Damascena, Alba, Gallica, Centifolia, Moschata and so on......
The rose apparently was originated in Central Asia about 60 to 70 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch, and spread over the entire Northern Hemisphere. Early civilisations, including the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and the Romans, appreciated roses and grew them widely as long as five thousand years ago.
The oldest rose identified today is Rosa gallica, also known as the French rose, which once bloomed wild throughout central and southern Europe and western Asia, and still survives there. Although the exact origin of Rosa gallica is unknown, traces of it appear as early as the twelfth century B.C., when the Persians considered it a symbol of love.
We could write thousands of pages about this beautiful flower very much present in the human history because of its properties and symbolic meanings. Thus, let's focus about the cosmetic properties.
Rose water was first produced by Muslim chemists in the medieval Islamic world through the distillation of roses, for use in the drinking and perfumery industries. Since ancient times, roses have been used medicinally, nutritionally, and as a source of perfume. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Phoenecians considered large public rose gardens to be as important as croplands such as orchards and wheat fields. Rose perfumes are made from rose oil, also called attar of roses, which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses, a process first developed in Iran (Persia) in the tenth century. Rose water is a by-product of this process. Throughout history roses have been used as symbols of love and beauty.
Roses are one of my favourite ingredients to use in skin and hair care. Let's list which are the main cosmetic properties and see why. Roses essence, extract and essential oil are:
1. Antibacterial: Naturally antibacterial rose essential oil makes can help treat acne and acne-prone skin. Combined with its cleansing properties, rose makes an ideal ingredient in face washes and cleansers.
2. Anti-inflammatory: rose oils can actually help reduce swollen spots or redness on your skin. Its calming properties can also help sooth rosacea and eczema.
3. Antioxidants: Rose contains high amounts of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. This important vitamin can help protect skin cells from damage, such as sunburn.
4. Moisturizing: The natural oils found in roses help lock moisture into the skin, keeping skin feeling smooth. Rose is especially beneficial for those with sensitive skin because the sugars in its petals create a soothing feeling.
5. Naturally fragrant: Many organic beauty products choose to include rose for its delicate aroma in lieu of artificial fragrances.
6. Relaxing: When used aromatically, rose calms and soothes the mind, which enhance your skin appearance. In fact, rose petals are a staple in Ayurvedic medicine to detoxify and calm.
7. Toning: As a natural astringent, rose helps tighten pores and restore suppleness for a radiant complexion. In contrast to the alcohol-based toner (where alcohol is added as an ingredient and not an ingredient derived from plants maceration), rose extract-based toners make skin feeling smooth, not dried out.
The ancient Greeks and Romans used to sprinkle rose petals to perfume their baths. In many distilled forms, roses have been included in cosmetics, medicines and therapeutic treatments for centuries. So.... let's pamper yourself with one of the oldest beauty ritual: a Rose Bath.
Add a rose infusion to your bath (infuse by minimum 20-30 min rose petals in hot water). Let it cool a bit before adding it to the bath water (be careful not to burn yourself). Or add the hot rose infusion to the bath and mix with plenty of cooler water, before you get into the tub. Sprinkle some fresh rose petals to make you feel like if you were a veritable Queen.
If you don’t have time to make rose infusion then add a handful of dried rose petals to a muslin bag. Hang the bag off the faucet head while the tub is filling.
Tip: After shampooing use the rose infusion as a rinse. If your hair is very dehydrated, you can mist your hair throughout the day with the infusion.
We use roses on our Beauty Blends, Mist of Roses and, Radiance Mask, Floral Cleanser and Aqua Serum Elixir, click here to discover our products!
Naturally Beautiful,
Sonia x