India has an abundance of fragrant flora, and one if the most beloved is the wild grass called Vetiver, where people have been distilling vetiver roots for their fragrant oil for thousands of years.
Root bales drying
Vetiver roots being transported by oxcart
Vetiver is strongly antimicrobial and also used on cold compresses to reduce fevers and pain from inflamed joints and arthritic swelling.
Aromatically, the vetiver root gives us a very potent fragrance oil that is used in perfumery as a fixative, or base note and then serves to hold other lighter fragrances together in a harmonious whole. Vetiver is one of the strongest fixatives, with tremendously long scent life.
The fragrance of vetiver oil is green and grassy, earthy sweet and smoky, with traces of mint & some consider a musky essence as well. Vetiver’s fragrance can vary from plant to plant, even in the same region. It can often be appreciated better when diluted to about 5-10% in a nice oil such as jojoba.
One of my favorite blends is: vetiver, patchiouli & frankinscence.. but it also blends well with jasmine, grapefruit, lavender, sandalwood, rose & ylang-ylang.
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