Jasmine and Rose Oils (Absolutes and Attars): Evidence, Safety and How It Is Used
Jasmine and rose oils come from flowers and are used in perfume and aromatherapy. What small trials found, which allergy and safety points sources raise, and what is unknown.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read essential oil safety before you use anything on this page.
Safety first. This page is about smelling these oils or putting a diluted form on skin, as aromatherapy sources describe. It is not advice to swallow any essential oil. Sources we read show that jasmine in particular can cause skin allergy in patch-test clinics. [1] If a skin reaction, trouble breathing or a swallowing accident happens, see when to get help after essential oil use. In the US, Poison Help is 1-800-222-1222, and 911 is for collapse, seizure or trouble breathing.
Which plants and plant parts
Reviews of flower oils describe oils taken from blossoms, including damask rose (Rosa × damascena Mill., Rosaceae) and jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum L., Oleaceae). [2] GBIF lists both as accepted species names. [3] [4]A name trap matters here. The jasmine massage trial we read used Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton, a different species from the one in most patch-test and perfume discussions. [5] [6] Results for one jasmine species do not transfer to another. Other roses (for example Rosa × centifolia) are also used for oils, and we did not review them here.
What "jasmine oil" and "rose oil" can mean
The sources we read use several labels: "jasmine absolute" in skin-allergy testing, "rose oil" and "Damask rose essence" in trials. [1] [7] The trial summaries we read do not always say how the material was made. How absolutes, distilled oils and other products differ is explained on absolutes, hydrosols and infused oils. Check the botanical name and plant part on a label using the label guide. We did not find, in the sources we read, a description of "attar" products, so this page does not make claims about them.Traditional use
In Iranian traditional medicine, R. damascena has been used for abdominal and chest pains, strengthening the heart, menstrual bleeding, digestive problems and constipation, according to one review. [8] That is traditional use only. It is not proof that rose oil does any of these things.What research shows
Most human studies below are small, short and use self-rated outcomes. Smell makes blinding hard. See how much human research exists.| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Population and form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose oil and relaxation | Rose oil caused decreases in breathing rate, blood oxygen saturation and systolic blood pressure compared with placebo; volunteers rated themselves calmer. [7] | Promising but limited | 40 healthy volunteers; oil absorbed through skin, with breathing masks to block smell |
| Rose and acute pain | A meta-analysis of 16 trials found lower pain scores with damask rose aromatherapy; the quality of the evidence was low. [9] | Promising but limited | Adults with acute pain; inhalation, vapor or massage |
| Rose and sleep | Pooled inhalation trials improved sleep quality; most trials had fair methodological quality. [10] | Promising but limited | Adults; reviews also included oral rose products, which are not covered here |
| Rose and mental health | A systematic review of animal studies and 38 clinical studies concluded the plant looked effective but said more research was needed. [11] | Mixed: animal and human findings combined | Many forms, including oral products |
| Jasmine oil and alertness | Jasmine oil increased breathing rate and blood pressure compared with placebo; volunteers felt more alert and less relaxed. [5] | Promising but limited | 40 healthy volunteers; topical massage; J. sambac |
| Flower oils overall | A review said clinical studies of blossom oils are still underrepresented. [2] | Insufficient evidence for firm conclusions | Mixed |
Notice the jasmine result. In that trial, jasmine was stimulating, not calming, so "floral oils relax you" is not a safe assumption. Some sources use words such as "relief of depression" for these findings; the trials measured short-term body signs and mood ratings in healthy people, not treatment of depression. We did not find a large, well-blinded trial of either oil.
Proper evidence not found: we searched PubMed for jasmine oil trials (anxiety, sleep, labor) and for rose or jasmine in medicine-interaction studies, and did not find usable human trials of those questions beyond those above.
Safety
Skin allergy. In a dermatology clinic network (IVDK, 2010 to 2019), 908 of 10,930 patients (8.3%) tested reacted to at least one of twelve essential oils, and jasmine absolute caused 1.8% positive patch tests. [1] Masseurs and cosmeticians had a higher risk. [1] A review found that nearly 80 essential oils, including two jasmine absolutes, have caused contact allergy, and that most reactions follow use of pure oils or high-concentration products. [12] The same review noted that reactions to one oil often go with reactions to other oils or fragrance mixes. [12] See skin reactions, allergy and sensitization.Side effects in trials. A review of rose sleep trials noted that two reported headache, nausea, vomiting and frequent sneezing. [10]
General caution. The FDA says many plants contain materials that are toxic, irritating or likely to cause allergic reactions on the skin. [13] Essential oils are usually used by inhaling them or by applying a diluted form to the skin. [14] Amounts and dilutions differ across trials, and this page gives no personal amounts.
Medicines, pregnancy, children, liver and kidney, surgery: not described for these two oils in the sources we read. That is not proof of safety. Ask a pharmacist or clinician, and see medicine interactions and pregnancy and breastfeeding. Tell a surgical team about any oils you use.
Quality. Testing shows what is in a bottle, not whether it is safe. See the quality testing guide.
Related pages
Geranium oil, ylang ylang oil and neroli oil are other floral oils; jasmine and chrysanthemum flower teas are a different product.Frequently asked questions
Is rose oil or jasmine oil proven to reduce anxiety?
No. Small trials of damask rose found calmer ratings and lower pain scores, but reviews call the evidence low quality or say more research is needed. [9] [11] A jasmine trial found stimulation instead. [5]
Can jasmine oil cause an allergic skin reaction?
Yes. In skin-clinic patch testing, jasmine absolute caused positive reactions in 1.8% of those tested. [1]
Are rose oil and rose absolute the same thing?
The sources we read use the words differently and often do not state how a material was made. See the absolutes page linked above for definitions.
Is it safe to swallow rose or jasmine oil?
This site does not advise swallowing any essential oil. For a swallowing accident, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). Reviews of rose that include oral products describe different products from a bottle of oil. [10]
Does it matter which jasmine or rose species is used?
Yes. The jasmine massage trial used Jasminum sambac, not J. grandiflorum, and results do not transfer between species or products. [5]
References
- Geier J et al. Contact sensitization to essential oils: IVDK data of the years 2010-2019. Contact Dermatitis. 2022. PubMed 35417610. Read 2026-10-22.
- Prosche S, Stappen I. Flower power: an overview on chemistry and biological impact of selected essential oils from blossoms. Planta Med. 2024. PubMed 38843799. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat. Rosa × damascena Mill., GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Name checked through the GBIF species match service. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat. Jasminum grandiflorum L., GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Name checked through the GBIF species match service. Read 2026-10-22.
- Hongratanaworakit T. Stimulating effect of aromatherapy massage with jasmine oil. Nat Prod Commun. 2010. PubMed 20184043. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat. Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Name checked through the GBIF species match service. Read 2026-10-22.
- Hongratanaworakit T. Relaxing effect of rose oil on humans. Nat Prod Commun. 2009. PubMed 19370942. Read 2026-10-22.
- Mahboubi M. Rosa damascena as holy ancient herb with novel applications. J Tradit Complement Med. 2016. PubMed 26870673. Read 2026-10-22.
- Nasiri M et al. Effect of aromatherapy with Damask rose on alleviating adults' acute pain severity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med. 2021. PubMed 33197671. Read 2026-10-22.
- Ghorbani Rami MS et al. Effect of Rosa damascena on improvement of adults' sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Med. 2021. PubMed 34508987. Read 2026-10-22.
- Mohamadi N et al. Evidence for Rosa damascena efficacy in mental disorders in preclinical animal studies and clinical trials: a systematic review. Phytother Res. 2022. PubMed 35653142. Read 2026-10-22.
- de Groot AC, Schmidt E. Essential oils, part IV: contact allergy. Dermatitis. 2016. PubMed 27427818. Read 2026-10-22.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Aromatherapy. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Aromatherapy. Read 2026-10-22.