MAKING AROMA THERAPI CANDLES WITH ADDITION OF ROSEMARY OIL (Salvia rosmarinus)

Abstract

Aromatherapy is a therapy that uses aroma compounds to treat, reduce, or prevent disease, infection, and anxiety by inhaling them. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) has essential oils that function as aromatherapy. This research was conducted with the intention of utilizing rosemary flower waste which usually becomes household waste and pollutes the surrounding environment to be used as a room deodorizer that has many health benefits due to the chemical content contained in the rosemary flower. This research aims to study the technique of making candles with the addition of rosemary to study the content of rosemary in making aromatherapy candles and to study the physicochemical characteristics of rosemary in making aromatherapy candles. The research method used in this study involved experimental procedures to make aromatherapy candle preparations from stearic acid and paraffin wax formulations. With the formulation of stearic acid and paraffin wax in the ratio of 60%:40% (F4) and the addition of essential oil combinations in the ratio of 1%:5% (A1), 2%:4% (A2), 3%:3% (A3), 4%:2% (A4), 5%:1% (A5). The best aromatherapy candle formulation produced with a ratio of stearic acid and paraffin wax 60%: 40%, the concentration of citronella essential oil and essential oil combination of 4%: 2% (A4) and 5%: 1% (A5) to produce a relaxing, comfortable and fresh therapeutic effect.