Rose water has been used in traditional skincare practices for centuries and is widely recognized for its characteristic fragrance. However, not all rose waters produced from the same botanical species, Rosa damascena, necessarily share the same chemical characteristics.
Geographical origin, harvesting time, flower development stage, distillation conditions, and whether the essential oil phase formed during production is separated can all influence the chemical composition of the final product.
Modern analytical methods make it possible to evaluate rose water not only through its fragrance but also by identifying and measuring its chemical constituents.
Akita's Non-Deoiled Rose Water approach, developed in 2003, represents an interesting production model from this perspective. According to Akita's technical production documentation, fresh Rosa damascena flowers undergo a single, extended distillation process, during which the naturally formed oil-associated fraction is not subsequently separated.
This approach raises a fundamental question about the resulting chemical composition:
How does retaining the naturally formed oil fraction influence the volatile chemical profile of rose distillate, and can this influence be measured using analytical methods?
This article examines the reported GC-MS findings for Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate alongside published scientific research on Rosa damascena hydrosols. It also explores what the existing analyses demonstrate, which questions remain unanswered, and how further chemical characterization could advance our understanding of this material.
1. Why Is the Chemical Identity of Rose Water Important?
Rosa damascena flowers owe their characteristic fragrance to a complex chemical system comprising numerous volatile and semi-volatile compounds.
However, not all aromatic molecules present in the flowers behave in the same way during distillation.
Some compounds preferentially partition into the essential oil phase, while others transfer more readily into the aqueous phase. This distribution depends on their physicochemical properties as well as temperature, concentration, and production conditions.
Consequently, rose essential oil and rose distillate are not expected to have identical chemical profiles, even when produced from the same flowers.
Monoterpene alcohols such as citronellol, geraniol, and nerol are important constituents of rose essential oil, whereas phenethyl alcohol, which has greater affinity for the aqueous phase, can become a prominent component of rose hydrosols.
Scientific studies have demonstrated these differences.
For example, a 2011 study by Verma and colleagues examining Rosa damascena cultivars grown in the northern hills of India reported that the volatile composition of rose water could vary according to flower development stage and growing conditions.
Similarly, a 2023 investigation by Dobreva and colleagues comparing rose oils and hydrosols obtained from different oil-bearing rose species and hybrids cultivated in Bulgaria demonstrated that the oil and aqueous fractions derived from the same botanical material can exhibit different distributions of aromatic constituents.
These findings highlight why the chemical identity of a rose distillate cannot be fully explained by its botanical species alone.
Botanical origin, cultivation conditions, harvesting practices, and production technology must be considered together.
2. The Production Approach Behind Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate
In conventional rose essential oil production, the primary objective is to recover the volatile oil formed during distillation. The oil phase that develops in the condensed distillate is separated using appropriate techniques, while the remaining aromatic water is collected as rose water.
Akita's production approach places the distillate itself, rather than the essential oil, at the centre of the process.
According to Akita's technical documentation, fresh Rosa damascena flowers undergo extended distillation with water. The naturally formed oil fraction is not separated, and no rose essential oil is added to the finished distillate.
An important technical distinction should be made here:
Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate does not mean rose water to which rose essential oil has subsequently been added.
Instead, the term describes a production process in which the naturally formed oil-associated fraction is not removed as a separate product.
Akita's technical documents also report that the process does not involve decantation, centrifugation, redistillation, solvents, ethanol, or added preservatives.
Whether the oil phase is separated during production may influence the chemical characteristics of the final distillate. However, neither the magnitude of this effect nor its influence on individual compounds can be established from the production description alone.
For example, compounds associated with the essential oil fraction, including citronellol, geraniol, and linalool, may also occur in conventionally produced hydrosols under certain conditions.
Therefore, detecting these molecules in a distillate does not, by itself, prove that an oil separation step was omitted.
Evaluating the chemical consequences of Akita's production approach requires analytical data and controlled comparisons alongside documented manufacturing procedures.
This is where GC-MS analysis becomes particularly relevant.
3. Akita's GC-MS Analysis: Compounds and Findings
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is an analytical technique used to separate and identify volatile and certain semi-volatile compounds under suitable conditions.
Gas chromatography separates individual constituents within a mixture, while mass spectrometry helps identify those constituents by examining their mass spectra.
According to Akita's research documentation, a GC-MS analysis dated July 2, 2024, identified phenethyl alcohol as the predominant compound in the volatile profile of Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate.
The principal reported constituents and their relative chromatographic peak areas are presented below.
| Compound | Relative GC-MS Peak Area |
|---|---|
| Phenethyl alcohol (2-phenylethanol) | 79.54% |
| β-Citronellol | 7.81% |
| Acetic acid | 4.87% |
| Benzyl alcohol | 1.46% |
| Linalool | 0.92% |
Source: Research data reported from Akita's GC-MS analysis dated July 2, 2024.
Phenethyl Alcohol: A Characteristic Aromatic Constituent of Rose Distillate
Phenethyl alcohol is one of the important contributors to the characteristic fragrance of Rosa damascena. It is associated with a sweet, floral, distinctly rose-like aroma.
Because of its solubility characteristics and affinity for the aqueous phase, phenethyl alcohol can occur at prominent relative levels in the volatile profiles of rose distillates.
The relative peak area of 79.54% reported in Akita's analysis indicates that phenethyl alcohol produced the predominant chromatographic signal within the analyzed volatile profile.
However, an essential scientific distinction must be maintained when interpreting this result.
A relative GC-MS peak area of 79.54% does not mean that 79.54% of the liquid in the bottle consists of phenethyl alcohol.
This figure represents the relative magnitude of the chromatographic signal assigned to the compound under the analytical conditions used.
Different compounds may produce different detector responses. Consequently, relative peak areas cannot automatically be interpreted as actual mass or volume concentrations.
Determining the true concentration of phenethyl alcohol in the product requires quantitative analysis using appropriate reference standards and calibration procedures.
Such results may be expressed in concentration units such as milligrams per litre (mg/L) or milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
β-Citronellol: An Aromatic Constituent Associated with the Essential Oil Fraction
Akita's analysis reported a relative peak area of 7.81% for β-citronellol.
Citronellol is a characteristic monoterpene alcohol found in Rosa damascena essential oil and contributes significantly to the flower's aromatic profile.
However, citronellol is not exclusive to rose essential oil. Scientific investigations have also identified it in different Rosa damascena hydrosols.
Its presence in Akita's distillate therefore indicates that this essential-oil-associated aromatic constituent is represented in the product's chemical profile. It does not independently prove that the oil fraction was retained during manufacturing.
Clarifying this relationship would require comparing distillates produced under the same conditions, with and without the oil separation step.
Acetic Acid: A Finding Requiring Further Characterization
Another notable constituent reported in Akita's GC-MS profile is acetic acid, with a relative peak area of 4.87%.
Acetic acid is an organic compound with characteristic odour properties.
Here again, the analytical result must be interpreted correctly.
A relative peak area of 4.87% does not mean that Akita Rose Distillate contains 4.87% acetic acid by mass or volume.
The figure represents the relative chromatographic signal reported by the analytical method, not the actual concentration of acetic acid in the finished product.
Akita's manufacturing documentation states that neither vinegar nor acetic acid is added to the product. Nevertheless, detecting a compound analytically does not, by itself, establish its origin or formation pathway.
The reported presence of acetic acid raises several scientifically relevant questions:
What is the actual concentration of acetic acid in the distillate?
Is it consistently detected at comparable concentrations across different production years?
Is its occurrence related to specific distillation conditions?
At what concentrations is it detected in conventional rose waters from which the essential oil has been separated, when analyzed using the same method?
Is there a measurable relationship between its concentration, the product's aromatic characteristics, and its pH?
Until these questions have been investigated, it would be premature to conclude that acetic acid is unique to Akita, results from a particular production mechanism, or is responsible for the product's microbiological stability.
It has also not been established that acetic acid is absent from all other rose distillates.
The current finding should therefore be regarded as an aspect of Akita's chemical profile that warrants further analytical investigation.
Benzyl Alcohol and Linalool: Additional Constituents of the Chemical Profile
Akita's GC-MS analysis reported relative peak areas of 1.46% for benzyl alcohol and 0.92% for linalool.
Benzyl alcohol belongs to the class of aromatic alcohols, while linalool is a monoterpene alcohol known for its floral fragrance characteristics.
Together with other aromatic molecules, these compounds contribute to the analytical characterization of the distillate's volatile profile.
When evaluating the chemical identity of a botanical distillate, attention should not be limited to the compound producing the largest chromatographic signal.
The combined pattern of identified constituents is also important.
Akita's existing GC-MS data provide a starting point for developing a chemical profile that could be compared across different production batches in future research.
4. How Does Akita's Chemical Profile Compare with Published Research?
The phenethyl-alcohol-dominant volatile profile reported for Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate is broadly consistent with chemical profiles described in certain published studies of Rosa damascena hydrosols.
However, the scientific literature includes studies using different botanical materials, extraction techniques, sample preparation procedures, and analytical conditions.
Consequently, the reported percentages should not automatically be treated as directly comparable concentration values.
Bulgaria: Different Chemical Profiles of Rose Oils and Hydrosols
In a study published in 2023, Dobreva, Nedeva, and Mileva investigated rose oils and hydrosols obtained from different oil-bearing rose species and hybrids cultivated in Bulgaria.
The researchers reported relative phenethyl alcohol values ranging from 27.45% to 69.88% in the volatile profiles of the hydrosols examined.
For the Rosa damascena hydrosol included in the study, phenethyl alcohol was reported at 65.52%.
The findings demonstrated that rose oils and hydrosols can exhibit substantially different constituent distributions, even when derived from the same botanical source.
The study also documented considerable variability among the chemical profiles of different rose species and hybrids.
These results indicate that a phenethyl-alcohol-rich hydrosol profile is not exclusive to Akita.
Northern India: Growing Conditions and Flower Development
A 2011 study by Verma and colleagues examined the essential oil and rose water compositions of Rosa damascena cultivars grown in the northern hills of India.
For the cultivar 'Ranisahiba', relative phenethyl alcohol values in rose water volatiles ranged from 66.2% to 79.0%, depending on the stage of flower development.
At full bloom, values of 80.7% and 76.7% were reported for the 'Noorjahan' and 'Kannouj' cultivars, respectively.
These findings demonstrate that phenethyl alcohol can occur at high relative levels in rose hydrosols and that flower development stage and growing conditions may influence the observed chemical profile.
Türkiye: Different Aromatic Compositions in Rose Hydrosols
In a study published in 2009, Ulusoy, Boşgelmez-Tınaz, and Seçilmiş-Canbay examined the chemical composition and selected biological properties of Rosa damascena essential oil, hydrosol, and absolute.
Citronellol and geraniol were among the principal constituents reported in the hydrosol examined.
This finding is important because it demonstrates that not all rose hydrosols necessarily exhibit the same phenethyl-alcohol-dominant chemical profile.
In other words, rose water cannot be defined by a single, fixed chemical composition.
Iran: The Role of Chemical Analysis in Quality Assessment
In a study published in 2014, Moein, Zarshenas, and Delnavaz examined ten commercial rose water samples obtained from the Iranian market using GC-MS analysis.
Phenethyl alcohol, geraniol, and β-citronellol were among the major constituents identified in most samples.
The researchers also reported findings suggesting the possible presence of additional plant-derived fragrance materials or synthetic aromatic compounds in certain samples.
This study illustrates how chemical analysis may contribute not only to identifying aromatic constituents but also to investigating product quality and authenticity.
However, the presence or absence of a single chemical compound is generally insufficient to determine whether a rose water is authentic or contains added substances.
What Can Be Concluded from the Literature?
Taken together, these studies indicate that the phenethyl-alcohol-dominant volatile profile reported for Akita is consistent with certain known characteristics of Rosa damascena hydrosol chemistry.
The more specific research question for Akita concerns the extent to which this profile is associated with its production method, in which the naturally formed oil fraction is not separated.
5. What Can GC-MS Demonstrate, and What Are Its Limitations?
GC-MS is an important analytical method for investigating the volatile constituents of botanical distillates.
However, it cannot answer every question about a product's chemical composition, manufacturing history, or biological properties.
Three limitations are particularly important.
Relative Peak Area Is Not the Same as Actual Concentration
A relative peak area reported by GC-MS represents the distribution of chromatographic signals obtained using a particular analytical procedure.
Converting this information into actual compound concentrations requires appropriate calibration, reference standards, and validated quantitative methods.
Therefore, the 79.54% phenethyl alcohol and 4.87% acetic acid values reported for Akita should not be presented as percentages of the product's total liquid composition.
GC-MS Does Not Reveal Every Chemical Constituent
Standard GC-MS techniques are especially useful for analyzing volatile and suitable semi-volatile compounds.
However, many non-volatile, highly polar, or thermally unstable constituents may not be detected using a given GC-MS method.
Certain phenolic compounds, organic acids, and other water-soluble substances may require different sample preparation procedures or complementary analytical techniques such as High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), or ion chromatography.
Consequently, identifying the volatile profile of a rose distillate does not mean that its complete chemical composition has been established.
A Chemical Profile Does Not Independently Prove Manufacturing History or Cosmetic Efficacy
A GC-MS chromatogram provides information about the volatile constituents present in the analyzed sample.
However, similar compounds can occur in distillates produced using different methods.
It is therefore not possible to establish conclusively, from GC-MS data alone, whether the oil phase was separated during production.
Similarly, identifying phenethyl alcohol, citronellol, or linalool does not demonstrate that the finished product provides a particular skincare benefit or therapeutic effect.
Chemical characterization examines identity and composition.
Cosmetic performance and safety must be investigated separately using methods appropriate to those questions.
Scientifically robust product characterization requires a clear understanding of what each analytical method measures—and what it does not establish.
6. The Next Research Stage: Quantitative Analysis and Chemical Fingerprinting
Akita's existing GC-MS findings provide a foundation for investigating the characteristic volatile constituents of its Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate.
One of the most important next steps would be to move beyond relative chromatographic peak areas and determine the actual concentrations of selected compounds.
Measuring Actual Compound Concentrations
For example, the concentrations of phenethyl alcohol, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, linalool, and benzyl alcohol could be measured in mg/L using appropriately validated analytical methods.
For acetic acid, a separate quantitative method suitable for organic acid determination would be particularly valuable.
This would establish not only which compounds dominate the analytical profile, but also how much of each compound is present in the distillate.
A study published by Zhang and colleagues in the Journal of Chromatographic Science in 2026 offers a relevant example.
The researchers developed a reversed-phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in the mobile phase to quantify eight characteristic aromatic constituents in rose hydrosol.
The compounds evaluated included benzyl alcohol, phenethyl alcohol, eugenol, geraniol, nerol, linalool, citronellol, and methyl eugenol.
The method validation results demonstrated an analytical approach for the quantitative determination of selected aromatic constituents.
Comparable techniques could be considered among the options for establishing actual compound concentrations in Akita's distillate.
Investigating Reproducibility Across Production Batches
Data from a single production batch are insufficient to establish the complete analytical identity of a botanical distillate.
It is important to determine the concentration ranges of characteristic compounds across samples collected from different harvest years and production batches.
Such investigations could help clarify the consistency of the product's chemical profile and identify the variables contributing to natural variation.
Evaluating results from multiple production years could also provide a foundation for developing a multivariate chemical fingerprint that does not depend on the concentration of a single compound.
However, the reliability of such a model would depend on an adequate number of independent production batches, standardized analytical procedures, and external validation.
Comparing Deoiled and Non-Deoiled Rose Distillates
One of the most important experimental questions concerning Akita's production approach is how the separation of the oil fraction affects the chemical composition of the resulting distillate.
This could be investigated using Rosa damascena flowers from the same harvest, processed under the same distillation conditions.
With an appropriately designed experiment, samples could be obtained and evaluated before and after separation of the oil phase.
Temperature, storage duration, sample preparation, and analytical conditions should be kept as consistent as possible.
Repeating this comparison across independent production batches would allow researchers to investigate how oil separation influences the concentrations of individual aromatic constituents.
Quantitative comparisons of phenethyl alcohol, citronellol, geraniol, and other selected compounds would be particularly useful in evaluating the chemical effects of the production method.
Such research could help characterize the Non-Deoiled approach not only through manufacturing documentation but also through controlled, reproducible chemical measurements.
7. Conclusion: Understanding the Chemical Identity of a Rose Distillate
Chemical analyses conducted on Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate have provided valuable information for investigating its volatile constituent profile.
The GC-MS analysis dated July 2, 2024, reported phenethyl alcohol as the predominant compound, with a relative peak area of 79.54%.
This observation is broadly consistent with findings reported in certain published studies of Rosa damascena hydrosols.
The identification of β-citronellol, acetic acid, benzyl alcohol, and linalool in the same analysis also contributes to the characterization of a chemical profile comprising multiple aromatic and organic constituents.
However, these values do not represent the actual mass or volume concentrations of the compounds in the finished product.
The acetic acid finding is of particular interest for further investigation.
Determining its actual concentration, origin, and variability across production batches could contribute to a better understanding of Akita's chemical characteristics.
Published scientific research demonstrates that the chemical profiles of rose hydrosols can vary according to botanical material, growing conditions, flower development stage, extraction procedures, and distillation technology.
The distinctive focus of Akita's research lies in characterizing a distillate produced using a method in which the naturally formed oil fraction is not separated.
Nevertheless, controlled comparative studies are needed to determine how this manufacturing approach influences the concentrations of specific compounds.
Future quantitative investigations involving samples from different production years, together with comparisons against distillates from which the oil phase has been separated, could help establish a more detailed analytical identity for Akita Non-Deoiled Rose Distillate.
The scientific identity of a rose distillate cannot be understood solely by identifying which molecules it contains. It also depends on their concentrations, how they are influenced by production conditions, and how consistently they can be measured across different samples.
The scientific significance of Akita's chemical research lies in examining these questions through appropriate analytical methods.
Scientific References
Peer-Reviewed Scientific Publications
1. Dobreva, A., Nedeva, D. & Mileva, M. (2023).
Comparative Study of the Yield and Chemical Profile of Rose Oils and Hydrosols Obtained by Industrial Plantations of Oil-Bearing Roses in Bulgaria.
Resources, 12(7), 83.
https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12070083
2. Verma, R. S., Padalia, R. C., Chauhan, A., Singh, A. & Yadav, A. K. (2011).
Volatile constituents of essential oil and rose water of damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) cultivars from North Indian hills.
Natural Product Research, 25(17), 1577–1584.
https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2010.520162
3. Ulusoy, S., Boşgelmez-Tınaz, G. & Seçilmiş-Canbay, H. (2009).
Tocopherol, carotene, phenolic contents and antibacterial properties of rose essential oil, hydrosol and absolute.
Current Microbiology, 59(5), 554–558.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-009-9475-y
4. Moein, M., Zarshenas, M. M. & Delnavaz, S. (2014).
Chemical composition analysis of rose water samples from Iran.
Pharmaceutical Biology, 52(10), 1358–1361.
https://doi.org/10.3109/13880209.2014.885062
5. Özel, M. Z., Göğüş, F. & Lewis, A. C. (2006).
Comparison of direct thermal desorption with water distillation and superheated water extraction for the analysis of volatile components of Rosa damascena Mill. using GC×GC-TOF/MS.
Analytica Chimica Acta, 566(2), 172–177.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2006.03.014
6. Zhang, W., Wen, M., Zhu, J., Chen, Y., Chen, W. & Tong, S. (2026).
Quantitative analysis of characteristic aroma components in rose hydrosol by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as mobile-phase additive.
Journal of Chromatographic Science, 64(4), bmag011.
https://doi.org/10.1093/chromsci/bmag011
Akita Technical and Research Documentation
7. Akita.Non-De-Oiled Rose Water – INCI Technical Application Dossier. Application No. 2025-14613.
8. Akita.Rosa damascena Flower Distillate – GC-MS Volatile Profile. Data reported from the analysis dated July 2, 2024.
Rose Academy Scientific Note
This article is an educational research review combining chemical analysis findings reported in Akita's technical documentation with published scientific literature on Rosa damascena hydrosols.
The Akita-specific GC-MS values are based on information reported in the company's research documentation. The original chromatograms, sample preparation procedures, and method validation records have not been independently examined as part of this review.
Relative chromatographic percentages reported in different scientific studies should not be interpreted as directly equivalent concentrations because analytical methods and experimental conditions may differ.
Chemical characterization findings alone do not establish the cosmetic efficacy, clinical benefits, or safety of a product under all conditions of use.
The Akita analyses discussed in this article relate to specific research samples and should not be generalized to all Rosa damascena rose waters.