Rosmarinus officinalis ct1/Rosemary Camphor

pH 4.6–4.7

Aroma and Taste The first impression is almost floral, followed by a soft, noncamphor rosemary scent, very surprising. The flavor is also more floral than one expects, with a very soft rosemary aftertaste that has no hint of sharpness.

Stability and Shelf Life Stable; should last eighteen to twenty months. Although all the rosemaries are known to be powerfully antioxidant, the other hydrosol chemotypes have a tendency to oxidation and bloom. CT camphor has the longest shelf life.

Properties and Applications A mental and physical stimulant, it makes a good coffee substitute for those wishing to cut back on caffeine and can provide the same pick-me-up feeling. Use rosemary camphor to stimulate the liver and gallbladder, promoting release of bile and aiding digestion of rich and fatty foods. It is also useful during a fast or cleanse to reduce hunger and aid detoxification; try it combined with sage. Mildly diuretic, its ability to increase urine output may be partially a result of its hepatostimulating properties.

Topically and internally, rosemary camphor is a strong antioxidant. In Japanese studies, rosemary scored higher than witch hazel for overall antioxidant behavior but has exhibited only low antiperoxidation properties (preventing other substances to which it is added from oxidizing), which may explain the short shelf life of the cineole and verbenone chemotypes. In skin treatments, all chemotypes perform very well, and the mild scent of the CT camphor makes it very useful as a toner for normal to oily skin. Rosemary camphor promotes healthy, shiny hair and is promising for conditions of mild hair loss when blended with cedar. Combine with goldenrod for dandruff or seborrhea. Add to shampoos and conditioners or use undiluted as a scalp tonic after or between shampoos.

A mild circulatory stimulant, it helps flush uric and lactic acids from muscle tissue and can be combined with goldenrod in topical compresses for arthritis, rheumatism, and gout. A three-week protocol during allergy season will help combat chest tightness and breathing difficulties, although the cineole chemotype works even better for this purpose.

Rosemary camphor makes a delicious cold drink and is indispensable in the kitchen for both savory and sweet dishes; it’s worthy of experimentation in things like ice cream.

AVOID in cases of high blood pressure and in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Rosmarinus officinalis ct2/Rosemary 1,8 Cineole

pH 4.2–4.5

Rarely available. The shelf life is much shorter than that of either the camphor or verbenone chemotypes, and its flavor and scent are much sharper, camphoraceous, and pungent, closer to the fresh herb. The distillation parameters require that only the first 20 percent or less of the hydrosol be kept, as the later parts of the run will seriously dilute the overall product. All cineole-dominant hydrosols have a short shelf life and all seem to have a relatively high rH₂ factor, indicating high conductivity and reactivity, and this may explain the peculiarities of the product. Very nice and useful as a mucolytic; buy it when you see it from a good source.