Rose water Phoenicians considered large public rose gardens to be as important as croplands such as orchards and wheat fields. Rose perfumes are made from rose oil, also called "attar of roses", which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses. Rose water is a by-product of this process. The cultivation of various fragrant flowers for obtaining perfumes, including rose water, may date back to Sassanid Persia, where it was known as "golāb" (Middle Persian: گلاب), from "gul" (rose) and "ab" (water). The term was adopted into Byzantine Greek as "zoulápin". The process of creating
Essential oil acid which are so called since they are nutritionally required by a given living organism. In contrast to fatty oils, essential oils typically evaporate completely without leaving a stain or residue. Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation, often by using steam. Other processes include expression, solvent extraction, "sfumatura", absolute oil extraction, resin tapping, wax embedding, and cold pressing. They are used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and other products, for flavoring food and drink, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products. Essential oils are often used for aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine in which healing effects