Roman Chamomile
$80.00
This variant is currently sold out.
Roman Chamomile Essential Oil — Bulgaria
Chamaemelum nobile (syn. Anthemis nobilis) · Steam distilled · Flowers · Black Sea, Varna region, Bulgaria. 2026 Summer Cabinet · Grower Organic Certifications · View The Verification Report
Roman Chamomile is one of those oils whose strength is easy to misunderstand. It does not announce itself the way Lavender or Clary Sage can, nor does it bring the immediate lift of Mandarin. Its presence is quieter — soft, sweet, and almost honeyed, entering a blend without taking it over.
That subtlety is its value. A very small amount goes a long way, and if you have not worked with it before, it rewards getting to know slowly. It does not need to dominate an aroma to change how the whole blend is experienced.
Aromatic Character
This is a truly beautiful Roman Chamomile, with a full, sweet floral aroma and the soft fruity-herbaceous character so distinctive to the oil. Roman Chamomile is the more subtle of the two Chamomiles we offer when compared with German Chamomile — not weaker, simply softer — and it can make its presence known in exceptionally small amounts.
The current Bulgarian distillation opens with unusual fullness and immediate presence, followed by a rounded, almost honeyed sweetness. It remains persistent and stable as the aroma develops rather than becoming faint or fleeting — notable staying power for such a delicate flower oil. Eric R. Cêch* compared Roman Chamomile with Mandarin and Lavender to explain its particular action within a composition, and the comparison still holds: Mandarin brings lift as it relaxes; Lavender is clearer and more immediately recognizable; Roman Chamomile works more quietly.
*Drawn from the work of Eric R. Cêch, founder of The Ananda Apothecary, whose research and teachings we continue to restore and steward. About Eric and the Ananda legacy →
Best Used For
- Personal inhalation and evening aromatic routines
- Personal inhalers and compact aromatic blends
- Massage oils and gentle body preparations
- Low-dilution facial and sensitive-skin formulations
- Diffuser formulas intended for rest and decompression
- Perfumery and professional formulation where a soft, sweet aromatic note is needed
About This Oil
Roman Chamomile has long occupied a specific place within Ananda's catalogue. It is not interchangeable with German or Blue Chamomile. German Chamomile is generally selected when a denser, more concentrated topical material is wanted; Roman Chamomile is chosen for its softer aroma, its ability to integrate a blend, and the composed character it contributes in small amounts.
Roman Chamomile is chosen when the aromatic experience is central — personal inhalation, evening use, massage, sensitive-skin formulation, or any composition that needs a softer floral-herbaceous note.
This Bulgarian oil comes through an established direct sourcing relationship with a grower and distiller whose fields and production site we have visited. The current batch certificate describes an ester-rich composition; documentation confirms identity and composition, while direct evaluation shows how the material opens, develops, persists, and performs as a complete aromatic whole.
Which Chamomile Should I Choose?
Choose German "Blue" Chamomile when the formulation is built primarily around a dense, highly concentrated topical material. Its aroma is stronger, more herbaceous, and distinctly medicinal, and it is normally used in much smaller proportions or at very low concentrations.
Choose Roman Chamomile when the aromatic experience is central: evening use, personal inhalation, gentle massage oils, or a face and body preparation that needs a softer floral-herbaceous note.
The difference is not that one Chamomile is stronger and the other weaker — they do different work. German Chamomile is the concentrated topical specialist; Roman Chamomile softens, integrates, and composes. Many formulators keep both because they serve different purposes.
Traditional Uses
Roman Chamomile flower has a long European history in traditional preparations associated with digestion, tension, rest, and topical comfort. European cultivation was established in England during the sixteenth century, and the plant appeared in European pharmacopoeial records as a carminative, digestive aid, and antispasmodic herb.
In aromatic practice, Roman Chamomile is used when softness matters more than force. It is particularly useful in bedtime blends, personal inhalation, massage oils, and low-dilution face and body preparations, where it can round sharper materials without flattening the complete composition.
Research specific to Roman Chamomile essential oil remains limited. Experimental studies have examined inhaled Roman Chamomile in rats and exposure in adult zebrafish, while earlier animal research compared essential oils from varieties of Anthemis nobilis. These are non-human studies and do not establish clinical efficacy or a treatment protocol for people.
Digestive and Stress-Associated Use
Eric's research notes preserved the longstanding relationship between Roman Chamomile, digestive discomfort, and nervous tension. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia included Roman Chamomile flower and liquid extracts for flatulent dyspepsia associated with mental stress; other traditional records include nausea, poor appetite, intestinal gas, and mild spasmodic digestive discomfort.
Eric's field notes used it alone or with Ginger in diluted abdominal preparations, and included it in an abdominal massage formula with Angelica and Cardamom — reflecting the familiar pattern in which nervous agitation and digestive discomfort appear together.
Most historical digestive records concerned dried flowers, teas, infusions, tinctures, or liquid extracts. They should not be transferred automatically to the concentrated essential oil, and they do not support oral-use instructions for this product.
Children
Eric's field notes regarded Roman Chamomile as one of the primary aromatic materials traditionally used when children were irritable, restless, or difficult to settle. The older tradition recorded its use for crying, stomachaches, teething discomfort, nervousness, and fretfulness, and early-twentieth-century materia medica documents similar associations with children's colic and teething-related irritability.
This history does not establish unrestricted essential-oil use in infants or children. Historical flower preparations, infusions, and dosing practices cannot be transferred directly to a contemporary bottle of steam-distilled essential oil. Present-day use with children requires age-appropriate dilution, careful aromatic exposure, and guidance from a suitably qualified professional.
Skin and Topical Tradition
Roman and German Chamomile are distinguished in skin formulation. Eric's field notes show German Chamomile was his choice when localized inflammation, eczema, dermatitis, or pronounced irritation was central to the formula; Roman Chamomile was used when sensitive skin needed a softer aromatic and formulation presence.
European records also describe Roman Chamomile flower preparations in washes, poultices, mouthwashes, and semi-solid products for minor skin and oral-mucosal complaints. These traditions chiefly concern the flower and its extracts and do not establish that undiluted Roman Chamomile essential oil should be applied to inflamed, wounded, or otherwise compromised skin.
Calming, Anxiety, and Sleep Research
Modern Roman Chamomile research remains limited. Human studies have evaluated it in aromatherapy massage or as one component of an inhaled blend, and animal and mechanistic studies have explored inhalation, anxiety-related pathways, and mood-related behaviour. These are relevant to the oil's longstanding aromatic use but do not establish that it treats anxiety, depression, or insomnia.
Broader chamomile reviews report research on anxiety and sleep quality, but many included preparations use German Chamomile or do not maintain a clear species distinction. Those findings provide context for the larger chamomile tradition; they should not be presented as direct clinical evidence for this Roman Chamomile essential oil.
Applications
Inhalation
Place a drop on a fragrance blotter, aromatherapy inhaler, or unscented tissue and inhale briefly. Avoid prolonged direct inhalation from the bottle.
Diffusion
Diffuse alone or within a blend, following your diffuser's guidance and diffusing intermittently in a ventilated room. Use less around scent-sensitive individuals, and allow animals to leave the area.
Skin and Body
Suited to facial oils, body oils, and massage preparations when properly diluted in a carrier oil and applied to intact skin. Patch test any finished preparation before broader use.
Natural Perfumery
Evaluate first as a bench dilution before adding to a finished blend, assessing its effect on the opening, heart, and drydown of the composition.
Cultivation and Sourcing
This material comes directly from a Bulgarian grower and distiller with whom Ananda has maintained a trusted, long-term relationship. We have visited the fields and production site personally and have followed the cultivation and distillation process at its source.
According to the producer's documented practices, and our observation, the plants are cultivated without synthetic herbicide or pesticide sprays. The current batch Certificate of Analysis identifies the oil as organic; because the CoA does not state a certification standard or certificate number, this page does not describe the oil as certified organic.
Product Details
Product class: Single essential oil
Botanical name: Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All.
Documented synonym: Anthemis nobilis
Common name: Roman Chamomile
Raw-material origin: Black Sea, Varna region, Bulgaria
Production location: Bulgaria
Plant part: Flowers
Extraction: Steam distilled
Organic status: Identified as organic on the current batch CoA; no certification standard or number supplied
Aroma character: Full, sweet, floral, fruity-herbaceous, rounded, honeyed, and persistent
Appearance: Transparent bluish liquid
Density: 0.905
Refractive index: 1.441
Optical rotation: 0°
Batch: 26Q2RCH
Production date: July 2025
Supplier best-before date: July 2028
Batch documentation: Current Certificate of Analysis on file
Ingredients: 100% Roman Chamomile essential oil
Batch Composition
Eric R. Cêch characterized Roman Chamomile as an unusually ester-rich essential oil, noting it can contain nearly 80% esters. For this product the current Bulgarian batch documentation controls the numbers: the ester constituents listed on the current Certificate of Analysis total 73.65%, closely aligning with that broader ester-rich character.
The current Certificate of Analysis reports the following constituents:
- Isobutyl angelate: 33.15%
- Isoamyl angelate: 16.40%
- Methallyl angelate: 10.30%
- 2-Methylbutyl angelate: 5.10%
- Isobutyl isobutanoate: 4.30%
- Pinocarveol: 4.10%
- Pinocarvone: 2.20%
- Isobutyl methacrylate: 2.07%
- Alpha-pinene: 1.70%
- Propyl angelate: 1.40%
- Amyl methacrylate: 0.93%
- Myrtenal: 0.65%
The ester total of 73.65% is calculated from the ester constituents specifically listed on the current certificate: isobutyl isobutanoate, isobutyl methacrylate, propyl angelate, amyl methacrylate, 2-methylbutyl angelate, isobutyl angelate, methallyl angelate, and isoamyl angelate. Because the certificate presents a selected constituent profile rather than a complete GC–MS accounting, 73.65% should be understood as the documented sum of the listed esters, not necessarily the oil's complete ester total. Constituent names have been standardized from the wording used on the certificate; percentages are reproduced as reported.
These values describe this particular batch. They should not be used alone to rank quality, predict a clinical outcome, or compare Roman Chamomile oils without considering the complete analysis and direct aromatic evaluation.
Pairs Well With
Bulgarian Lavender Essential Oil — Lavender extends Roman Chamomile's soft floral-herbaceous character and gives an evening blend a familiar, composed foundation.
Indian Sandalwood Essential Oil — Sandalwood anchors Roman Chamomile's sweetness, adds quiet warmth, and gives the complete aroma a longer, smoother finish.
Roman Chamomile also blends especially well with:
- Florals and herbs: Lavender, Clary Sage, Geranium, Rose, Sweet Marjoram, Ylang Ylang
- Citrus and floral citrus: Bergamot FCF, Mandarin, Neroli
- Woods and base notes: Sandalwood
Found In
Sleep Tight™ — Roman Chamomile softens and integrates the blend's more pronounced aromatic materials while contributing its quiet, sweet evening character.
First Reach™ — Roman Chamomile softens the formula's more active botanicals and contributes a gentle aromatic and skin-formulation role.
Notes and Cautions
- For external aromatic and properly diluted topical use.
- Do not ingest unless working under the direction of a practitioner specifically qualified in essential-oil ingestion.
- Patch test diluted preparations before broader use. Discontinue use if irritation or sensitization develops.
- Avoid use if you have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to Chamomile or another member of the Asteraceae family.
- Individuals with asthma, marked fragrance sensitivity, or a history of aromatic reactions should begin with minimal exposure and discontinue use if respiratory symptoms occur.
- Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been adequately established. Consult an appropriately qualified professional before use.
- Do not assume Roman Chamomile is unrestricted for children because it has historically been described as gentle. Use only in age-appropriate concentrations with suitable professional guidance.
- Avoid contact with eyes, mucous membranes, open wounds, burns, infected skin, and recent surgical incisions.
- Store tightly closed, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Oxidized essential oil may carry a greater risk of irritation or sensitization.
See Safety & Responsible Use for Ananda's general essential-oil guidance.
Availability and Sizes
This Bulgarian Roman Chamomile is part of the 2026 Summer Cabinet and is available while the current batch remains.
All Cabinet selections are subject to change. Future offerings may differ in origin, producer, harvest, aromatic character, analytical profile, available size, and Cabinet placement as Ananda evaluates new materials and batches.
Available sizes: 10 mL and 30 mL
Further Study
Roman Chamomile's historical record is substantially larger than its modern clinical literature. The references below distinguish Roman Chamomile-specific research from broader chamomile studies that may include German Chamomile, flower extracts, teas, or combination preparations. Evidence concerning those preparations should not be treated automatically as evidence for Roman Chamomile essential oil.
European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Assessment Report on Chamaemelum nobile (L.) All., flos. EMA/HMPC/560906/2010. 2011.
Reviews Roman Chamomile's European pharmacopoeial history, traditional gastrointestinal use, external preparations, and the limitations of the clinical evidence.
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-report/final-assessment-report-chamaemelum-nobile-l-all-flos_en.pdf
Sándor Z, Mottaghipisheh J, Veres K, et al. Evidence Supports Tradition: The In Vitro Effects of Roman Chamomile on Smooth Muscles. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2018;9:323.
Laboratory research examining Roman Chamomile flower extract, isolated constituents, and essential oil in smooth-muscle preparations; not a human treatment trial.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29681854/
Kong Y, Wang T, Wang R, et al. Inhalation of Roman Chamomile Essential Oil Attenuates Depressive-Like Behaviors in Wistar Kyoto Rats. Science China Life Sciences. 2017;60(6):647–655.
Roman Chamomile essential-oil inhalation research in an animal model; not evidence of efficacy in humans.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28527112/
Silveira V, Santos Rubio KT, Poleti Martucci ME. Anxiolytic Effect of Anthemis nobilis L. (Roman Chamomile) and Citrus reticulata Blanco Essential Oils Using the Light–Dark Test in Zebrafish. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2022;298:115580.
Essential-oil research in an adult zebrafish behavioural model; not human clinical evidence.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35926778/
The information provided on this page has not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
