Jasmine essential oil: uses and benefits

Beautiful in name and beautiful in scent, jasmine essential oil comes from the tiny white flowers that can be found on jasmine, or Jasminum Officinale plants, which originate from Iran.¹ Renowned for its sweet and deeply rich aroma, jasmine is a popular ingredient for perfumes, particularly classic French fragrances, such as Chanel’s iconic No. 5,² Miss Dior and Opium.³

Originating from China and India, jasmine essential oil is linked with Hinduism and has long been used in China to clear ‘sick’ rooms of pollutants way before its antibacterial properties were realised.

How is it made?

The process of extracting jasmine oil from jasmine plants is different to the way most other essential oils are produced. This is because steam distillation, one of the most common methods, damages the delicate jasmine flowers.⁴

Solvent extraction is widely used for jasmine oil production. The petals are immersed in hexane or ethanol solvent and rotated, releasing the fragrance molecules into the mixture. The longer the flowers remain in the solvent, the more fragrance oil can be removed.

The liquid is then distilled to produce a wax-type product called ‘concrete.’ The concrete can be used to create solid perfumes or mixed with grain alcohol to remove the wax and colour. Distilling the alcohol leaves behind pure jasmine oil.⁵

How long have people been using jasmine essential oil for?

Jasmine oil has a long and colourful history. Its calming qualities have been known for a long time; way back to when the Ancient Egyptians used it for headaches and to help improve sleep quality.⁶ The jasmine flower features in stories of ancient China, Persia and Egypt. It was revered by royalty in China and traded along the Silk Road. And it formed an important part of perfumery back in the time of Cleopatra and Louis XVI.⁷

How can it be used?

There’s so much you can do with jasmine oil. You can:⁸

Inhale it

Breathe it in directly from the bottle or add it to a bowl of hot water to create aromatic steam.

Spray it

To make a room spray, add 15 to 25 drops (for a stronger scent) of jasmine oil to distilled or purified water. For a milder scent, use 20 drops of essential oil for every 4 oz of water.⁹

Apply it

Dilute it with a carrier oil and then a few drops to your pulse points.

Diffuse it

Put some in a diffuser and breathe in the aromatic scent. (Try this - combine 1 drop of jasmine oil with 1 drop of rose oil, 1 drop of ylang ylang and  4 drops of neroli)¹⁰

Massage it

Dilute 5 drops of essential oil with 10ml of Miaroma base oil and apply. (Note – it blends well with bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, lavender, lemon, neroli, peppermint, rose and sandalwood).^11,12

Bathe in it

Add 4 to 6 drops of oil into warm running water. Then relax in the bath for at least 10 minutes to allow the aroma to work. You may even want to add some drops of   for more of a luxurious soak.¹³

Jasmine oil benefits

Jasmine oil has been known to have antiseptic, antispasmodic and rejuvenating properties. As a result, there are lots of benefits to using it, including these four:¹⁴

1. Lifts mood – the floral energy created by the sweet and rich scent is said to boost happiness and increase confidence, as well as reduce stress, anxiety and anger.¹⁵


2. Improves sleep quality – thanks to sedative, antispasmodic and mood settling qualities that can help improve sleep length and overall restfulness.¹⁶


3. Increases libido - jasmine’s romantic scent has long been believed to have an aphrodisiac effect, possibly because inhaling it or using it in aromatherapy massage improves mood and energy levels.¹⁷

How to use it safely

Always do a patch test to it make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin and always dilute it first with a carrier oil before putting it on your skin. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to use it.¹⁸

Some interesting facts about jasmine/jasmine oil

• Jasmine plants are ripe for picking between July and October. This usually happens at night to help preserve the intoxicating aroma¹⁹
• In Hinduism, jasmine is considered as having a place of honour as the ‘perfume of love’²⁰
• Jasmine essential oil is nicknamed Queen of the Night because of its strong scent and libido-boosting qualities²¹

Buy Jasmine Essential Oil For more essential oil insight read, ‘7 essential oils to help you sleep better.’

Last updated: 11 September 2020