Rare and Precious Essential Oils

There are several essential oils that are considered “precious.”  This may be due to the availability, source, or extraction method. Some of the rarer oils have powerful effects on the mind and body but may be harder to obtain.  Some essential oil-bearing plants are endangered and must be obtained from ethical growers who practice sustainability methods.  If the yield of the essential oil from the plant is low, this will also raise the price. 

Melissa essential oil comes from the lemon balm plant (Melissa officinalis).  The yield of oil from distillation is very low and requires large amounts of plant material.  Thus, its essential oil is priced higher than some others. Though I would not label melissa essential oil as “precious,” (maybe semi-precious) it shows one of the factors in pricing and availability of an essential oil.

Rose (Rosa x damascena and R. x centifolia) essential oil is a wonderful skin oil.  It also has positive effects on the mind.  It is obtained through distillation (rose otto), solvent extraction (rose absolute), and CO2 extraction (rose extract).  It takes about 5000 pounds of rose petals to extract 1 pound of essential oil.  Being highly sought after for its properties, it carries a higher price than most oils.

Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) is a highly valuable oil.  Its delicate flowers cannot endure the steam distillation process and therefore, the oil must be extracted through other means.  Additionally, care must be taken not to damage the blossoms while being harvested.  It takes 3.6 million blossoms to produce 1 pound of jasmine oil. Solvent extraction produces jasmine absolute.  It is used for depression, anxiety, eczema, and pregnancy issues.  Another species of jasmine is jasmine sambac (J. sambac).  It is night blooming and it too, is extracted using a solvent.  It is a heavier, warmer base note scent of jasmine, often called ‘Arabian jasmine.’

Neroli (Citrus aurantium) essential oil is distilled from the freshly picked blossoms of the bitter orange tree.  Its aroma is sweet and uplifting and is often called, “the happy oil.”  It is used for depression, insomnia, dry skin, and as a scar preventative.  Care is taken in picking the blossoms just before opening and must not contain fragments of leaves or twigs.  Hundreds of pounds of the flowers will produce only a small amount of neroli oil. From this tree, we also get petitgrain essential oil, distilled from the leaves and bitter orange essential oil which is cold pressed from the peel of its fruit.  

Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) essential oil is distilled from the root of the plant.  It grows at high altitudes in the Himalayan region.  Spikenard essential oil has an ancient history having been mentioned in the Bible and used in many religions for spiritual and medicinal purposes.  It is used for insomnia, relaxation, and inflammation. Due to these distinctions, it has been overharvested in more modern times and is now listed as critically endangered.  It can be obtained from ethical growers and requires a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) certificate to sell it. 

Agarwood (Aquilaria crassna) essential oil is one of the rarest oils.  It grows in Southeast Asia and has a fascinating growth and extraction story.  When the tree is at least 10 years old, it is inoculated with a parasitic fungus.  The tree responds by attacking the infection with an oleoresin which, over time, becomes dark and highly aromatic. After several years, the tree is then harvested, and the heartwood is distilled to obtain agarwood essential oil.  This is all done by sustainable growers who replant the trees.  Agarwood essential oil also requires a CITES certificate in order to be sold due to its critically endangered status.  The aroma of its oil is woodsy, musky and other worldly.  It forms the basis of the well-known Arabian perfume, Oud, and its wood is used as incense in these cultures.  Agarwood essential oil is uplifting, calming, and used for meditation. Only 2 milliliters (less than half a teaspoon) of this essential oil ranges from $100 to $150 USD. 

Though not as rare, there are several oils that are considered sacred in religious practice.  Sandalwood (Santalum album), myrrh (Commiphora myrrha), frankincense (Boswellia carterii), and palo santo (Bursera graveolens) are considered among the sacred essential oils.  They have medicinal properties as well as being used in meditation and religious ceremonies. 

In purchasing these oils, please be aware of their sustainability classification.  As mentioned before, sellers of endangered species must have a CITES certificate to sell these oils and it is appropriate to ask for it.  Contact me if you have questions.