has evaporated. You want blossoms that are at their peak fragrance and skip the older flowers that have started to fade.

There are several methods for making an attar, depending on how you plan to use them.

Salt Layering

This method is primarily used to make rose water to use in food. Begin by separating the petals and any scented leaves from the flowers. Place them between two layers of paper or cotton towels and gently pressing on them to remove any moisture.

Next, place a layer of petals and leaves inside a ceramic crock or dark-colored mason jar. Sprinkle about one tablespoon of non-iodized salt over this, then cover with another layer of petals and leaves. Continue layering until your jar is full.

Cover the container tightly and place in a cool, dark cabinet for three months, or until the salt has extracted the oils from the plant materials. Strain through several layers of cheesecloth. Store in the refrigerator in a glass jar.

Add up to 5 drops of rose attar to one cup of distilled water to make fresh rose water.

Infused Oil

This method relies on infusing oil with the rose volatile oils. Traditional eastern recipes call for sandalwood oil. Others recommend jojoba, sweet almond, sunflower oil, or grapeseed oil as these oils are great for your skin. Olive oil may also be used, but not recommended due to the strong odor.

Start by separating the rose petals from the flowers. Make sure that they are completely dry by placing between two layers of paper or cotton towels and gently pressing on them to remove any moisture.

Place the flower petals into a wide mouth, dark-colored mason jar. Don’t be afraid to heavily pack the jar. The more petals, the heavier the resulting aroma.

Pour the oil over the petals, stirring with a knife or chopstick to gently remove any air bubbles. Close the jar tightly and place in a cool, dark cabinet for two weeks.

Open the jar and carefully mash the petals with a large spoon. This will help release more of the fragrance into the oil. Then, close the jar and return it to the cabinet. For the next two weeks, mash the petals every other day.

To extract the oil, use either a plastic pipette to move the oil to a smaller glass bottle or strain through several layers of cheesecloth. The attar color will be dark pink or deep red, depending on the color of roses used. Make sure to store in a cool, dark place.